Welcome to this month's edition of Big Blend Radio's American Jukebox on the Big Daily Blend show! As part of our ongoing America 250 series, host/producer Lisa D. Smith and co-host Johnny Schaefer share Songs for Positive Change. Autumn is a season of change, and in election season we reflect on the choices that shape our communities, our nation, and our future. These songs remind us that change is part of life, that ordinary people can make a real difference, and that it all begins with love.
Johnny also sat down with Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester to talk about her song "'Til We Remember Who We Are," and we pay tribute to our dear friend, the late Joey Stuckey, with his song "One Song at a Time."
HOW TO LISTEN
Playlists (Spotify):
Johnny’s Songs for Positive Change playlist, featuring the songs from the show, and our World Peace & Understanding playlist, which Lisa, Johnny, and Joey made together.
Featured Songs & Episode Highlights
1. "Everything Must Change" – Nina Simone
Album: Baltimore (1978)
Written by Bernard Ighner, this is the song that sums up our theme: when we take stock of our lives and our communities, we have to move forward. Lisa and Nancy have visited Nina's hometown of Tryon, North Carolina, where the Nina Simone Plaza, a bronze statue, and a beautiful mural honor her legacy, and her childhood home is being preserved as a future artist residency - learn more at: savingplaces.org
2. "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" – Tracy Chapman
Album: Tracy Chapman (1988)
The second single from her debut album is an anthem for the grassroots activist, and it sounds grassroots: raw, unfiltered, and speaking to you individually, which means collectively later.
3. "Change" – Blind Melon
Album: Blind Melon (1992)
Many remember the band for "No Rain" and the Bumblebee Girl, but "Change" is about personal growth and transformation. It starts from the writer's own perspective before opening up to the bigger thought, because before communities change, individuals do.
4. "People Have the Power" – Patti Smith
Album: Dream of Life (1988)
Co-written with her husband, Fred "Sonic" Smith, this song grew out of the idea that people have forgotten their own power, and that the real power comes when we remember how to come together.
Feature: Melissa Manchester Interview
Johnny talked with Melissa at Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks War Memorial Park while she filmed scenes for an updated video of her song. She shares how the phrase "just remember who you are" became the song, why she'll bring it back every election, and what it meant when Nancy Pelosi's office used the video to mark the announcement of the new congresswomen. Visit MelissaManchester.com
5. "'Til We Remember Who We Are" – Melissa Manchester
Released ahead of the last election, it's a call to remember community, shared values, and each other.
6. "Not On My Watch" – Aloe Blacc
The end-title song of the documentary Following Harry, which chronicles the last twelve years of Harry Belafonte's life as he mentored younger artists and activists. Lisa recently talked with its director, Susanne Rostock: listen to our interview. The song's spirit matches Belafonte's belief that we all have a responsibility to stand up against injustice. Johnny also explains the Recording Academy's Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award and how Grammy voting works.
7. "One Song at a Time" – Joey Stuckey
Find what you're good at, and do your piece. Lisa and Johnny remember the late Joey Stuckey, whose legacy includes making music creation accessible to people with physical challenges. His album King of Strings came out after his passing, and "Temple in the Wind," written for his wife, is among its songs.
8. "Love Shines On" – Johnny Schaefer
Written for a musical during the AIDS crisis, it has since appeared on Pride floats and in a student film. It closes the show where it started: with love.
What's Coming Up Next Month?
Join us on the first Sunday of December for our next installment of Big Blend Radio's American Jukebox, featuring Christmas and Holiday Music - and a new Christmas song from Johnny!
More from Johnny
Join Johnny's Gratitude Club on Facebook.
Johnny Schaefer is an award-winning LA-based singer-songwriter and a vital voice in the Big Blend Radio and Magazines podcast family. A classically trained musician (BA in Voice and Composition) and a voting member of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYS), Johnny's career spans from duets with Melissa Manchester to backing icons like Josh Groban and Billy Idol. With over 4 million views on his YouTube channel and a passion for storytelling, Johnny brings a sophisticated, eclectic perspective to our creative community. Visit HearJohnny.com or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
