The war and the treaty challenge racist festival experiences

The war and the treaty are one of the most famous acts on the modern Americana scene – but unfortunately this world is full of heartless villains, and the Michigan-based power couple met one at the last Music Festival Sips & Sounds in Austin, Texas.

Speaking of To The Hollywood ReporterSinger-songwriter Michael Trotter Jr. explained that he had experienced a heartbreaking act of racism backstage at the festival when he went to his dressing room and saw a Cotton Plant. “We all know what that means,” he said. “We all know what that means in this country for people who look like us.”

Michael continued to speak about the emotions he felt in that devastating moment: “I felt anger. I felt disrespect. I felt sadness. Sadness not just because of what this plant represents to people who look like me, but sadness for myself because I am a son of this country. I served this country honorably in the 16th Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division of the United States Army. I am wounded for that service. I am very open about my wounds and scars and I felt betrayed.

“It’s not fair. It’s something that white artists don’t have to worry about at all. It just happens from the guts of this genre. So I think it’s not enough for us to talk about it, we have to demand that we talk about it.”

Michael and his wife, also a singer-songwriter Tanja Trotterplayed their set on the main stage at Sips & Sounds, but attempted to leave the festival immediately afterward. Michael explained that he and Tanya “had a moment in our hotel room where we wanted to approach our 12-year-old son Legend,” but ultimately we were the ones “being approached.”

He continued, “(Legend) said this was not the time to be quiet about it. He was very upset and understood exactly what it meant. He’s homeschooled and he knows what that means. And he doesn’t know what it means because Ty and I sat down and drilled it into him.”

Tanya also spoke about her experience and said that such an incident “is a hard blow when you are the granddaughter of a sharecropper.” She said, “My grandfather bought the plantation in New Bern, North Carolina, where he grew cotton. My family still lives there. When you look at these things, you think, ‘Wow, even though my grandfather bought the plantation, there is still so much pain for the people who didn’t get a chance to turn it into economic development for their families.’

“I didn’t want to sit there and educate because it’s not my job to educate anyone about what cotton is and what it stands for in this country. That just shouldn’t be happening. It’s not just about racism, it’s more than that now. It’s a safety issue now because we need to feel safe coming to these festivals.”

She explained the mood: “If we infiltrate and take in blacks, Asians and Hispanics, then you have to look at it as a security issue, like they did when they integrated the school in Arkansas. They had the police there.”

“People need to feel safe when they come to be educated, entertained or whatever. That’s my position as we move into this genre and the opportunities expand not just for us but for everyone. You need to create a safe environment for anyone with melanin in their skin.”

Michael agreed with his wife and added to her view: “My skin color is red, white and blue – the flag. I am an American soldier. That is what this country asked for when it called me to serve, so I feel betrayed.”

“Yes, it’s a security issue, but it’s more than that. It’s a human issue. It’s about humanity, and I was put in a position where I felt like I had to protect my wife, my son, my daughter and my band members at all costs, which would have meant going into war mode in my own country.”

The Hollywood Reporter later received a statement from the Sips & Sounds team saying they were “disheartened” by the Trotters’ experience at the festival. The statement read: “No intentional harm was intended and we sincerely apologize. Their concerns were met with immediate action, including a sincere personal apology, the removal of decor, and a face-to-face conversation by event organizers with the artists to reassure them that this was an honest mistake.”

The War And Treaty are currently touring in support of their fourth studio album, Game for loverswho arrived last March via UMG Nashville. Their last trip to Australia was in 2022 when they played five consecutive days at the Byron Bay Bluesfest.