Darryl Cherney has written scores of songs about the
actions he and his friends have taken defending the environment, fighting
for civil rights, and protesting and mocking the political
status quo. He has lived among the redwoods of Humboldt
County, California for over eighteen years with solar
panels, a wood burning stove, and up a dirt road miles
from the nearest power line. He honors both Goddess and God, and likes it here on planet Earth. Alongside Greg King, he co-founded the campaign which resulted in the establishment
of the Headwaters Forest Reserve near Eureka, California.
He has worked with Earth First! at successfully protecting other areas,
as well, including portions of the Cahto Wilderness, Trout Creek (both in Mendocino County, CA), Luna (where Julia Butterfly sat for two years in Humboldt County, CA), and even some individual trees (in California and Ohio).
And he worked alongside his political organizing partner
Judi Bari at building alliances between loggers, steelworkers
and environmentalists. All the while writing and singing
songs about it.
While touring universities and organizing for a large,
prototypical campaign called Redwood Summer, Judi
Bari and Darryl Cherney were car bombed in Oakland, California. (www.judibari.org).
The FBI and Oakland Police blamed the two (falsely) for bombing themselves
and had them arrested. Judi was almost killed while Darryl
was only slightly injured. Redwood Summer carried on regardless
and serves to this day as a model for political campaigns nationwide. Judi and Darryl went on to sue the FBI and Oakland
Police agents for violations of the United States Constitution.
Tragically, Judi died from cancer in 1997. Darryl along with Judi's estate and their team
of veteran civil rights attorneys took the FBI and OPD
to trial in the Spring of 2002. A jury unanimously
awarded $4.4 million for violations of Judi and Darryl's
freedom of speech and their right to be free from unlawful
arrest and illegal search and seizure.