Nat Hentoff was an American columnist, author, jazz and country music critic, and civil liberties advocate. He wrote for a variety of publications, including The Village Voice, The New Yorker, Down Beat, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He was also a regular contributor to National Review. Hentoff was known for his strong opinions on a wide range of topics, from politics to music. He was a staunch defender of civil liberties and free speech, and was a vocal opponent of censorship.