In this issue I'm welcoming 200 updated and new subscribers to the Fellow Travelers' Advisory! Some of you folks go back to the Summer of Solidarity Tour from August 2013... Sorry for the delay in getting you onboard. I've been super busy, but it's a good busy, not a stressed busy.
It's my pleasure and privilege to welcome you to my network of family, friends, fans and Fellow Travelers.
Then on through historic towns to Cork, where we'll check into the Maldron Hotel. We'll be in Cork City for three days, where we will attend the"Spirit of Mother Jones" Festival. On July 30th we'll treat you to dinner at the Waldron Hotel, and to a private concert by a wonderful local musician. The festival lineup is still shaping up, but on July 31st, The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival will present me and Si Kahn in concert.
On August 1 we'll head to Dingle, one of the music capitals of Ireland, and spend three days taking in breathtaking scenery by day and fabulous Irish music by night. We're staying at the Hotel Ostan Ceann Sibeal in Dingle. http://www.dingleway.com/accommodation/ballyferriter-hotel-hotel-ostan-ceann-sibeal.php We'll be providing a fine dinner one of our nights in Dingle, and fabulous music every night!
August 4th we'll take a scenic cross-country drive and return to Dublin. I'm still working on the whole Dublin itinerary, but it will unquestionably be the emotional high of the tour. We will discover so much about the history, spirit and culture of the Irish people - AND tour the Guinness brewery. Our last night, we treat you to dinner.
Let me know if you want to be one of the lucky 22 to make this tour with me in 2014 and I'll connect you to the wonderful folks at Innishfree Tours. This tour is a fabulous value and a guaranteed good time.
I left Pittsburgh on frigid Friday, January 24 for the People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle Annual Winter Gathering. PMN is a great organization. Delayed by traffic, I arrived about 30 seconds before I was scheduled to perform .. It was a challenge!
This pic from the finale on Friday night. People's Music Network is a fabulous community of activist songwriters. It's been around for a long time. Pittsburgh videographer Rich Fishkin recently posted a treasure trove of great performances from the early 90s on youtube. There are some really great performances archived in these videos - Pat Humphries of Emma's Revolution performing her new song "Swimming to the Other Side." Jon Fromer with a great performance of "We Do the Work," Jay Mankita performing "Old Devil Time" with gorgeous harmonies by Sarah Underwood and (I think) Heather Lev, Faith Petric and Bob Reid singing "Why Am I Painting the Living Room?" and so many more
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/s851x315/10104_10202962120394981_1190524968_n.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7uWNDIaipM
If those links don't get you there, go to youtube, search for richfishpgh, scroll down his page to FREEDOM TROUBADOURS OF THE 90s connect with him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rich.fishkin
My next show wasn't until January 31 in Durham (part of my strategy to rest more on my tours and stay out of hospitals). After a glorious 3 day rest stop at my friend Shirley's in DC, I headed on to Durham to visit the amazing Vicki Ryder and her wonderful husband Doug. They and their committee organized a show that packed a UU church and raised thousands of dollars for the NC NAACP, where I met the inspiring Rev Wm Barber. I sold all the CDs I had packed for the entire tour at this show, and had to have more sent to me in Jacksonville.Endless thanks to
Vicki and her terrific committee.
In JacksonvilIe I made my debut at the Mudville Music Room, sharing the evening with the marvelous Tim Grimm. Six people who came to the show had never been to the venue. They heard me on "Brother Stan, the Union Man" - a labor radio show on 1600 AM, WZNZ - hosted every wednesday from 2-4 and streaming online at http://1600thebeach.com
On February 8 I performed at the Lake Worth Playhouse with a very talented ensemble in a multi-media Pete Seeger tribute. Joyce Brown, the producer, sold out two $20 per shows at the 350 seat theater - a pleasant time was guaranteed for all! Congratulations Joyce!
