See Eclectic Band Delta Rae Address Charlottesville, ‘Sickness’ of Hate
In the wake of the deadly white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12th, country-Americana group Delta Rae haven’t minced words about what happened there – or about the hatred that still exits in the U.S. Since the violent outbreak that day that resulted in the death of counter-protestor Heather Heyer, the North Carolina band has been speaking out about racism and bigotry during its shows. A new video, from a performance in Philadelphia, sees singer Brittany Holljes delivering a tearful speech before playing their song “All Good People.”
“All Good People” was originally released in the days following the massacre at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17, 2015. “I hate that I have to introduce this song every night, I hate that we had to write it,” says Holljes, fighting back tears, in the video. Her speech and the subsequent performance was recorded during the group’s show at World Cafe Live in Philly on August 22nd.
“A few years ago a white supremacist walked into a church in Charleston, South Carolina, and killed nine African-Americans in their place of worship. Just a week and a half ago, Heather Heyer was killed by a white supremacist in Charlottesville, Virginia,” Holljes continues. The crowd’s reaction partially drowns out what follows, but Holljes finishes by saying, “There is a sickness in this country and we have to raise our voices against it. Racism has never been dead. Start speaking now.”
The reading of “All Good People” that follows is a chilling, stripped-down take on the gospel-tinged tune, with Holljes and her bandmates huddled around a lone microphone, accompanied only by Eric Holljes’ acoustic guitar. Delta Rae‘s next shows will be at Epcot America Gardens Theatre in Orlando, Florida, where they’ll play back-to-back nights on August 31st and September 1st.