Pittsburgh-based activist, hellraiser & unionmaid Anne Feeney's monthly email news... and your feedback! Please leave your comments. Feel free to widely forward anything you see here. Thanks for dropping in.
Portland, OR Florence, OR Veneta, OR Aberdeen, WA Horndal, Sweden Leksand, Sweden Ireland!! fall in the midwest! Labor Day still available!!!
(specific information about all these shows appears at the end of this post, and is continuously updating at http://annefeeney.com/calendar.html )
Pittsburgh, PA
5 July 2010
Hi
I'm busy packing for my Pacific Northwest mini-tour - and from there on to Sweden and Ireland! If you don't live in Portland, Eugene, Florence or Aberdeen - maybe you know someone who does. Please send them my schedule.
This is my monthly email news - The Fellow Travelers' Advisory. You signed up for it, or someone signed you up. It's a unique source of information ... 8000 activists from all over North American and Europe correspond with me regularly - and I share the best of what I learn with you, dear reader! If you read something that you like, drop me a line - anne@annefeeney.com, or call me - 412-877-6480. If you see that I'm playing in a town where you have friends, *please* let them know that I'm on the way. It's such a thrill to land in a new town and see folks who heard about the show from my friends on this list. If you know about something you think might interest my readers, please send it my way.
Happy Canada Day to all who observed that holiday (it's also my birthday! I was 59 on July 1st...) I'm afraid I've been way to busy to put out much of a newsletter this month, but here's a great photo essay of one of the most fun and creative things that happened at the Social Forum - Code Pink buried a Hummer at the Heidelberg Arts Project in Detroit. See http://www.heidelberg.org for more information about the space.
You can buy or download my cds at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid - you can download single songs there, too - including my fabulous new recording of "We're Nursing as Fast as We Can!"
Hoping to see you somewhere soon!
Anne
IN THIS ISSUE:
WE BURY A HUMMER IN DETROIT AT THE U.S. SOCIAL FORUM
BOOKING THE MIDWEST FOR THE FALL
LABOR DAY STILL AVAILABLE!
FAMILY NEWS/BIRTHDAYS
THE TOUR
THE US SOCIAL FORUM
Tens of thousands of activists from all over the US met in Detroit from June 22-26th at the US Social Forum. It was refreshing to gather with colleagues from all over without the city being under martial law (like Pittsburgh during the G-20, Miami at the FTAA, Kananaskis at the G-8 ...) It's amazing how much more you can accomplish when the air isn't filled with pepper spray and tear gas! It was very heartening to see so many young activists there - at least half the participants were under 30!!
I'll leave it to others to debrief you on the Forum. I just want to especially shout out civil rights lawyer Julie Hurwitz who hosted me; Bob Ingalls who documented so much of the USSF on video, (you can go to http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bigrafx&aq=f to check out some of his fine work... I recommend you subscribe to his channel, too!); Marjorie Cohn for her brilliant work and wonderful company; Ann Wright for her constant inspiration; Cheri Honkala for her great organizing; Ryan Harvey for some great music; Katie Robbins and Kay Tillow for their great work on health care, and Kate and Danielle for being the face of the future!
Code Pink is such a great source of creative organizing! They approached the Heidelberg Project with this idea, and got to bury a hummer in the fantastic art space in urban Detroit.
Once the Hummer was buried we had a brief wake for it. The fabulous Dave Lippman wrote a song for the occasion, and I got to sing harmony with him (always a pleasure!). Here's a little peek at the Heidelberg Art Project ... a place you should all go and visit if you're anywhere near Detroit. I can't believe it took me this long to get there!
This is the Polka Dot House.. absolutely gorgeous!
Right down to the tree which stands in front of the house... (those are shopping carts adorning the tops of the branches! This neighborhood would have been what is often called "urban blight" had it not been for the creativity and vision of Tyree Guyton and his community.
Now, the Heidelberg Project sits like a jewel, attracting visitors from all over the globe.
Some of the buildings are occupied...
but the vacant homes are works of art, too!
The vacant lots became sculpture gardens...
It was really great of the Heidelberg Project to welcome the Hummer Burial installation to the neighborhood.
Another not-to-be-missed breathtaking installation of public art is the Labor Legacy monument down at Hart Plaza. I was very glad to be in Detroit... a great city. On Wednesday of the USSF, we raised a couple thousand dollars for striking steelworkers at Vale in Sudbury, Ontario - they've been on strike since July 13, 2009. It was a great night at the Anchor Bar.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR AT THE U.S. SOCIAL FORUM!
My wonderful host in Detroit, civil rights lawyer Julie Hurwitz; Marjorie Cohn, distinguished author and immediate past president of the National Lawyers' Guild, and Colonel Ann Wright of Code Pink - fresh from the Gaza Flotilla! What glorious company I got to keep at the Social Forum!
