Holly Near
A folk singer who turned protest music into a powerful tool for feminist, anti-war, and LGBTQ+ movements.
Born 1949 (age 77)·American singer-songwriter, activist and actress·Birthday: June 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
Holly Near emerged from the folk scene of the 1960s, her clear voice and sharp songwriting quickly aligning with the era's political upheavals. She didn't just perform at rallies; she helped build a cultural infrastructure for activism, co-founding Redwood Records in 1972 to amplify the work of women and politically engaged artists. Her music became a lifeline for the feminist and anti-nuclear movements, and she was an outspoken advocate for gay and lesbian rights long before it was mainstream. Near's career is a testament to the idea that art and activism are inseparable, performing everywhere from coffee houses to massive peace demonstrations, always weaving personal storytelling with a powerful call for justice. Her influence is measured not in chart positions, but in the courage she gave to countless listeners to raise their own voices.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Holly was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Holly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Holly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded Redwood Records, a seminal independent label focused on women's music and political artists.
- Her 1973 song "It Could Have Been Me" became an anthem for the anti-Vietnam War movement.
- Received the Peace and Freedom Award from the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
- Released over 20 albums, blending folk, pop, and jazz with lyrical social commentary.
Did You Know?
She was offered a role on the TV show "The Partridge Family" but turned it down to focus on her music and activism.
Near studied theater at UCLA and performed in the Broadway production of "Hair."
She taught a course on "The Politics of Song" at California State University, Chico.
Her song "Singing for Our Lives" is often used as a hymn in progressive churches and gatherings.
“We are a gentle, angry people, and we are singing, singing for our lives.”
