Magpie is an American

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

duo. Established in 1973 by Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner in

Kent, Ohio Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeast Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 28,215 at the 2020 Census. The city is counted as pa ...

, the band's repertoire focuses on topical music and social activism.

Band history

In addition to its own compositions, Magpie often performs songs by

Phil Ochs Philip David Ochs (; December 19, 1940 – April 9, 1976) was an American songwriter and protest singer (or, as he preferred, a topical singer). Ochs was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, political activism, often alliterative lyrics, and ...

. After Leonino graduated from

Kent State University Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in As ...

, the pair soon moved to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Magpie biography
/ref> A witness to the

Kent State shootings The Kent State shootings, also known as the May 4 massacre and the Kent State massacre,"These would be the first of many probes into what soon became known as the Kent State Massacre. Like the Boston Massacre almost exactly two hundred years bef ...

, Terry wrote a song about the tragic event, played at the 25th anniversary commemoration in 1995 and included on the album ''Give Light''. Terry wrote "As a survivor of the massacre at Kent State, for years I tried to write this song. It was difficult and it is still a very painful subject for me and for many others who were on the hill that day in May, 1970. Thanks to the patience and love of my husband I was able to put this pain in to words about that time…" On

Earth Day Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 b ...

1998, Magpie performed ''We Belong to the Earth'' as a finale to a speech by

President Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...

. In 2000, the duo created a musical piece for the

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is a United States environmental research and educational facility operated by the Smithsonian Institution. It is located on the Rhode and West Rivers near Edgewater in Anne Arundel County, M ...

, ''Tales of the Blue Crab''.

Awards

In 1998, Magpie won the "Wammie" award as traditional folk duo of the year from the Washington Area Music Association.Washington Area Music Association
1998 Wammies
/ref> They also received the 1999

Addy Award The American Advertising Federation (AAF), headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest national advertising trade association in the United States. The AAF also has 15 district operations, each located in and representing a different region o ...

for their song ''Take Me Back to Harpers Ferry'' and their soundtrack for the video, which is on continuous play at

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, originally Harpers Ferry National Monument, is located at the confluence of the Potomac River, Potomac and Shenandoah River, Shenandoah rivers in and around Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The park includes t ...

Discography

* ''Magpie & Friends'' (1978) * ''Working My Life Away'' (1982) * ''If It Ain't Love'' (1986) * ''Living Planet'' (1990) * ''Circle of Life'' (1992) * ''Seed on the Prairie'' (1994) * ''Spoken in Love'' (with Kim & Reggie Harris) (1995) * ''Give Light'' (1999) * ''Guide My Feet'' (with Kim & Reggie Harris) (1999) * ''Sword of the Spirit'' (2000) * ''Last Month of the Year'' (2002) * Of Changes and Dreams (2013)

External links

Magpie website

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magpie American folk singers American activists Kent State University Kent State University alumni Singer-songwriters from Ohio