BOOKING THE FALL
Labor Day has been particularly chaotic for me this year. I've had two very promising invitations fall through. It's getting pretty close to Labor Day, but if you think you can put together an event, I'd love to be there. Call me at 412-877-6480 (I'll be on Pacific Daylight Time from Tuesday, July 6th through the 15th... then I'm off to Europe.) or email me... anne@annefeeney.com
The fantastic Bev Grant has expressed an interest in doing some shows with me this fall if we can make the money work. Here's a link to the fabulous show we could perform for your union, women's studies department, history department, community ....
We're planning for the midwest, jointly or separately. Please let me know if you'd like to help arrange a show in your town for me, or even better, for me and Bev Grant.
FAMILY NEWS/BIRTHDAYS
Lots of my oldest and dearest friends got together last night to celebrate Canada Day (and my 59th birthday!). We had sushi, sang and celebrated. It was great. Back row Left to Right: Jeanne Clark, Rosemary Trump, me, Ginny Hildebrand, Hilary Chiz, Eileen Yacknin; Front Row Left to Right: Jan Boyd, Molly Rush, Phoebe Gill Wood, Kipp Dawson, Robin Alexander
Dan Berlin is back in Ecuador after attending a conference for international human rights lawyers in Geneva, Switzerland. He and Monique are expecting a baby boy at the end of August - my first grandchild! We are all so excited.
(mamacita-in-waiting!!!)
Dan's former Peace Corps mates (and my former tenants) Mike and Dionna Hatch send this good news: On June 13, 2010 at 11:23 AM Max welcomed his new little sister, Anya Marie. She weighed in at a whopping 5 lbs 14 ozs and is 19 inches long. Mike and Dionna are working with Catholic Charities in Sri Lanka, I think.
It was so great to be camping with my daughter Amy at the Kerrville Folk Festival for 18 days. Starting every morning with a Scrabble game with my daughter is my idea of heaven. It was a great festival... muy tranquilo. It was wonderful to see Pittsburgh musician extraordinaire Brad Yoder at Kerrville this year - a natural-born Kerrvert if ever I've seen one.
Birthdays...
Patrick Mitchell and Suzanne Beers - July 3rd, Michael Grefenstette - July 8th, Kristen Grefenstette - July 9th, Judy Lane McCahill - July 10th, the Duncan Triplets - Julyl 16th, Erin Grefenstette Henninger and Emily DeFerrari - July 18th, Hillary Chiz and Monique Murad - July 23rd, Karen McCahill and Jim McCahill, July 25th, Susan Lewis - July 27th, Marlo Mary Henninger - July 30th.
The Tour
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert
Alberta Rose Theatre
3000 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211 http://albertarosetheatre.com
Price: $15 suggested
Thursday, July 8th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert
Siuslaw Public Library
1460 8th St
Florence, OR
Stuart Henderson is the contact
doors opens at 6pm
Friday, July 9th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair
Blue Moon Solar Stage
Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org
Saturday, July 10th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair
Shady Grove Solar Stage
Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org
Sunday, July 11th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair
The Front Porch
Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org
Monday, July 12th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert
Cozmic Pizza
199 W 8th Ave
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 338-9333 http://www.cozmicpizza.com/entertainment.html
Price: $10-20 suggested
no one turned away for lack of funds - all welcome!
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert to Benefit KGHI-FM Radio
Grays Harbor College HUB and Commons
Aberdeen, WA
(360) 533-8039 http://www.ghinstitute.org
I still have open dates for the Swedish tour. Please contact Fredrik Gleisner, fredrik@goatbridge.se
IN THIS ISSUE:
SEATS STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE IRELAND TOURS!
FOSSIL FOOLS
FAMILY NEWS
LINK OF THE MONTH
WE'RE NURSING AS FAST AS WE CAN - 99 CENT DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE!
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER/NOVEMBER BOOKING
THE TOUR - JUNE, JULY
SEATS STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE IRELAND TOURS!
I still have a few seats left for this year's wonderful Ireland tours. Tom Pigott and I met at the Kerrville Folk Festival over Memorial Day weekend and had a terrific time planning the exciting details of the upcoming tours. We'll have a complete itinerary available for you soon... but the trips are going to be absolutely sensational!
August 10-19th is Clare, Kerry and Cork
August 22-31st is Dublin, Belfast, Derry and Donegal
If you'd like some information, please email me at anne@annefeeney.com and I'll send it off to you. I'd *love* to go to Ireland with you, and these trips which I arrange in conjunction with Tom Pigott of Enchanted Way Tours are just about the best way you could ever see the Emerald Isle... http://enchantedwaytours.ie/
FOSSIL FOOLS
My sister Kathleen sent me an eloquent summary of what's going on:
"I watch the plume of greed that looks unstoppable. Mother earth is hemorrhaging and I am afraid the doctors cannot help her. I grieve for those beautiful reefs and waters where I've had so much fun. I sit on the couch and cry. I hate BP and I cry. I could not believe that they did not cancel the Indie 500 gas-burning waste .. it was such a strange experience to hit the remote .. see oil killing the earth and then watch the Indie .. and then watch one wasteful air stunt show after other to "Celebrate America" ... Blue Angels gushing fuel lines in the sky to amuse people .. ughhh"
And BP is allowed to supervise its own cleanup?? It's like asking the Mafia to do something about organized crime. This video contains some pretty salty language, but the common sense of the argument advanced really gives us something to think about as we watch the cleanup of the Gulf.
