Episode 43: Music and The Kent State Massacre of May 4, 1970
PLAY LIST
Street Fighting Man by The Rolling Stones (1968)
Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young (1970)
My City Was Gone by The Pretenders (1982)
Turn to Stone by Joe Walsh (1975)
Jackson-Kent Blues by The Steve Miller Band (1970)
Whip It by Devo (1980)
SUMMARY
On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed protestors at Kent State University in Ohio. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded. This episode examines that music that mattered to the students and the music that was made as a result of this tragedy. "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young stands alone as not only the most famous song to be associated with the massacre, but also as one of the greatest protest songs of all time. However, former Kent State students Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders and Joe Walsh, who were on campus on May 4, 1970, were forever impacted by the shootings. So, too, were Gerry Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, the founders of Devo, who have said that without the massacre, the band would not have existed.
SOURCES
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Browne, David. 2020. “Kent State: How ‘Ohio’ Helped Save Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.” Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/kent-state-massacre-neil-young-csny-ohio-history-992126/.
“Chrissie Hynde - Talks about Stockholm Lp, N.Young & 1970 Ohio Shooting - Radio Broadcast 22/05/2014.” 2021. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCGxUtJHmC0.
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“Gerald Casale: Oral History of Devo.” 2015. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqtfx5_zD9Q.
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Loh, Jules. “JSC Fence Stirs Simmering Students in City’s Cauldron.” The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS.) September 27, 1970.
Miller, Abigail. n.d. “'Our Brother Jeff' honors Jeffrey Miller, completes May 4 victim series.” Kent Wired. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://kentwired.com/9309/latest-updates/our-brother-jeff-honors-jeffrey-miller-completes-may-4-victim-series/#.
Olson, Melissa. 2016. “Evolution of an Artist.” Kent State University. https://www.kent.edu/magazine/news/evolution-artist.
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Rosen, Steven. "Joe Walsh: Rock Master". Guitar Player (1975). The James Gang, Joe Walsh. Rock's Backpages. Accessed March 13, 2023. http://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/joe-walsh-rock-master.
Ross, Jody. “Are They Keeping Ohio from Us?” Detroit Free Press. August 28, 1970.
Scoppa, Bud. “Joe Walsh - Forms and Textures of Rock Today.” Tampa Tribune. April 10, 1975.
“'Sins of our past': Leaders apologize for 1970 Jackson State shootings.” 2021. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/sins-our-past-leaders-apologize-1970-jackson-state-shootings-n1267511.
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Vincent, Emily. n.d. “Kent State's May 4 Visitors Center Honors May 4 Victim Jeffrey Miller With New Exhibition.” Kent State University. Accessed March 25, 2023.