Then on to Boca Raton, where Bob and Patty Bender and friends put on a terrific show for me, which benefitted in part the Peace Action Education Fund I had such a great time with them. I so enjoyed the music of my opening act, Pink Slip, that I invited them to join me at the Luna Star the next night and they did
My good friend Michael Stock, who hosts the venerable Folk and Acoustic Show on WLRN
invited me on the show just before my visit to Alexis and the Luna Star Cafe
If you're getting tired reading this, imagine how I felt about now!!
Lucky for me, I got a respite at the home of the amazing Amy Carol Webb and her wife.
Then on for a great visit with Rosanna Lane and Bill Deegan in Naples, and on to Estero, where I enjoyed seeing Ed Sadlowski and his terrific wife, Marlene and their adorable puppy Zoe
I did two shows for my fabulous labor sister Laura Griffin in Ft Myers... I did an Irish show for the United Irish Club of Ft. Myers, and my standard labor/politics show for the SW FL AFL-CIO.
On to Tallahassee where my anxious presenters informed me of a number of competing events going on that afternoon and evening. .... one of which was a Peter Yarrow fundraiser for Alzheimer's awareness. My concert was supposed to be after a potluck, but with Ward and Rebecca's blessing, the hungry guests arriving got treated to a concert before dinner, and I got to go to the show and sing "Have You Been to Jail for Justice?" on stage with Peter. Peter was very generous and thoughtful with me and the four fans of his who accompanied me to the show.
A gazillion thanks to all my fabulous Hosts and Presenters: Bev Grant, Shirley Shultz Myers, Vicki and Doug Ryder,Candice Carter, Ray Lewis, Ken Connors and Cee Cee Severin, Joyce Brown, Howard in Lake Worth, Patty and Bob Bender, Alexis at the Lunastar, Amy Carol Webb and Brooke Bell, Rosanna Lane and Bill Deegan, Ed and Marlene Sadlowski, Laura Griffin, Ward and Rebecca... All in all, it was a great tour and I came home with enough money to retire my $5300 plumbing bills... But winter is still here, dammit.
To support Dan in this effort, click this link:
Amy's first recording, a 6 song EP titled FRAGILE BONES, is now available on CDBaby
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/amysueberlin As her mother, I'm uncomfortable reviewing this CD, but I encourage you to preview it on CDBaby and post a review.
I think the youthful purity, simplicity and vitality of this recording is impressive, and her honesty is startling and evocative. But judge for yourself. And download or buy it for yourself and tell your friends!
Best read I've had in a while: Chris Chandler's Feb Muse and Whirled Retort
I love it when you write back. Hoping to be where you are soon! Happy Birthday Shirley! Get well, Lee.
It's my pleasure and privilege to welcome you to my network of family, friends, fans and Fellow Travelers.
Come to Ireland with me this summer!
Lots and lots of you expressed interest in the Ireland tour. If you're interested, please contact Vicki Belinoski at vbelinoski@austin.rr.com
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| The Mother Jones Monument in Cork |
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| festival board member Gerd O'Mahony |
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| our genial host at Maldron's |
On August 1 we'll head to Dingle, one of the music capitals of Ireland, and spend three days taking in breathtaking scenery by day and fabulous Irish music by night. We're staying at the Hotel Ostan Ceann Sibeal in Dingle. http://www.dingleway.com/accommodation/ballyferriter-hotel-hotel-ostan-ceann-sibeal.php We'll be providing a fine dinner one of our nights in Dingle, and fabulous music every night!
August 4th we'll take a scenic cross-country drive and return to Dublin. I'm still working on the whole Dublin itinerary, but it will unquestionably be the emotional high of the tour. We will discover so much about the history, spirit and culture of the Irish people - AND tour the Guinness brewery. Our last night, we treat you to dinner.
Let me know if you want to be one of the lucky 22 to make this tour with me in 2014 and I'll connect you to the wonderful folks at Innishfree Tours. This tour is a fabulous value and a guaranteed good time.
Annual Oscars Dinner cancelled.