There has to be a better way... and it's going to require some massive rethinking by our planet's leaders ... It's not just the Gulf of Mexico, and it's not just BP..
How bad does this stuff have to get before people finally realize that the guys in charge *really* don't know what they're doing???
FAMILY NEWS
I've got my ticket to go visit Dan and Monique after their son in born in Quito in late August/early September. I'm sooooooo excited!
I'm spending most of the 18 day Kerrville Folk Festival camping with my daughter Amy. Kerrville is always such a joyful reunion with friends from all over ... It's particularly wonderful this year, since I'm booked to perform on Tuesday, June 8th! And, to add to the joy, I'm splitting the evening with Chris Chandler and Paul Benoit!
Here's a photo by Neale Eckstein of me, Eric Schwartz and Ronnie Cox at KFF
In the April Fellow Travelers' Advisory I showed you my husband, Julie Leonardsson's new painting in its very early stage.... It's still a long way from finished, but here's an updated photo.
His talent takes my breath away! I can't wait to see this painting "in the flesh" when I get to Sweden in July! Julie's work, including this painting, is featured all summer at the prestigious international Avesta Art exhibit. Here's an article about the show that appeared in Dala Demokraten: http://www.dalademokraten.se/sida/id/107449/
I found the link to the Bill Moyers show where John Blasingame of LIUNA and the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement bursts into a lovely performance of "Have You Been to Jail for Justice?" ... If you want to watch it, click below... (He doesn't sing until the very end of the segment, but it's fun to watch..) I'll get to see John again this month when I play the Laborers' Union Midwest Regional Conference. http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04302010/watch.html
HAPPY BIRTHDAY June 4th to Sara Engstrom!
LINK OF THE MONTH
This story from Denmark really made me smile in a month where smiles were hard to come by. Thank goodness for the wonderful people still doing the right thing every day! Enjoy...
WE'RE NURSING AS FAST AS WE CAN - 99 CENT DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE!
Click on this box to buy the definitive recording of this wonderful song by Joan Hill -- It features me on guitar and vocals, Oliver Steck on accordion, Roger Day on tuba, and Doug Wilkin on percussion... enjoy!! If you're going on vacation this summer, why not stock up on some of my CDs to keep you entertained on the drive? http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid - They make lovely hostess gifts for the folks you visit, too!
BOOKING SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
Labor Day is still not confirmed... but it looks like I'll be in the midwest from early September through early October... If you'd like to host a show in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri or Ohio, get in touch... If you've never hosted a show before, but you'd like to see me perform in your hometown, get in touch and I'll show you how to do it!
For part of this tour, there is the possibility of booking me with the amazing Bev Grant ... and getting the chance to host her fabulous "We Were There" program
I'm going to Ecuador from October 5th-13th to meet my new grandson, but then I'll be back in the US from October 14th until the end of November.
Once again, I'm going to the School of the Americas Watch at Fort Benning. I'd like to book a tour from Pittsburgh to GA and back... So, how about it ...
Novermber 14 DC
November 15 VA
November 16 NC
November 17 SC
November 18 GA
November 22 SC/NC
November 23 NC/VA
THE TOUR
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney at the Threadgill Memorial Theater
Kerrville Folk Festival
5600 Medina Highway
Kerrville, TX http://kerrville-music.com/
Come see me perform at my favorite festival!!
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 6:30 PM
Labor and Friends Banquet
The Center
4325 N.W. 50th St.
Oklahoma City, OK
Price: $65
for more info contact lljamesco @sbcglobal.net - Sponsored by the Central OK Labor Federation - Turn Around Oklahoma 2010!!!
