People to People
Socially consious singer / song writer and social activist
Brandenburg Gate Berlin -2007Mike Stout is a hard-working singer-song writer calling on people around the globe to work in solidarity to win our common struggles for economic justice, peace, and environmental harmony.
He is the former Grievance man of the Homestead Steel plant where he fought for worker rights and safety. A founding board member of the Steel Valley Authority and 13 year board member of Just Harvest and he works to provide services to the poor and unemployed. Along with his day job running a union print shop, he works many long nights in the studio creating music to raise awareness about serious social and political problems. He has released 11 CDs on the American Blue Collar label and appears in the U.S. and Europe.
Performing his music live at large international festivals, concert halls, cafes, schools, union rallies, and picket lines he takes his message to the people of the world.
Latest Release - The Point of Pittsburgh
The Point of Pittsburgh CDTo commemorate Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary, historian Charles McCollester’s book on the history of Pittsburgh and singer-song writer Mike Stout’s latest CD about Pittsburgh heroes were jointly released under the title “The Point of Pittsburgh”. For Charles McCollester and Mike Stout, the Point of Pittsburgh is the unconquerable spirit of the people of Pittsburgh who forged the modern world. During its 250 year history Pittsburgh’s native americans, pioneers, abolitionists, immigrants, blue-collar workers, union activists, inventors, educators, musicians, and sports heroes fought and struggled to improve life on this planet. Mike Stout has composed a CD of songs commemorating the hard working people of uncommon valor who shaped Pittsburgh and the world. Celebrated are the Pittsburghers who risked their livelihoods and lives to battle for the end of slavery, civil rights, worker safety, child labor laws, the 40 hour work week, fair wages, freedom, and justice. Mike Stout sings the stories of unsung heroes from Pittsburgh’s past.
Celebrated in song are abolistionist Martin Delany, boxer Billy Conn along with labor leaders Fannie Sellins (written by Anne Feeney), Crystal Eastman, The Cotton Mill Workers, Monsignor Charles Own Rice, and Sean George.
The 8,000 McKees Rocks immigrant workers who struck for worker safer and equitable pay are remembered in “Blood on the Rocks”. In 1909 the dreaded Coal and Iron Police invaded Mckees Rocks to break the strike and a two hour gun battle erupted in which six strikers and five constables were killed, and more than fifty were wounded.
The folkie fiddle flavored tune "Homestead Town" recalls the Glory Boom Town - the forge of the universe - where the union took on the Pinkertons and the streets where full of people in the middle of the night. In the Dylanesque song “When the Heyday Was Here” Stout remembers the winning fights for democracy and workers rights in Pittsburgh and exclaims even through the mills and the unions are gone they can’t take back the history and accomplishment we made here.
Happy Birthday to Pittsburgh
Bloody Sunday and the Press Steel Car Strike of 1909 Remembered with new marker
In 1909 one of the most deadly in-humane places to work in Allegheny County was the Pressed Steel Car Company plant located near McKees Rocks, Pa. The bodies of workers killed on its assembly lines were kicked aside as fresh workers took their place. The Pittsburgh Leader called the plant “the most outrageous of all industrial plants in the United States”. When workers organized to demand humane working conditions and treatment, the owners of the Pressed Steel Car Company suppressed their demands leading to a violent bloody confrontation. It was one of the bloodiest battles in American labor history. Over 500 men where injured and 13 killed when the blood spilled in McKees Rocks. Mike Stout commemorates the heroism of the 1909 Strikers in his song "Blood on the Rocks"
On the centential of Bloody Sunday a march through McKees Rocks was held past the site of the Pressed Steel Car Company to the small town to Preston where a historical marker in honor of the 1909 strikes was dedicated. Mike Stout performed at the dedication ceremony and at a community picnic.
To Learn more about Bloody Sunday and the 1909 Press Steel Strike
Read the Point of Pittsburgh Blog: thepointofpittsburgh.vox.com/library/post/blood-on-the-rocks---13-killed-in-mckees-rocks.html
See the Post-Gazette Article: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09228/990709-51.stm
Marker Dedication Ceremony: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09228/990710-51.stm
Power which lies within us – German Concert tour March 2009
Pittsburgh’s singer/song-Writer and social activist Mike Stout is embarking on March 13, 2009 on his fourth concert tour of Germany. In 2008 Mike performed for thousands at Berlin’s historic Brandenburg Gate as part of the German Nation Protest Day. Mike’s German fans and promoters have organized a March tour of Germany with ten appearances in 7 cities across Germany. He will return in May with more dates in more cities. See Mike's Events page for date and venues.