Narrator
Timothy Ranney-Blake is a lifelong resident of the Pioneer Valley, a proud Black gay man, and the newest member of the Young@Heart Chorus. Born in 1949, Timothy has lived through and taken part in numerous social justice movements, including the Civil Rights Movement, Feminism, early gay rights activism, and more recently, LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts.
Raised in Western Massachusetts, he moved to Indian Orchard from West Virginia as a small child. Music has been a big part of Timothy’s life since childhood, and his early years were filled with jazz, blues, and gospel. As he grew into young adulthood, he became captivated by rock and roll, doo-wop, soul, and the sounds of the “Summer of Love.” For Timothy, being a young person in the ‘60s and ‘70s meant that social justice and music were deeply intertwined.
In 1968, during the Vietnam War era, Timothy enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, at a time when being gay in the military was illegal and could result in legal consequences or dishonorable discharge. He served until his honorable discharge in 1972. Following his military service, Timothy built a diverse career that spanned child care, public health education, and social services. In the late 1980s, he returned to school and earned an associate’s degree in early childhood education from Holyoke Community College.
A long-time activist in the Valley, Timothy has been involved in causes such as anti-racism, LGBTQ+ rights, mental health awareness, and other social justice issues since the 1980s. He was also a part of early gay rights groups in the Valley, including the Pioneer Valley People’s Gay Alliance, and even founded his own group Gay and Lesbian Educators (G.A.L.E). Alongside his husband, whom he married in 1984 and legally in 2004, Timothy has stood at the forefront of these movements, even participating in some of the first Pride marches in Northampton.
A dedicated member of the local music scene since the early 1980s, Timothy has attended numerous shows in Northampton and the wider Pioneer Valley, including at venues like the Iron Horse, the Green River Valley festival, and the Academy of Music, and continues to enjoy live performances and music festivals in the Valley regularly with his husband. While Timothy spent much of his life as just a consumer of the Northampton music scene—apart from a brief time in a local gospel choir and as a backup singer in amateur theatre productions—he has now taken the stage himself. As one of the newest members of the Young@Heart Chorus, a Florence-based group dedicated to challenging ageism through music, Timothy has found a renewed sense of purpose. The Chorus has given Timothy the opportunity to be “the young guy” again, and has allowed him to further broaden his horizons in later life.
Abstract
In this interview, Timothy Ranney-Blake reflects on his Southern-influenced upbringing in an ethnically diverse public housing project in Indian Orchard during the 1950s and ’60s, a time shaped by both Jim Crow and the Civil Rights movement. He shares his experience of growing up with an innate sense of being gay, though without the language to define it. He also discusses enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1968 during the Vietnam War and serving until his honorable discharge in 1972, a time when being gay was not accepted in the military. Ranney-Blake goes on to talk about his life after the military, which included a variety of jobs, primarily in child care and public services. He reflects on his journey toward self-acceptance, coming to terms with his identity as both Black and gay after years of what he describes as living a “lie.” Additionally, he recalls his involvement in nightlife and activism in the Pioneer Valley during the 1980s and ‘90s, as well as meeting and marrying his husband, Rob. He also describes his introduction to the Young@Heart Chorus and his eventual decision to join the group just two years ago, explaining what the Chorus has given him and the lessons he has learned. Further, Ranney-Blake emphasizes the importance of living one’s truth, reflects on his recovery journey, and stresses the need for young people to continue the fight for justice and equality.