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Billy Bragg on protest music, Woody Guthrie's lyrics and performing 'Mermaid Avenue' again

Billy Bragg performs from the stage in Parliament Square during a protest against the State Visit of U.S. President Donald Trump on September 17, 2025 in London England. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Leon Neal/Getty Images
Billy Bragg performs from the stage in Parliament Square during a protest against the State Visit of U.S. President Donald Trump on September 17, 2025 in London England. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The English singer-songwriter and activist Billy Bragg and the band Wilco are performing songs from the album “Mermaid Avenue” together for the first time since the first volume of the album was released in 1998. They’re playing at the Solid Sound Festival in Massachusetts June 26.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong talks to Bragg about the album, which was a collaboration between Bragg and Wilco to put a trove of lyrics by America folk singer Woody Guthrie to music. Guthrie’s songs are about a broad range of subjects, and many are about social justice. Bragg discusses his own connections to social justice and protest songs.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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