For at least the past dozen years my cousin Bill and I have watched the Oscars together. One year Julie fixed a fantastic dinner for us, and a tradition was born. Every year the guest list has grown - to 26 people one year in my little house. Over the years we added added a second television monitor, ballots, a giant toteboard, costumes, paparazzi and for the last two years - the Daniel McTiernan Excel Toteboard withcontinuously updated results displayed on a monitor. The gala evolved into a sit-down dinner with 5 courses inspired by the 5 "Best Picture" nominees. Like the guest list, the number of nominees has increased..Threats of a blizzard in Pittsburgh this Sunday night gave cold feet to many of our key attendees. A much smaller group will huddle here to watch the Oscars.
It was fun to dream up the menu. If you are somewhere warm and want to spend a lot of time cooking today, here's the menu for the ten-course we had planned:
Mussels Dijon - Captain Phillips-
Super Healthy Salad - Dallas Buyers' Club
Chicken Piccata - American Hustle
Pasta with Rao's Marinara Sauce - American Hustle/Wolf of Wall Street
Massaged Kale - 12 Years
Tub of Cheap Beer on Ice - Nebraska
Irish Trifle - Philomena
Floating Island - Gravity
Lots of Champagne and Good Wines - Wolf of Wall Street
For "Her" put an 8-Ball Toy as the centerpiece on each table to answer any questions you have on who will win in a particular category. (If you have a better idea, let me know...)
On the Road Again: NYC-FT MYERS via MIAMI -
The 2014 "Plumbers' Relief" Tour
I left Pittsburgh on frigid Friday, January 24 for the People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle Annual Winter Gathering. PMN is a great organization. Delayed by traffic, I arrived about 30 seconds before I was scheduled to perform .. It was a challenge!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/s851x315/10104_10202962120394981_1190524968_n.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7uWNDIaipM
If those links don't get you there, go to youtube, search for richfishpgh, scroll down his page to FREEDOM TROUBADOURS OF THE 90s connect with him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rich.fishkin
My next show wasn't until January 31 in Durham (part of my strategy to rest more on my tours and stay out of hospitals). After a glorious 3 day rest stop at my friend Shirley's in DC, I headed on to Durham to visit the amazing Vicki Ryder and her wonderful husband Doug. They and their committee organized a show that packed a UU church and raised thousands of dollars for the NC NAACP, where I met the inspiring Rev Wm Barber. I sold all the CDs I had packed for the entire tour at this show, and had to have more sent to me in Jacksonville.Endless thanks to
Vicki and her terrific committee.
In JacksonvilIe I made my debut at the Mudville Music Room, sharing the evening with the marvelous Tim Grimm. Six people who came to the show had never been to the venue. They heard me on "Brother Stan, the Union Man" - a labor radio show on 1600 AM, WZNZ - hosted every wednesday from 2-4 and streaming online at http://1600thebeach.com
On February 8 I performed at the Lake Worth Playhouse with a very talented ensemble in a multi-media Pete Seeger tribute. Joyce Brown, the producer, sold out two $20 per shows at the 350 seat theater - a pleasant time was guaranteed for all! Congratulations Joyce!
Then on to Boca Raton, where Bob and Patty Bender and friends put on a terrific show for me, which benefitted in part the Peace Action Education Fund I had such a great time with them. I so enjoyed the music of my opening act, Pink Slip, that I invited them to join me at the Luna Star the next night and they did
My good friend Michael Stock, who hosts the venerable Folk and Acoustic Show on WLRN
invited me on the show just before my visit to Alexis and the Luna Star Cafe
If you're getting tired reading this, imagine how I felt about now!!
Lucky for me, I got a respite at the home of the amazing Amy Carol Webb and her wife.
Then on for a great visit with Rosanna Lane and Bill Deegan in Naples, and on to Estero, where I enjoyed seeing Ed Sadlowski and his terrific wife, Marlene and their adorable puppy Zoe
I did two shows for my fabulous labor sister Laura Griffin in Ft Myers... I did an Irish show for the United Irish Club of Ft. Myers, and my standard labor/politics show for the SW FL AFL-CIO.