Friday, June 18th - Monday, June 21st
Great Labor Arts Exchange
AFSCME Council 25
600 W Lafayette Blvd
Detroit, MI 48226 http://laborheritage.org/
Monday, June 21st, 2010 8:00 AM
Laborers' Midwest Regional Conference
Anne Feeney raises hell
Lake of the Ozarks, MO
Tuesday, June 22nd- Saturday, June 26th, 2010
US Social Forum
various locations
Detroit , MI
877-515-USSF http://www.ussf2010.org/
CALL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BUILDING THE ROAD TO DETROIT
We call those who fight for justice to converge and act, and to reflect on the potential of our position and the power of our connections. Although we have built organizations that push forward an integrated, multi-issue, multiracial strategy, we have yet to build our movement on a scale relative to our sisters and brothers in the Global South. The USSF II offers the opportunity to continue to gather and unify these growing forces. We must seize this moment and advance our collective work to build grassroots leadership, develop collective vision, and formulate strategies that keep a strong movement growing. There are many ways to get involved. Your organization can join the NPC, you can join the working groups or start building regional and local committees to ensure a massive and diverse participation in Detroit, June 22-26, 2010. Get more info at http://www.ussf2010.org/
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert
Alberta Rose Theatre
3000 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211 http://albertarosetheatre.com/
Price: $15 suggested
Friday, July 9th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair
Blue Moon Solar Stage
Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org/
Saturday, July 10th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair
Shady Grove Solar Stage
Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org/
Sunday, July 11th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney at Oregon Country Fair
The Front Porch
Veneta, OR http://oregoncountryfair.org/
Monday, July 12th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert
Cozmic Pizza
199 W 8th Ave
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 338-9333 http://www.cozmicpizza.com/entertainment.html
Price: $10-20 suggested
no one turned away for lack of funds - all welcome!
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert to Benefit KGHI-FM Radio
Grays Harbor Institute
717 Lincoln Street
Hoquiam, WA 98550
(360) 533-8039 http://www.ghinstitute.org/
Mayday, Mayday - That's the real workers' day
Labor's history says, "Don't give your day away!"
It's time that the working class says,
"Stick Labor Day up your asses."
Oh, ain't it great to celebrate on the glorious First of May!
I hope you found some appropriate way to celebrate International Workers' Day. Evan Greer and I were in Philadelphia with Roy Zimmerman for a wonderful Mayday celebration sponsored by Crossroads Music. It was great to see Alexis Buss and John Bekken and their gorgeous daughter Sophia (or was it Sonia? two very popular names these days, I've noticed...), and Tom Herman and Jo Miller, and Marilyn Goldsmith and John Benedict among many many others...
Congratulations to the Temple Nurses for their recent strike victory!!
As I write this I learn from Ann Suellentrop that "more than 15,000 folks are marching, including 11 of us from Kansas City, here in New York City to take part in the protest march against nuclear weapons as the NPT conference begins at the UN! People here from all over the world! Peace out!"
There are a whole lot more of us than they think.
Very soon, we should have some fabulous YouTube videos from that concert, as well as the Eighth Step concert the night before in Schenectady.
The "Generations of Resistance" tour was a smashing success. I loved every minute with Evan Greer. And the hospitality on this tour was over the top! Many thanks to all our hosts and presenters.
Much love
Anne
*************************************************************
I'M ON BILL MOYERS!!! (VICARIOUSLY)
Yes, yes, it's true. On the last edition of Bill Moyers' Journal on PBS, he did a segment on Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement as a great example of real populism, and one of the members, John Blasingame, starts talking about their fighting spirit, and that there are words to a song “that get right to the heart of this.” Next thing you know, he’s singing a verse of “Have You Been To Jail For Justice!” Cool beans. from the transcript:
John Blasingame: You can fight. In fact, you've got a duty to fight. There's some words to a song that get right to the heart of this.
(singing) You law abiding citizens, listen to this song. Laws were made by people and people can be wrong. Once unions were against the law, but slavery was fine. Women were denied the vote and children worked the mines. The more you study history, the less you can deny it. A rotten law stays on the books 'til folks with guts defy it.
I'm very excited to be doing a mini-tour in support of my enormously talented companero Dan Bern http://www.danbern.com/ . We'll be in Lexington, Dayton and Columbus. Details appear below and at http://annefeeney.com/calendar.html
************************************************************
IRELAND 2010
I still have 6 seats available on the August 10-19th trip to Clare, Kerry and Galway. I have 12 seats left on the August 22-31st trip to Dublin, Belfast & Derry. This may be the last year that I am able to offer these trips, so if you want to see Ireland with me, I hope to hear from you soon. These trips are sooooooooooooooooo much fun! Drop me a line at anne@annefeeney.com or visit http://www.annefeeney.com/Pages/enchantedwaytours.html for more information. We have a lively and wonderful group of folks so far for each tour. Please think about joining us.
Three fantastic events are occurring in Detroit in June - The Great Labor Arts Exchange, the Conference on Creative Organizing, and the US Social Forum. Information about all three appears at the bottom of this message. I'll be there for all three. Hope to see you there.
Happy Birthday today, May 3rd, to Pete Seeger, Kathleen Feeney and Antonito Blanco. Belated birthday greetings to Jim Tremmel (May 2nd). Alex Bagwell - May 7th, Paul Eric Grefenstette and Bill Deegan -May 10th, Eleanor Walden and Jon Fromer - May 11th, Tony Mumphrey and Kevin McCahill - May 15th, and Terry Donovan - May 23rd.
Faith Petric is home from the hospital and doing remarkably well in her recovery from her broken hip. Thanks to all of you who sent cards!
I'll be thinking of Joanna Robinson this month. Her beloved Utah Phillips would have been 75 on May 15th if he were still with us. Utah died on May 24th of 2008.
Happy Mothers' Day to all you moms! Special Mothers' Day wishes to mom-to-be Monique Murad. We found out recently that Dan and Monique will be having a son! Monique is in Washington, DC as I write this, and I'm going down there to visit her on Thursday.
I'm so looking forward to seeing my daughter Amy when I get to Kerrville this year!
Friday, May 14th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney opens for Dan Bern!
Natasha's Cafe
112 Esplanade
Lexington, KY http://www.natashascafe.com/
Saturday, May 15th, 2010 9:30 PM
Anne Feeney opens for Dan Bern!
Canal Street Tavern
308 E 1st
Dayton, OH 45402
937-228-2450 http://canalstreettavern.com/
Sunday, May 16th, 2010 6:00 PM
Anne Feeney opens for Dan Bern
Rumba Cafe
2507 Summit St
Columbus, OH
614-268-1841 http://www.columbusrumbacafe.com/
May 23rd 4PM
FRIENDSHIP HOUSE CONCERTS PRESENT ROY ZIMMERMAN!!
Pittsburgh, PA
Check out Roy at http://www.royzimmerman.com
And "Summer of Loving" at http://www.youtube.com/royzimmerman
Seating is limited. For information and/or an invitation, call or email:
LLouise & Jim Altes
412.361.6051 friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
Suggested donation: $10.00. All proceeds go to the performers.
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney at the Threadgill Memorial Theater
Kerrville Folk Festival
5600 Medina Highway
Kerrville, TX http://kerrville-music.com/
Come see me perform at my favorite festival!!
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 6:30 PM
Labor and Friends Banquet
The Center
4325 N.W. 50th St.
Oklahoma City, OK
Price: $65
for more info contact lljamesco @sbcglobal.net - Sponsored by the Central OK Labor Federation - Turn Around Oklahoma 2010!!!
June 18th-21st
Great Labor Arts Exchange
AFSCME Council 25
600 W Lafayette Blvd
Detroit, MI 48226 http://laborheritage.org/
We have so many updates to the tour that I decided that you would welcome all this new information to pass on to your friends in what we are loosely calling our 'midwest' tour.... We'd love to see you at one of these shows - and if you're not on our tour stops - PLEASE let your friends in these towns know that we're coming. Most events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, April 10th, 2010 4:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
McMicken Hall on UC’s campus room 250
2600 Clifton Ave
Cincinnati, OH http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
Sponsored by Campus Anti-War Network, the Women´s Center, and other groups. FREE and open to the public
Saturday, April 10th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
The Vatican
111 E. 6th St
Newport, KY
FREE and open to the public!
Sponsored by the Campus Anti-War Network! Contact: kylegalindez@gmail.com for more info.
Sunday, April 11th, 2010 10:00 AM
Anne and Evan live on KKFI 90.1
Jeanne Jasperse "Coffee House Radio Show"
streaming live! Tune in!
Kansas City, KS http://kkfi.org
Sunday, April 11th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
The Green Lantern
497 W 3rd St
Lexington, KY 40508
659-389-8575
Price: $10-20 suggested
contact Janet Tucker jlynjenks(@)qx.net
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
The Red Herring Restaurant
1209 West Oregon Street
Champaign/Urbana, IL
847-721-9257
FREE and open to the public. Sponsored by Feminist Majority, the Women's Center, and more!
Thursday, April 15th, 2010 4:00 PM
"Survivor" Celebration for PAL Strikers!
Laborers Local 231
2503 Broadway
Pekin, IL
food, fun and music! bring desserts!
Friday, April 16th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
House Concert at David Cavagnaro
1575 Manawa Trail
Decorah, IA
563-382-8833 http://www.decorahnow.com/posts/1390
Price: donations
Mary Moody is the contact
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 1:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Cornell College - Bowman Carter Formal Lounge
600 First Street SW
Mt Vernon, IA
Sponsored by Cornell College Alliance and Third Wave Feminist Resource Group.
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 3:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" tour
Cornell College - Bowman Carter Formal Lounge
600 First Street SW
Mt Vernon, IA
Sponsored by Cornell College Alliance and Third Wave Feminist Resource Group.
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" tour
Cornell College - Bowman Carter Formal Lounge
600 First Street SW
Mt Vernon, IA
concert!
Sunday, April 18th, 2010 3:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
UK - Kansas University - The ECM
1204 Oread Ave.
Lawrence, KS
3pm - 5pm Short Workshop and Performance. Sponsored by Eco-Justice, Environs, and more!
Sunday, April 18th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour in support of KKFI-FM
KKFI Studio
39th & Main, SE Corner
Kansas City, MO
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/106113
Price: $10-20
Judy Ancel is the contact - jancel@igc.org
Monday, April 19th, 2010 6:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
University of Missouri - Bengal Lair
N Memorial Union
Columbia, MO
Sponsored by Triangle Coalition, LGBT Center, Student Progressive Association, Feminist Student Union, and more
These wonderful hi-res photos were taken by my friend Connie Canney in Gainesville during our 2006 mini-tour in Florida, and may be reprinted with proper credit to Connie.
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 3:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" tour: Earth Week Event! 3:00pm WORKSHOP: Feminism and Pop Culture
Butler University
Atherton Union Room 326
Indianapolis, IN
Sponsored by ECO, DeMia Feminists, and more! ALL events are FREE and open to the public!
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 6:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" tour: Earth Week Event - WORKSHOP: Connecting the Dots of Climate Justice
Butler University
Atherton Union Room 302
Indianapolis, IN
Sponsored by ECO, DeMia Feminists, and more! ALL events are FREE and open to the public!
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 7:30 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour - Earth Week Event: CONCERT
Butler University
Atherton Union Patio/Steps
Indianapolis, IN
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
Sponsored by ECO, DeMia Feminists, and more! ALL events are FREE and open to the public!
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Purdue University Memorial Union Basement
101 N Grant St
Lafayette, IN
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
FREE and open to the public. 101 N Grant Street. Sponsored by the IWW, Purdue Alliance of Libertarian Socialists, and more!
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 4:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Reynolds Club - 1st Floor in the University Theater
5706 S University Ave.
Chicago, IL
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
4:00pm Workshop: Community Organizing Skills for Students.
Sponsored by Green Campus Initiative and SDS.
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Heartland Cafe
7000 North Glenwood
Chicago, IL 60626
773-465-8005 http://www.heartlandcafe.com/hc_index.htm
Price: $10-20
Earl Silbar is the contact...
Sunday, April 25th, 2010 7:00 PM
Kalamazoo Peace Center presents Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Wesley Foundation
2101 Wilbur Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI
(269)344-3883
FREE and open to the public! Contact: alliefine@gmail.com for more info.
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer in Concert for Beaver County Peace Links
FELLOWSHIP UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
235 MERCHANT ST
Ambridge, PA
Price: $10-20
Friday, April 30th, 2010 8:00 PM
Woo hoo! What fun! Eve of Mayday Concert with Anne Feeney, Roy Zimmerman and Evan Greer!
Eighth Step at Proctors
432 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
(518) 434-1703 http://eighthstep.org
Saturday, May 1st, 2010 8:00 PM
MayDay Extravaganza with Anne Feeney, Evan Greer and special guest Roy Zimmerman!
Crossroads Music
801 S. 48th Street (at Baltimore Avenue)
Philadelphia, PA 19143
215.729.1028 http://crossroadsconcerts.org/
Price: $10-30
COME TO IRELAND WITH ME! DEADLINES EXTENDED!! EVAN GREER AND ANNE FEENEY "GENERATIONS OF RESISTANCE" TOUR THE OSCARS DINNER THE PRODIGAL iPHONE - AND A WORD TO THE WISE iPHONE USER... THE HEALTH CARE BILL PASSED - NOW WHAT? FAMILY NEWS/BIRTHDAYS
Tallahassee, FL - April 1
Pittsburgh, PA - April 8
Athens, OH - April 9
Cincinnati, OH - April 10
Lexington, KY - April 11
Champaign, IL - April 13
Bloomington, IL - April 14
Pekin, IL - April 15
Decorah, IA - April 16
Mt. Vernon, IA - April 17
Lawrence, KS - April 18
Kansas City, KS - April 18
Columbia, MO - April 19
Indianapolis, IN - April 20
Lafayette, IN - April 21
Chicago, IL - April 22
Dearborn, MI - April 23-25
Kalamazoo, MI - April 25
Kent, OH - April 27
Ambridge, PA - April 28
Binghamton, NY - April 29
Schenectady, NY - April 30
Philadelphia, PA - May 1
Kerrville Folk Festival Threadgill Theater!! June 8th
My new double CD of Irish music is available now on CDBaby. Click on the box, or call 1-800-BUY-MY-CD to get your copy of this terrific double-album (24 songs!) today. You can also digitally download the recording at CDBaby...
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COME TO IRELAND WITH ME! DEADLINES EXTENDED!!
I still have 9 empty seats for the "Best of the West" tour which runs from August 10-19, and 14 empty seats on the August 22-31 tour of "Dublin, Belfast and Derry." I'm particularly excited about the Dublin, Belfast, Derry tour ... even if you've been to Ireland 30 times you will see many many things you've never seen before.
Everyone I know in the industry says these tours are an extraordinary value, and I'm sure they're right. But they're also exciting, memorable, unusual and lots of fun. You couldn't see Ireland any better way unless you had a charming and talented family member in Ireland taking you around.
