He originally wrote the song back in 1982 — it was featured on his first album — but after he and many other steelworkers lost their jobs earlier this year, he recognized that the song had a modern relevance.
“I composed this video about the Lorain Ohio steel mill ‘locking up and leaving town’ and its impact on our hard-working community,” Blake said on Facebook.
“I have been overwhelmed by the tremendous response and interest from all over the country since posting this a little over a week ago,” Blake told the Chronicle-Telegram. “Once again it was the help of my family — wife, Karen, son, Matt, and daughter, Jennie — for me to get this video to the hearts of the many people who can relate to it in some way.”
This article appears in May 18-24, 2016.