October 1, 2008

The Duhks: Green Music You Can Dance To

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


The Duhks (pronounced “ducks”) have a style that’s hard to classify: They describe it as a blend of “Gospel, Celtic, Old time, Zydeco, Country, Latin, French-Canadian and sheer Rock & Roll.” Sure, the band was nominated for a Grammy in a country music category, but as anyone who has heard them knows, they’re hardly boot-in-your-ass CMT stars.

Country or not, one label that applies is “green.” As claw-hammer banjo adept Leonard Podolak explained to me after one recent show, even musicians need to pull their environmental weight if we’re going to solve our society’s sustainability problems.

To that end, the band—which spends 75 percent of their time on the road—has invested in a biodiesel van to reduce their environmental footprint. (Podolak acknowledges that biofuels are not a perfect solution, just the best they can do for now.) The band is also spreading their message through Green Duhks, their sustainability project. Environmentally-minded fans can join the “Flock” and support The Duhks Sustainability Project by purchasing a “very limited edition original art poster” printed with recovered ink on 100% recycled paper.

“We’ve forgotten what is sacred in this fast paced world,” sings Sarah Dugas. “We take, and keep taking, without thinking of what we’re given.” It’s true, and it’s not just her sirenic voice that’s got me convinced. Here’s “Fast Paced World,” the title track of The Duhks’ latest album:

ONLY HOURS LEFT—AND EVERYTHING RIDING ON IT

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With just hours left, we need a huge surge in reader support to get to our $400,000 year-end goal. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters. All gifts are 3X matched and tax-deductible.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

ONLY HOURS LEFT—AND EVERYTHING RIDING ON IT

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With just hours left, we need a huge surge in reader support to get to our $400,000 year-end goal. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters. All gifts are 3X matched and tax-deductible.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate