Darryl Cherney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darryl Cherney
Darryl Cherney playing guitar, May 2015
Born	1956 (age 68–69) New York City, New York, United States
Occupation	Musician and activist
Political party	Green

Darryl Cherney (born in 1956) is an American musician and environmental activist. He is known for being part of the Earth First! movement. This group works to protect nature. Darryl was born in New York City and now lives in Humboldt County, California.

He has created five music albums with his own political songs. He also started companies called Environmentally Sound Promotions and Churn It Up Records. In 1986, with Greg King, he helped start a movement to save the Headwaters Forest Reserve. This forest is now protected by the government. He also organized events to support Julia Butterfly Hill when she lived in a tree for two years to protect it. He worked with Judi Bari on the Redwood Summer campaign.

One of Darryl Cherney's songs, "Where Are We Gonna Work (When the Trees Are Gone?)", was also sung by other artists like Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon.

Getting Involved in Politics

Darryl Cherney has run for political office. In 1988, he ran for Congress in Northern California as a Democrat.

Later, in 2016, he sought the Green Party's nomination for president. His campaign focused on the idea of "no money in politics." He used social media and the hashtag #FeelTheChern to share his message.

About His Life

In the late 1980s, Darryl Cherney met Judi Bari, another environmental activist. Darryl was a musician, and Judi asked him to play music at Earth First! protests. She wanted to show that the group's protests were peaceful. Before this, Earth First! was sometimes known for actions that could be risky for loggers.

Darryl and Judi became close friends and continued to work together. They focused on protecting redwood forests and helping timber workers.

The 1990 Incident and Legal Case

Darryl Cherney was very active in the Earth First! movement with Judi Bari. On May 24, 1990, they were in Judi's car when an explosion happened under her seat. Both were hurt, and Judi was seriously injured. The police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) looked into the incident. They arrested Darryl and Judi. Even though they were not charged with a crime, the FBI suggested they were carrying the device themselves.

In 1991, Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney started a legal case against the FBI and Oakland Police Department. They said their rights were violated during the investigation. They believed law enforcement tried to harm their reputations and the environmental movement.

A journalist named Stephen Talbot made a documentary called Who Killed Judi Bari? in 1991. He interviewed Darryl, Judi, and others. He explored ideas that the explosion might have been caused by logging companies or the FBI. He also mentioned other suggestions, but Judi strongly denied them.

In 2002, Stephen Talbot wrote an article about these events. He shared that Judi had privately told him in 1991 that she suspected her ex-husband, Michael Sweeney, was involved. Talbot had kept this private until after Judi's death.

Darryl Cherney later made his own documentary film, Who Bombed Judi Bari?, which came out in 2012.

Darryl and his lawyer also got a court order to stop the FBI from destroying evidence. This evidence was from another explosion that happened in 1990, about a week before the incident in Judi's car. Investigators thought the same person might have made both devices. Darryl wanted the evidence to be tested using new DNA and forensic methods. He believes this could help find the person responsible. Darryl has said he thinks the FBI not only wrongly accused him and Judi but also hid important evidence.

Music Albums

By Darryl Cherney

Albums

• I Had To Be Born This Century (Churn It Up, 1987, 2004)
• They Sure Don't Make Hippies Like They Used To (Churn It Up, 1989, 2004)
• Timber (Churn It Up, 1991, 2004) - with Judi Bari & George Shook
• Who Bombed Judi Bari? (soundtrack, 1997)
• White Tribal Music (Churn It Up, 1999)
• Real American (Churn It Up, 2004) - Darryl Cherney & The Chernobles

Singles

• Bush It! (Alternative Tentacles, 2002) - Darryl Cherney & The Chernobles

With Other Artists

• If A Tree Falls (Rhino Entertainment, 1996) by various artists – Cherney sings "You Can't Clearcut Your Way To Heaven" on this album.