Prologue: Part I – Are You Sure You Want to Do This?

Anniversaries are often a time to reflect, usually about the importance and lasting impact of the event that’s being marked. It was the tragic events of May 4, 1970 that eventually led to the project you hold in your hands. It all started with one of the classes I was teaching at Kent State University. The course was titled “Making Sense of the Sixties” and it focused on the social, political and cultural changes of that infamous decade. It was particularly significant for KSU because there had been a long-standing debate as to when the Sixties era and its changes and attitudes actually began. You’ll see what I mean as you read on.

Some say it started with the growing youth movement and the election of John F. Kennedy, or even his assassination.  You could make an argument that the space race or the Cold War kicked the decade into high gear, especially after the U.S. went nose to nose with the Soviet Union over the Cuban Missile Crisis. Was it the fight for civil rights? That battle had been going on for some time before, but TV coverage…still new in many homes…gave it a new sense of urgency. Television played a pivotal role in that decade with some even suggesting that the Beatles debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 sparked the artistic upheaval that gave new focus to the driving force of popular culture. There was violence in the streets, too, much of it focused on ending the war in Viet Nam.

The course was taught at Kent’s Franklin Hall, and I pointed out that while no one seemed to be able to pinpoint an exact date for the birth of the Sixties era, many agreed that it likely ended just a short walk away in a hail of gunfire on that horrible day on May 4th just outside Taylor Hall on the Commons as students confronted the Ohio National Guard. That was particularly shocking to students attending from out of state, many who knew little about that dark era. There was one student who seemed to offer a lot of insight along with her questions, often leading class discussions about events and issues that obviously happened long before she was born. That student was Breanna Mona, and those spirited exchanges led to further questions about that era, especially music.

Bre can seem a bit deceptive but in the most positive way. How could a person of her generation have such an intuitive understanding of the cultural impact of the eras of “music with a message,” especially so-called protest music? It doesn’t take long before you realize that her perception and comprehension is far beyond that of most millennials, and it’s not just what she knows but that she seems to always want to know more. I mentioned the depth of her awareness to my wife, Janice, and after she met Bre she summed her up in three words. “You were right!”    I should also point out that over the past few years Bre has proven to be one of the rising stars of entertainment journalism in both local and national publications and is happy to discuss, debate and defend her positions.

The work she presented in defense for her master’s degree was immediately recognized as one of the most important such projects ever presented at Kent’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication and won applause and much encouragement from the committee members. It was based on Rolling Stone magazine’s assessment that Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s “Ohio” was the most important protest song ever produced, being issued just days after the May 4th demonstration. Bre wanted to know more about the evolution of protest music since that time and, using her contacts from her reporting career, she was able to track down some very prominent names to comment on that topic. Keep in mind this was unheard of for a student project and the vast majority of those she contacted were very eager to offer their opinions including some who were notorious for not doing interviews. Many noted the importance of her research, and several took steps to make personal inquiries securing additional interviews. The power of networking!

Along with music she noted that comedians were starting to get a firm foothold in social commentary at the time of “Ohio” and Bre included many of their thoughts as well. I should point out that I was very honored, as were Stephanie Smith and Jacquie Marino, to be part of Bre’s masters committee, and was happy to offer opinions and direction wherever I could. Maybe I should also mention that before I started a teaching career, I spent many years in radio and saw many of the artists she wrote about when they were first starting out. Plus, Janice and I have also issued a series of books about media history and pop culture and I was more than willing to give advice when Bre announced she wanted to compile her research into a book based on her project.  It was at one of those planning sessions that she mentioned something I neither anticipated nor really knew how to answer.

We all met for a breakfast meeting on a Sunday morning at one of those places in Kent that gets really crowded after the churches let out. As usual, Bre had her notepad with a long list of questions with that one that I didn’t expect. “You’re really giving me a lot of information here. How about if we both collaborate on this book?”

She had put her heart and soul into this project and my first reaction was no. Bre had a firm direction in mind, plenty of interviews still to be transcribed and was very well equipped to offer thoughtful analysis. Knowing this would likely be the first of several, I thought her first book should carry her name alone. Bre countered that her vision for the book was a comparison of people from two generations, one from the era when “Ohio” was introduced and another looking at it from her historic perspective. I was still hesitant, Bre asked to me to give it some serious thought, and on the way home Janice said, “I think you should!” In “Janice-speak” that means, “Just do it.” When Bre asked again I agreed with certain conditions. I was very honored to even be considered and recognized her vision for the project was already on firm ground. If there’s one thing most people recognize right away about Breanna Mona is that she’s focused. I would be happy to be work on such a respected and anticipated project, but she’s in charge. Bre would have the final editorial say on anything that was written and would guide the project to its final assessment. Those terms seemed fair and we both set to work toward our common goal.

I mentioned my classes. Granted, Kent State as well as other universities gets a wide range of students from around the country and even the world. It concerned me that many had little if any knowledge of the events of May 4th, and sadly that was the same for “music with a message.” The vintage songs carried stories, opinions and news rather than the musical “flavor of the week” that had been marketed to more recent generations. That’s not necessarily bad. Music is primarily a form of entertainment, but I saw this as an opportunity to stress the importance of this type of communication in preserving the history and attitude when it was created. It was also an opportunity to reconnect with many old friends and acquaintances who had lived through that era. Musicians who played in Kent and knew their importance to the community, radio people who conveyed the messages over the “electronic back yard fence,” former students involved in the anti-war movement and even those who witnessed the shootings firsthand. It turned out that Bre had made many of those same connections and more.

It was also a chance to not only reflect on what actually happened but also to see how far we had come on a social and cultural level and how different generations could relate to that progress. Was there progress or were there lessons that were either dismissed or even ignored?    Plus, it presented the opportunity to directly question so many of the key players about their lasting impressions and how music may have reflected those opinions.

Let me also point out that one of the deciding factors in agreeing to be part of this very ambitious project was Breanna’s attitude in analyzing the information that was gathered. It was evident in a conversation we had about how a book’s title can leave a lasting impression on even a casual reader. Bre’s journalistic skills are well defined and she can easily pursue a story in an extremely objective manner. You may not like what she wrote, but it’s a sure bet you’ll say it’s accurate. She is also not a negative person and can express herself in a firm and friendly way.  When she explained her concept of tracking the evolution of social messaging in music and comedy, she knew that some of the opinions could be somewhat abrasive, but she would report them in a fair-minded manner. When I asked her about a possible title I wondered if she planned to use some reference to CSNY’s “Ohio” and she made it clear she would not. While that song provided a convenient base for the research, it also called back to a negative event and she explained not all social messaging was in that same niche. Bre referred back to another classic that held hope for better times and understanding. When she told me the title she wanted to use it spoke volumes about her character and her own thoughts about the power of music.

The title would be All We Are Saying…   You know the rest.

Okay, so you heard my part of the story leading up to this book.  I now turn it over to Breanna for her take on the project.