Richard Fariña (b. 1937-1966)
Richard Fariña was an important writer in the early days of Broadside. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by a fatal motorcycle accident. Along with his wife Mimi, Joan Baez's sister, he recorded three albums, which included such well-known songs as "Pack Up your Sorrows," "Reno, Nevada," and "Birmingham Sunday." Fariña was one of the few writers of contemporary songs who used the Appalachian dulcimer as his instrument of choice.
Richard Fariña. Photo by Diana Davies.
The Best of Broadside: 43. "Birmingham Sunday"
On September 15, 1963, a bomb deliberately placed near the basement of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, exploded, killing four young African-American girls. The church had been a rallying point for marches against the local police. Local members of the Ku Klux Klan were later convicted of involvement in the crime, but the case took years to come to justice.
Text extracted from the notes by Jeff Place accompanying The Best of Broadside.