Seeing Ireland with me and Tom Piggot is a fantastic opportunity. He has been immersed in the traditional and contemporary Irish music scene for decades, and is an outstanding singer in his own right. Paddy Downes, the driver of our 'luxury coach' is charming, most helpful, and a talented step dancer and bodhran player. You'll meet lots of interesting and unforgettable Irish people - musicians, artists, artisans, activists.
These tours are so much more fun with a full complement of fellow travelers! While I love taking people to Ireland (and they love coming with me!), I guess I'm just not as good as I should be at the essential task of filling the seats. Both of these tours will certainly happen. I have never cancelled a tour. Tom and I recognize that you have arranged your vacations and put your trust in us and we would never let you down.
Reply to this promptly and I'll send you the details. Here's what Enchanted Way tours has to say about seeing Ireland:
Enchanted Way Tours is for people who hate tours! No big buses, name tags, hurried stops, or large groups being herded around like cattle! We help you find the best music sessions, the least touristy pubs, the most beautiful back roads, and the longest lasting memories.
After watching seemingly endless groups of tourists jumping on an off big, exhaust-belching buses and being whisked around to pre-arranged "shows" of Irish music before being shuffled off to their hotels just when the real fun was starting, we thought, there has to be a better way!
How can you see a lot of Ireland, but see it at Ireland's pace? How can you have the convenience of group travel, without the herd-like drawbacks? And what about people who usually travel on their own, but who really want to get to know the place through traditional culture - the music, the language, the stories? The answers to these questions were the seeds of Enchanted Way Tours founded in 1973 by Tom Pigott, an Irish musician based in Limerick. Tom will be along, adding his 35 years of experience - making this tour unforgettable!
The dollar is really strong against the Euro this year, and Ireland will be a bargain. In the past two years I have had hundreds of people write and say, "someday I'd really like to do the Irish tour." I hope a couple dozen of you decide to try it this year.
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EVAN GREER AND ANNE FEENEY "GENERATIONS OF RESISTANCE" TOUR
My wonderfully talented young colleague/companero/co-conspirator Evan Greer (he's 24) came up with the name for this ambitious ten state tour, and has also done most of the booking for it. Most of our concerts will be on college campuses - I'm pretty sure the overwhelming majority of them are free and open to the public. The only hitch is that the final details for most of these shows aren't available as we go to press. So, please, call me 412-877-6480 for details on shows in your hometown.
Evan is touring in support of his terrific new CD, "Never Surrender." You can listen to and buy the CD at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/evangreer (Evan and his partner are expecting a baby, so buy a CD!! You'll love it!)
Several of you wrote to find out about this years Oscars Dinner menu:
I covered an old microwave cart with aluminum foil and decked it out with a full array of miniatures, beer, wine, mixers, soft drinks and juices and got Southwest Airlines to give me 25 bags of airline peanuts. That was our "Up in the Air" appetizer
Then we had a round of nachos for "Blind Side" (the husband owned a chain of Taco Bells)
Then fried chicken ("Precious")
Biscuits ("Crazy Heart")
Noodle Kugel ("A Serious Man")
Seafood Souffle ("Up")
Blueberry Sorbet ("Avatar")
Apple Crumble ("An Education" i.e. 'an apple for the teacher')
Apple Strudel ("Inglourious Basterds")
Bananas Foster ("The Hurt Locker" - i.e. they 'explode')
We also had a couple cans of cat food available for District 9 fans, but I don't think anyone ate any of it.
We also had four salads so people who were trying to watch their weight could do that.
And my fabulous friend Jeanne Clark presented me with an Oscar for "Best Party Thrower - 2010"
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THE PRODIGAL iPHONE - AND A WORD TO THE WISE iPHONE USER...
I left my 9 month old iPhone in a restaurant in St. Petersburg in the middle of my Florida tour... When it didn't turn up there or anywhere else for 3 days I decided to bite the bullet and pony up the $299 to replace the phone. Imagine my surprise when I found out it would cost $750 (including tax) to get another iPhone. Yes, folks... if you lose your iPhone mid-contract you are not eligible for the "discount" price of $299. It costs $699 + tax!!!!
I left the AT&T store despondent and phoneless. About 100 miles down the road I decided to drown my sorrows in a bucket of steamed oysters at Captain Curt's. An iPhone user there told me I could get an iPhone much cheaper at Best Buy. Not so. I raced to Best Buy only to discover the same deal. The only difference was that Best Buy had an 18 months same-as-cash deal, which took enough of the sting out of the purchase to let me go ahead and buy a new iPhone.
Two days later I got a call from an AT&T store in St Pete saying that my lost iPhone had been returned to them!!! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! My old pal Phil Keyes went straight to the store and picked it upand overnighted it to me. Best Buy took back the new phone minus a 10% restocking fee.
