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 1956) is an American musician and a person who works to protect the environment. He is part of a group called Earth First!, which focuses on environmental issues. Darryl was born in New York City and grew up there. Today, he lives in Humboldt County, California.

Darryl Cherney has created five music albums that use humor to talk about political topics. He also started two companies: Environmentally Sound Promotions and Churn It Up Records. In 1986, he worked with Greg King to start a movement. Their goal was to protect a special forest area that later became the Headwaters Forest Reserve near Eureka, California. He also helped organize four events to support Julia Butterfly Hill. She lived in a tree for two years to protect it. Darryl also worked with Judi Bari on a campaign called Redwood Summer.

One of Darryl Cherney's songs is called "Where Are We Gonna Work (When the Trees Are Gone?)". Other musicians, like Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon, have performed this song on their album Prairie Home Invasion.

Political Campaigns

In 1988, Darryl Cherney ran for a position in the United States Congress. He was part of the Democratic primary election in Northern California.

Later, in 2016, Cherney sought the nomination to become the presidential candidate for the Green Party. He ran his campaign on social media. His campaign focused on the idea of "no money in politics" and used the hashtag #FeelTheChern.

Working for the Environment

In the late 1980s, Darryl Cherney met another environmental activist named Judi Bari. Darryl was a musician, and Judi asked him to play music at protests for Earth First!. Judi wanted the group's protests to be peaceful. Before this, the group had sometimes done things that could put loggers at risk.

Judi and Darryl became close friends and colleagues. They worked together to protect the redwood forests. They also worked to help organize timber workers.

1990 Incident and Lawsuit

Darryl Cherney was very involved in the Earth First! environmental group. He worked closely with Judi Bari. On May 24, 1990, they were both in Judi's car when an explosion happened under her seat. Both Darryl and Judi were hurt. Judi was hurt very badly.

The Oakland police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) looked into the incident. They arrested Darryl and Judi. Even though the FBI did not formally charge them, they suggested that Darryl and Judi were carrying the explosive device themselves. They said it went off by accident.

In 1991, Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney filed a lawsuit. They sued the FBI and the Oakland Police Department. They said that these law enforcement groups had violated their rights during the investigation. Darryl and Judi believed that law enforcement was trying to harm their reputations. They also thought it was an attempt to hurt the environmental movement that was working to protect redwood forests in Northern California.

A journalist named Stephen Talbot made a documentary film in 1991 called Who Killed Judi Bari?. In the film, he interviewed Darryl, Judi, and many others. He explored their idea that the explosion was caused by people who wanted to stop the environmental movement.

In 2002, Talbot wrote an article about these events. He shared that Judi had told him privately in 1991 that she suspected someone else was involved in the explosion.

In 2012, Darryl Cherney told KHUM radio that he does not see himself as an "extremist." He prefers to be called a "radical."

That same year, Darryl Cherney produced his own documentary film. It was directed by Mary Liz Thomson and was called Who Bombed Judi Bari? (2012).

Darryl Cherney and his lawyer also got a court order. This order stopped the FBI from destroying evidence they had from another similar incident that happened around the same time. Cherney wanted to have DNA and other evidence checked using new scientific methods. He hoped this would help find out who made the explosive devices in these cases. Cherney believes that the FBI was wrong in how they handled the investigation. He has said that he believes the person who made the explosive device can be found.

Discography

By 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 contributions by Cherney

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