On to Tallahassee where my anxious presenters informed me of a number of competing events going on that afternoon and evening. .... one of which was a Peter Yarrow fundraiser for Alzheimer's awareness. My concert was supposed to be after a potluck, but with Ward and Rebecca's blessing, the hungry guests arriving got treated to a concert before dinner, and I got to go to the show and sing "Have You Been to Jail for Justice?" on stage with Peter. Peter was very generous and thoughtful with me and the four fans of his who accompanied me to the show.
 |
| Photo courtesy Doug Gauss |
A gazillion thanks to all my fabulous Hosts and Presenters: Bev Grant, Shirley Shultz Myers, Vicki and Doug Ryder,Candice Carter, Ray Lewis, Ken Connors and Cee Cee Severin, Joyce Brown, Howard in Lake Worth, Patty and Bob Bender, Alexis at the Lunastar, Amy Carol Webb and Brooke Bell, Rosanna Lane and Bill Deegan, Ed and Marlene Sadlowski, Laura Griffin, Ward and Rebecca... All in all, it was a great tour and I came home with enough money to retire my $5300 plumbing bills... But winter is still here, dammit.
Please Let My Son, Daniel, hear from you
I'll let Dan tell you in his own words about this extraordinary project:
Imagine walking out of your home in Washington, D.C., carrying nothing but a backpack, hoping to make it to Guadalajara, Mexico. You don't have enough money for a bus ticket, let alone a flight. You don't have your passport. You don't speak Spanish. You haven't had time to say goodbye to anyone except your closest relatives. You don't know if you'll ever return.
This is the situation that many of the world's 15 million refugees have faced. Through my work with forced migrants in Zimbabwe, I've met people who are travelling, mostly by foot, from places like Goma, DR Congo, to South Africa. The 3500 kilometer journey is fraught with danger. These men, women, and children risk their lives because they hope that South Africa will be somewhere they can enjoy the basic human rights that are unavailable in their home countries--most fundamentally the right to life and the right to not be tortured or raped; but also basic freedoms such as the right to shelter, food, water, work, and education.
This April, I plan to ride my bike 800 kilometers across Zimbabwe to South Africa, following the path of many refugees and asylum seekers, and then run 56 kilometers (34 miles) across the tip of Africa in the Two Oceans Ultra-Marathon. My goal is to find 100 people who will support me by donating $56 ($1 / km of running) to Asylum Access, to fund their refugee rights programming.
Eighty percent of the world's refugees live in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and Asylum Access's mission is to make the legally recognized rights of these refugees a reality. I had the privilege of working with Asylum Access when I lived in Ecuador, and I was able to see first-hand the transformational impact of helping refugees assert their rights. Although I am no longer affiliated with Asylum Access, I firmly believe that their innovative approach is the best model for providing long-term support to refugees. I also know that, unlike some larger organizations, $5600 will make a real impact, allowing Asylum Access to provide legal assistance to more people who need it. Of course, financial support of any amount is greatly appreciated, and if you are unable to donate you can still support my cause by sharing this site with your networks.
I'll be blogging here about my training and planning for the trip across Southern Africa. To find out more about Asylum Access, visit www.asylumaccess.org. Thank you for your support.
-Dan
And Great News from My Daughter, Amy Berlin!
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/amysueberlin As her mother, I'm uncomfortable reviewing this CD, but I encourage you to preview it on CDBaby and post a review.
I think the youthful purity, simplicity and vitality of this recording is impressive, and her honesty is startling and evocative. But judge for yourself. And download or buy it for yourself and tell your friends!
Best read I've had in a while: Chris Chandler's Feb Muse and Whirled Retort
I love it when you write back. Hoping to be where you are soon! Happy Birthday Shirley! Get well, Lee.
Anne's tour calendar feed