Best-known as the leader of the Grammy-nominated folk ensemble Che Apalache, singer and banjo player Joe Troop has sharpened both quill and activist voice on his new single, "The Rise of Dreama Caldwell." Paired with an excellently cast and directed video, Troop tells the riveting story of how Caldwell was tumbled through a punitive bail bond system in North Carolina and emerged determined to make change and advocate for those struggling for justice. It's a powerful song made memorable by powerful writing and an arrangement that transitions from folksy storytelling to a rising gospel swell of redemption. For Troop, who has recently spent time working at a migrant shelter in Mexico, "Dreama Caldwell" is another fine notch in the rising career of an important musical voice for social justice.
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