Thank you, Ed Pearl

I can’t tell you how happy I was to read the evocative article by Richard Cromelin about the Ash Grove and [owner] Ed Pearl [“Shaking the Rock ‘n’ Roll Landscape,” March 23]. Cromelin managed to capture much of the spirit that made the place a virtual temple of our older musical heritage and the birthplace of much of the new. That culturally open and generous spirit came from Ed, of course, and although he will complain, it was fitting to build the story around his sometimes charming, sometimes irascible, but always creative self.

It would be impossible to overstate the value of my own experiences performing at the Ash Grove as an artist. I was given complete artistic freedom there, and could say, or sing, anything that seemed appropriate. I could experiment with the folk tools at my hand, and the blues, jazz and gospel elements I carried inside, without fear of being put in any sort of box. I could build my performance around opposition to the war, struggles for civil rights, women’s liberation, whatever was burning in me without fear of censorship of any kind. These are the most valuable gifts you can give an artist, in addition to the opportunity to hear and know some of the greatest bearers of the traditions on which all our music is based.

Barbara Dane

Oakland

Dane has been invited to sing at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Ash Grove at UCLA, April 18-20.