March 2016 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - Volume 10, Number Eight

Happy Spring to all of you - my friends, family, folkies and fellow travelers!
This is by far the mildest winter I can ever remember.  It's supposed to be seventy degrees on Sunday! My bulbs are out.  I'm gearing up for the Ireland trip - just around the corner ... and I hope you have come through this winter as well as I have.  I got a rude surprise on St Patrick's Day with vestibular neuritis and "jumpy eyes" (nystagmus). It was very much like a cartoon, but I wasn't laughing. A few tests, IV meds and an overnight stay at Shadyside Hospital (thanks, 5th floor nurses!) and I was pronounced good to go. That collapsed my hopes for getting the newsletter out in time for St. Patrick's Day, though.

I have taken a lot of flak from Hillary supporters since I announced my support for Bernie Sanders. If the convention fairly nominates Hillary as the Democratic Candidate for president, I will vote for her. But why would anyone pass up the chance to cast a primary vote for a fellow who wants to break up the banks, tax wall streeters, deliver expanded medicare to all,end mass incarceration, get public financing for elections and end the $$$ that buys elections and candidates,  provide free public education through grade sixteen in all public schools, reinvest in our infrastructure??  My heart, my time and my very limited money are with Bernie - as long as he's in, I'm all in with Bernie.

March Wall of Fame 

I am forever grateful to those of you who responded to my plea for financial support. You kept me from defaulting on my obligations.  It's finally beginning to sink in that my career choice will no longer support me.  My health can no longer tolerate my constant touring.  The pension I receive from the Musicians' Union is $295/month. I receive $790 from Social Security. My mortgage is $700/month. My utilities average $600.  Even when my two rental properties are occupied and generating $1750/month, the taxes, insurance, repairs and maintenance eat up a huge portion of that income.  I've got a lot of good work coming up at the Tommy Douglas Center in Washington, DC in April. I've got the Ireland tour coming up.  I've got a very nice festival in Michigan in July... that is all that I've confirmed. My fundraising style is very similar to Bernie's -- lots of small donors.  There's a Paypal "DONATE" button on the right hand side of this page.  If you'd rather send a check, please send a most welcome check:

Anne Feeney

2240 Milligan Ave

Pittsburgh, PA  15218

This month's Twenty Wall of Famers: 

Dave H - UK; Janet A and Michael R - Oakland, CA; Nina F. - Piedmont, CA; Per Elis J. - Kopparberg, SV; Tom and Cookie D - Pittsburgh, PA; Ed D. - Seattle, WA; Pat H. and Sandy O;Virginia  F. - San Diego, CA; Janet, Judy and Carol W - San Diego, CA; Sue D. - Oakland, CA; John M and Deborah McK - Pittsburgh, PA; Bob and Barb I - Detroit, MI; Carol VH; Michael V, Janet T - Lexington, KY; Ruth F and Don W - Ontario; Dawn McD - Detroit,MI; Mary W- Seattle, WA; Ann F - Leverett, MA; Lee G - OKC, OK

I am so grateful for your help and support!

St Patrick's Day 
a video of "The Sick Note" 
re-enacted by Legos People

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA5RGI3zn20

Thanks to Loretta Santejka for the link!

At this point I'm not completely sure, but I think my tour may be sold out.  If you still want to go with me this year, check with Vicki Belinoski vbelinoski@austin.rr.com vbelinoski@austin.rr.com and she'll do her best to accommodate you.

So Mick is on his way home and he passes by his friend Rory's farm.  Mick is horrified to see his old friend stark naked and wildly gesticulating - dancing and pumping his hips as he runs in circles around his tractor.

Mick leaps from his vehicle and runs toward his old friend.  "What are doing, Rory - have you lost your mind??"

Rory says, "Not at all, Mick. I'm doing as my doctor recommended. You see, my wife and I have been having troubles in the bedroom, and Dr. O'Hara suggested that I do something sexy to a tractor."  (Read it aloud if you don't get it.)

Oscars 2016

My son, Dan Berlin and his fabulous wife, Monique Murad took on the challenge to cook the 2016 Oscars dinner. I've been hosting these parties since 1999, and couldn't have been more delighted when my son  offered to carry on the tradition for the 88th annual Academy Awards.

The dinners began when my husband Julie slipped into the kitchen during the 70th Academy Awards and cooked a simple but elegant meal for me and my cousin Bill.  We shared it with him on the couch as we watched the Oscars. Over the years the event evolved into five course dinners for eight, then ten, then twelve - with each course keyed to one of the five best-picture nominees. The $1 admission fee collected from each guest went to whoever picked the most Oscar winners on the ballots handed out on arrival.

Eventually my husband created an amazing scoreboard with removable categories and contestants' names.When they expanded the category for best film for up to ten films I began assigning menu items to the many talented cooks among out attendees.. Some of  the dishes were very complex. For Michael Clayton, Briget Shields prepared a saganaki appetizer. This flaming Greek specialty was a tribute to the Volvo that exploded in the film.  Barbara Lebeau almost revolted when commissioned to make Richard Nixon out of pate for FROST.  The dinners became so popular and so overcrowded -- one year I served a ten course dinner to twenty six with our new electronic score board designed by Daniel McTiernan.

2009 Oscars Dinner Folks

Bill Feeney

Julie's re-usable scoreboard

Barbara Lebeau's 
Nixon pate for "FROST"

The 2016 Oscars Menu!!!

Appetizers:

THE REVENANT - Revenant Bear Liver Pate (well, it was really duck), but the pastry surrounding it made up for the absence of bear liver - SUPER YUMMY!

