In these trying times, we need Chris Pierce. We need him not only for his soulful voice that lands somewhere between Bill Withers and Donny Hathaway; we need him for his songs that remind us to never give up the good fight for justice and equality. The singer-songwriter’s latest release, Let All Who Will (2023), is filled with stories that demand attention. “It’s Been Burning for a While,” is about the death of George Floyd and how repression of the marginalized is nothing new and “Mr. McMartin” is about an aging street sweeper who bears witness to history – riots, parades and catastrophes. Pierce’s catchword is compassion. He sings with it, he fights for it, and he believes that compassion is the only way forward. Pierce is no stranger to struggle. He was the only biracial kid on his block in LA. And, as a teenager, he was almost robbed of his hearing after contracting otosclerosis; he remains deaf in one ear and with only 60 per cent of the hearing in his other. He adapted, persevered and got a big break with a chance meeting with A-list superstar Seal in 2004 who invited him to open during a world tour. Since then, he has been gaining acclaim on tours with Steve Earle, Allison Russell and, in 2023, Neil Young and has had songs on the Netflix drama This Is Us, introducing his beautiful soul into our troubled times.

- Eric Rosenbaum