Roger Manning is a New York City based singer-songwriter who plays an aggressive acoustic style of music. Manning, along with a small handful of other artists, composed the original New York City anti-folk scene.[2]
On February 6, 1985, Manning was cited by New York City's MTA police for "entertain[ing] passengers by singing, dancing or playing any musical instrument" on a subway platform. Manning mounted a legal challenge to the long-standing ban on busking and in September 1985, Judge Diane Lebedeff ruled in People v. Manning that busking was constitutionally protected.[3] The ruling led to the establishment of the Music Under New York program.[4]
In December 1988, SST Records released Manning's first self-titled album, which he supported with a tour of North America, crossing the United States two and a half times.[5][6] In 1990, he hosted the first season of the short-lived syndicated radio program "Soho Natural Sessions."[7][8]
Since 2001, Manning has made a living as a web designer in New York.[9] In the mid-2000s, Manning was involved with Pacifica station WBAI in New York City, eventually joining the Pacifica National Board in 2004.[10]
