Peter Wolf's Kennedy Center Appearance Canceled: A Response to Political Changes
When Peter Wolf was on tour last spring promoting his memoir, "Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters and Goddesses," he eagerly anticipated his performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This venue held special significance as it was never a part of his previous performances with the J. Geils Band, but he had graced the stage in 1997 as part of a tribute to Muddy Waters, showcasing his powerful baritone and energetic dancing. Other notable artists who joined him that evening included Buddy Guy, Keb Mo', John Hiatt, Koko Taylor, Gregg Allman, and Charlie Musselwhite.
However, the political landscape shifted dramatically after Donald Trump's re-election as president. Trump abruptly dismissed the Kennedy Center board and replaced them with hand-picked members, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance. He then installed himself as chairman, sparking a wave of cancellations from artists who felt uncomfortable with the new administration's actions. Wolf, scheduled to perform on March 21, responded by moving his book event to Politics and Prose, an independent bookstore in D.C. This decision was not unique to him; actress-writer Issa Rae and Lin-Manuel Miranda also canceled their respective shows at the Kennedy Center.
"When the administration changed and a lot of good people were let go, I felt uneasy," Wolf explained. "It became a political issue, and I believed that the Kennedy Center should remain a non-partisan space."
The situation escalated when the Trump-appointed board voted to rename the Kennedy Center as the Trump-Kennedy Center. This prompted even more artists to cancel their shows, including the jazz ensemble The Cookers and the renowned Doug Varone and Dancers. In a light-hearted protest, "South Park" writer Toby Morton purchased the domain name trumpkennedycenter.org and created a parody website.
Despite the cancellations, Wolf's memoir, "Waiting on the Moon," became a New York Times bestseller, receiving praise from the legendary Bob Dylan. The success of the book has inspired Wolf to begin work on a new collection of stories. Additionally, he is set to embark on a tour with his full band, the Midnight Travelers, featuring guitarists Duke Levine and Kevin Barry. Wolf's upcoming shows will showcase his music and storytelling, drawing from both his solo recordings and the iconic Geils era.
The tour commences at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River on February 13, followed by performances in Norfolk, Conn. (February 14), Portsmouth, N.H. (February 19), Groton (February 20), Beverly (March 7), East Greenwich, R.I. (March 28), New York City (April 4), and Brownfield, Maine (April 24 and 25).
Mark Shanahan, a journalist, can be contacted at mark.shanahan@globe.com and followed on Twitter @MarkAShanahan.
