MUSIC HISTORY 101
UTAH PHILLIPS

by Brian Blair

Seconds after general pleasantries are exchanged, Utah Phillips moves into a discussion about the recent snow and ice that plagued much of western Oregon earlier this month. Although the conversation starts out as a light chat, the folk singer quickly steers the discussion into the adverse effects the weather had on the homeless of the state.

When the 68-year-old singer speaks about various causes, there’s a credibility in his voice that can’t be replicated by the artists that subscribe to the Issue of the Month newsletter to determine what they should be speaking out against currently. No, Phillips comes by his beliefs naturally and honestly.

If the folky speaks out on an issue, the genesis of that belief can be seen in his past. He became a pacifist after serving in the Korean conflict, his pro-union stance can be traced back to his parents, who were union organizers, and his connection to the homeless isn’t all that extraordinary when taking into account his time spent riding the rails as a hobo.

Born Bruce Phillips, the Nevada City, California-based singer hasn’t been content to just speak out on the issues. He campaigned to be Utah’s governor in 1968 on the Peace and Freedom ticket, he’s run for President in every election since 1969 and he’s been a member of the Industrial Workers of the World (The Wobblies) for a half-century.

Still, it’s his music that has brought people’s attention to him. A Grammy nominee, Phillips has spent much of his life traveling the country to entertain audiences with his music and anecdotes. Unfortunately, health problems forced him to dramatically cut back on touring in 1996.

He has, however, continued to make albums and has found a new, younger audience thanks to folk rocker Ani DiFranco, who has recorded two albums with Phillips.

The discussion about the homeless and the weather winds down and Phillips settles in for the rest of the interview. In a warm and calm voice that never rises despite broaching inflammatory topics, Phillips goes on to talk about being an anarchist, not allowing Johnny Cash to record his songs and what he will do if elected President.

Could you tell me about the pair of shows you’ll be playing in Portland?

Well, let’s see, I’ll be playing over at Reed College. That’s an in-house concert for the faculty, students and staff. They have some sort of grant that...

I’m not quite sure why they would pick me. I’m certainly not an academic, although one of my regrets is that I never did go to college; never did take on that particular kind of discipline, which I do admire. And Reed College has a reputation of being a very rigorous academic environment. And, I think, that I missed being in that kind of environment. I would have enjoyed it. I’ll look forward to walking around the campus and talking to people.

As for the other, that’s something I’ve been involved with for a number of years...and that’s Sisters of the Road. That started...oh, they just did their 25th anniversary down there and, you know, that’s a model. That’s something that could and should happen all over the country.

Sisters of the Road is, first of all, good food. Very inexpensive food. But, also, it’s a place that is completely non-violent and it’s a place where you can come in and lay down the rigors of the street. Sometimes, very, very strong, tough people who need those kind of defenses when they’re out on the street–living on the street–find that they can’t bring that into Sisters. They’re asked to leave. Finally, they discover that Sisters is a place they can lay all of that down and be quiet...be peaceful.

The other wonderful thing about Sisters is that it’s not a soup kitchen. It’s not a part of the welfare department. It’s a restaurant and the people that come in there are not clients, they’re guests...they’re customers. And Sisters has table service. The people who wait on the tables, well, they’re people that have come in off the street. In the Sisters process, you go through training and, pretty soon, you’re working behind the counter...pretty soon your working in the kitchen...pretty soon you’re in management. So, there are people going through Sisters that are getting off the street.

It’s a real community effort and I think it’s spun off so many great things.

Right now, they’re involved in a community organizing project and that’s hundreds of in-depth interviews with homeless people on their view of their condition...their view of the problem of homelessness and of how to deal with it. When all of that information is compiled, there’s going to be a plan coming up from the bottom...coming up from the street about what ought to be done about this. That’s a long time coming. Isn’t it?

Yeah.

So, I admire what Sisters of the Road has been able to do. And the food is pretty good.

I remember going in there for lunch.... I was playing there 25 years ago and I heard about this cafe and then I went down to find out about it. That was an extraordinary experience to go in there and see the way the people were treated; with real humanity and real humility.

So, I’ve stuck with it. Every year since, I go back to Sisters of the Road and help raise money for the annual budget. And visit with old friends.

My son will be driving me up, Duncan. He’s coming over from Utah to do that.

Then, I’ll have a chance to visit Dignity Village and hang there for a day. Then, I really want to want to get together with my fellow workers in the IWW, the Wobblies. I’ve been in that union...this is my 50th year in the IWW. We’ve got a really solid branch up there.

You mentioned that your son will be driving you. Due to health concerns, you haven’t been able to travel as much. Have you?

It’s partly that. I don’t like to travel by myself anymore.

But I think that the main thing about it is that he lives over in Utah and we don’t have a chance to hang out together. He’s a greenskeeper for the city, which means he works outdoors in the summer a lot. So, he’s got a lot of time off in the winter and he can come over and drive these trips. That way, we have a chance to hang out and talk, well, for now, we talk union. He joined the IWW.