When the live music scene collapsed during the pandemic, Joe Troop left his band – Che Appalache – and turned his attention to activism with songs that bring people together. He called his musical style Latingrass -- a celebration of Appalachian and Latinx cultures.
“And then I heard about this migrant musician living in my home state of North Carolina – a Venezuelan, multi-instrumentalist and singer, and we hit it off immediately and realized that what we had together – the synergy – could go somewhere.”
Larry Bellorin, his wife and child had left Venezuela, fearing political persecution. Joe says they’ve been waiting eight years for their asylum case to be heard here.
“They’re processing the most recent arrivals first, and then people who’ve been in the system longer just are waiting.”
At first, Larry worked in construction, but after he met Joe the two began composing, recording and touring with a message of hope and support for immigrants.
(music) “That Nuevo South Train’s a chuggin'
It’s a chuggin' on around the bend
So just hop on board, and you’re sure to praise the Lord
And you’re bound to make a mighty fine friend or two.”
They came from very different worlds, but they shared a love of music and a passion for justice.
“We’re the same age. We’re both 40 years old. We’ve been leading parallel lives, but in completely different musical circumstances,” Joe recalls.
His band, for example, was nominated for a Grammy while Larry took top honors at Venezuela’s big international music festival known as El Silbon.
“Silbon is the biggest Venezuelan fiddlers’ convention, and he won multiple years in every vocal style," Joe explains. "When he talks about El Silbon, it makes me think of the Galax Fiddler’s Convention.”
Their songs are in English, Spanish and Spanglish. Here, for example, is the tune titled Border Wall.
(music) “Border wall, border wall
We can build it up taller as we call ourselves free
But Lord, what does that wall say about you and me?
We can just go on living as we turn a blind eye
But tell me, what kind of freedom’s wrapped in razor blade wire?”
El mismo sol brilla dando vida y bondad
Su amor resplandece sin jamás mezquindar
No hay muro tan alto que lo pueda opacar…”
“What we share is a message of cross-cultural joy and empathy and understanding," Troop says. "It can resonate with people across political lines. It can really be a perfect line of defense against all that nonsense.”
Their band is called – what else? Larry and Joe.
“Yeah – and it’s Lahdee in Spanish, but it’s spelled Larry in English," he explains. "It sounds like it might be a plumbing service. Larry plays the Venezuelan harp, the quatro, the maracas and the upright bass. I play the banjo, the fiddle, the guitar and we both sing, and we tell stories, and we get people dancing!”
(music) “Just a silly bunch of ninnies
Rooster Ralph and Hazel Henny
Make a box car spinny…”
Their new album – Manos Panamericanos – will be out this spring. Larry and Joe will perform at the Southern in Charlottesville on February 21st and at Arts Incarnate in Harrisonburg on March 16.
