URI hosted musical history when the 2006 Honors Colloquium, “Songs of Social Justice: The Rhetoric of Music,” explored how music has, and will always be, a constant theme in shaping the political and social experience.

Such accomplished musicians as Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tom Paxton, and the late Utah Phillips participated, sharing their thoughts and their music live Edwards Auditorium. The series was captured in a just released two-disc compilation CD, fittingly called Songs of Social Justice.

“The recordings are stunningly good, beautifully recorded, nicely edited, and capture some wonderfully unique performances. These may be the best recordings ever made of some of these artists, ” said musical legend and flat-picking pioneer Dan Crary.

CDs are available for a $25 contribution to the URI Stephen Myles Social Justice Scholarship. Myles was the assistant director of URI’s Counseling Center and an accomplished musician. He was eager to help organize the colloquium and to share with students the power of music and art as catalysts for social change. Sadly, he died shortly before he could see his dream come to fruition.

All money raised from CD sales will go directly to the scholarship fund. Once endowed, the scholarship will be awarded to a student or students in any major engaged in the pursuit of social justice.

Listen to a sample intro and music clip from the album:

[audio:1-09Intro_Deportee.mp3,1-10Deportee.mp3]

Patricia Wells Solorzano, Deportee by Woody Guthrie

For more information on purchasing a CD go to songsofjustice.com or email Professor of Communication Studies Stephen Wood at DocWood@mail.uri.edu. Happy listening!