MAD MAX - THE FURY - Mad Max's Mother's Milk Baked Brie in puff pastry

Cocktail:

SPOTLIGHT - Mojitos served with flaming rum, creating the "Spotlight" (Benedicto's favorite)

BROOKLYN - Brooklyn brown bread

MARTIAN - Twice baked potatoes forced through a pastry bag, creating the canals which cover the red planet.

ROOM  - Mashed parsnips around the perimeter of a square serving dish filled with a variety of roasted mushROOMs.

THE BIG SHORT - our main event The Big Short Ribs.... mmm mmmm

STRAIGHT OUT OF COMPTON - Mac 'n Cheese  and Sauteed Greens.  requested by Sebastian and Nico.  Straight Out of Compton was one of my favorite films of 2015.

Dessert:

BRIDGE OF SPIES - Bridge of Pies - berry, banana cream, apple

So sorry, no pictures from our 2016 dinner -  our paparazzi fled to Ohio when they heard that Donald Trump might kick a dog .... I haven't seen any hard numbers, but it seems to me that 90% of the time when the media covers this campaign, (whether print, radio, video or online) the discussion focuses almost exclusively on Trump's latest antic.

Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show Update #1

The road show began in Los Angeles at Local 47 of the American Federation of Musicians hall. The gorgeous room was decorated with banners from the many sponsors of that evening's concert. The show featured Jason Luckett, Eric Schwartz, Joyce Woodson, Dave Crossland and me, with Freebo on bass and tuba and MB Gordy on percussion. We were joined by surprise special guests Chris Chandler and Dan Bern in the second set.

The tour is too hectic for me to do a detailed diary of the dates so far - but here are some images...

Here is Roy Zimmerman singing his hilarious health care song, "DEAR NUMBER 1036924053887" at the 33 revolutions cafe in El Cerrito in a show presented by the Greens of Contra Costa County.













Here is Malvina Reynold's daughter Nancy Schimmel leading us in song at the El Cerrito concert. Seated from L to R - me, Roy Zimmerman, Aileen Vance, Jason Luckett, Peter Straus, Hali Hammer and (hidden) Jon Fromer.











Here's Jon, getting ready to play "It's Gonna Take Us All."











Jason Luckett is "stirring it up" with his music.

Hi Folks:


I really need your help.

I've rounded up over three dozen wonderful professional musicians who have committed to a "Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show" - health care for all. The first show is in Los Angeles on July 2nd, with 20+ concerts along the way, ending in Bellingham on July 27th. Check out http://annefeeney.com/specialevents.html for a list of all the places we'll be visiting on this tour. And what a cast!

This nearly border-to-border road show will engage thousands of audience members in dozens of key congressional districts in three states and generate thousands of letters and phone calls to Congress and to President Obama.

The tour is dramatically energizing single-payer activist organizations in all three states, and the concerts will generate much-needed donations for local organizations.

The tour will also create three dozen + articulate, informed musical ambassadors for this important issue.

I'm about $10,000 short of what I need to make this happen. I want to be able to offer each musician $100/show + gas money. You can tell from the roster of musicians that these are not people who can afford to give up a week's wages or more to come on this tour - but they're doing it anyway, because they trust me and know that this is a unique moment in history. It's important to be able to leave most of the money we raise at these concerts in the communities where the concerts take place so that local organizers can continue their important work.

If you each sent me $10 right now, I'd have enough money to pull this off in a big way.

Please send a check to:

Anne Feeney
2240 Milligan Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15218

as soon as you read this.

If you want to make a tax-deductible contribution of $500 or more, you can send it to:

Universal Health Care for Oregon
PO BOX 11156
Eugene, OR 97440

(Be SURE to note "Sing Out for Single Payer" or put my name in the memo of your check)

If you want to use a credit card, click on this Paypal button on the right hand side of this blog.

Or maybe you can help me with an in-kind contribution or loan:

If you live on the west coast - I need clipboards, stationery, postage stamps, envelopes, the use a digital camera, the use of a digital video camera and tripod, the use of a van from Los Angeles to Seattle

Or maybe you can forward this to a generous friend...

You've never let me down, and I'm sure you won't now, either.

It seems I've always got my hand out for something-or-other when I come to you... You may get tired of it, and believe me, I get tired of it, too. I can't even apologize for it - It's a big and necessary part of my life's work.

But I so appreciate the folks who get it and just step up to the plate. Many thanks to Jerry Tucker, Kay and Walter Tillow, Labor Campaign for Single Payer, Peter Yarrow, Dr. Paul Hochfeld, Neal Eckstein, Karen Newman, Hilary Chiz and Matt Redabaugh for chiming in generously and early!

I want to thank Sign and Display Workers' Local 510 for donating a 10' x 4' banner to our Road Show... and Gary Huck for the fabulous graphic.

Thanks to all the wonderful organizers who are hosting this tour, promoting this tour, housing us and feeding us!

Together, WE CAN make progressively funded comprehensive universal health care available to everyone in this country!

National Health Care NOW!!


My love and thanks to all of you!

Anne


PS - If you buy some of my CDs this month, it'll help keep me from going under at home while I'm out on this adventure! http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid

-- Anne Feeney
anne@annefeeney.com
http://annefeeney.com/
2240 Milligan Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
(412)877-6480 (cell)
"Anne Feeney is the best labor singer in North America." -- Utah Phillips
"Anne is a role model for us. She has lived her songs." -- Peter Yarrow
"Congratulations on your fine songwriting!" -- Pete Seeger