The moral of the story is: don't let that iPhone out of your sight! And if you're the forgetful type, the $15/month replacement insurance might be a good investment...
The defeat of the so-called health care reform bill would have energized conservatives and teabaggers in very dangerous ways -- but that's about the only reason that I'm really happy that it passed... I can't imagine what those loonies would do next if they had succeeded with their "Kill the Bill" agenda.
The comparisons of this bill to Medicare or Social Security are totally Newspeak Orwellian. This statement from Physicians for a National Health Plan sets forth a lot of my problems with the bill that was just passed.
"As much as we would like to join the celebration of the House's passage of the health bill last night, in good conscience we cannot. We take no comfort in seeing aspirin dispensed for the treatment of cancer.
Instead of eliminating the root of the problem - the profit-driven, private health insurance industry - this costly new legislation will enrich and further entrench these firms. The bill would require millions of Americans to buy private insurers' defective products, and turn over to them vast amounts of public money.
The hype surrounding the new health bill is belied by the facts:
About 23 million people will remain uninsured nine years out. That figure translates into an estimated 23,000 unnecessary deaths annually and an incalculable toll of suffering.
Millions of middle-income people will be pressured to buy commercial health insurance policies costing up to 9.5 percent of their income but covering an average of only 70 percent of their medical expenses, potentially leaving them vulnerable to financial ruin if they become seriously ill. Many will find such policies too expensive to afford or, if they do buy them, too expensive to use because of the high co-pays and deductibles.
Insurance firms will be handed at least $447 billion in taxpayer money to subsidize the purchase of their shoddy products. This money will enhance their financial and political power, and with it their ability to block future reform.
The bill will drain about $40 billion from Medicare payments to safety-net hospitals, threatening the care of the tens of millions who will remain uninsured.
People with employer-based coverage will be locked into their plan's limited network of providers, face ever-rising costs and erosion of their health benefits. Many, even most, will eventually face steep taxes on their benefits as the cost of insurance grows.
Health care costs will continue to skyrocket, as the experience with the Massachusetts plan (after which this bill is patterned) amply demonstrates.
The much-vaunted insurance regulations - e.g. ending denials on the basis of pre-existing conditions - are riddled with loopholes, thanks to the central role that insurers played in crafting the legislation. Older people can be charged up to three times more than their younger counterparts, and large companies with a predominantly female workforce can be charged higher gender-based rates at least until 2017.
Women's reproductive rights will be further eroded, thanks to the burdensome segregation of insurance funds for abortion and for all other medical services.
It didn't have to be like this. Whatever salutary measures are contained in this bill, e.g. additional funding for community health centers, could have been enacted on a stand-alone basis.
Similarly, the expansion of Medicaid - a woefully underfunded program that provides substandard care for the poor - could have been done separately, along with an increase in federal appropriations to upgrade its quality.
But instead the Congress and the Obama administration have saddled Americans with an expensive package of onerous individual mandates, new taxes on workers' health plans, countless sweetheart deals with the insurers and Big Pharma, and a perpetuation of the fragmented, dysfunctional, and unsustainable system that is taking such a heavy toll on our health and economy today.
This bill's passage reflects political considerations, not sound health policy. As physicians, we cannot accept this inversion of priorities. We seek evidence-based remedies that will truly help our patients, not placebos.
A genuine remedy is in plain sight. Sooner rather than later, our nation will have to adopt a single-payer national health insurance program, an improved Medicare for all. Only a single-payer plan can assure truly universal, comprehensive and affordable care to all.
By replacing the private insurers with a streamlined system of public financing, our nation could save $400 billion annually in unnecessary, wasteful administrative costs. That's enough to cover all the uninsured and to upgrade everyone else's coverage without having to increase overall U.S. health spending by one penny.
Moreover, only a single-payer system offers effective tools for cost control like bulk purchasing, negotiated fees, global hospital budgeting and capital planning.
Polls show nearly two-thirds of the public supports such an approach, and a recent survey shows 59 percent of U.S. physicians support government action to establish national health insurance. All that is required to achieve it is the political will.
The major provisions of the present bill do not go into effect until 2014. Although we will be counseled to "wait and see" how this reform plays out, we cannot wait, nor can our patients. The stakes are too high.
We pledge to continue our work for the only equitable, financially responsible and humane remedy for our health care mess: single-payer national health insurance, an expanded and improved Medicare for All."
Here's another well-reasoned look at the new legislation from Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive Director of National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association -
The message I got at the Labor Campaign for Single Payer conference a couple weeks ago is this: Keep working for single payer as if the bill were coming up very soon. The current health care crisis will be exacerbated in many ways by this so-called reform bill. Educate yourself, your friends and neighbors so real health care for all cannot be derailed again!
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FAMILY NEWS/BIRTHDAYS
Our good friend Faith Petric "The Fort Knox of Folk Music" has broken her hip. She's expected to fully recover, but I'm sure she'd love to hear from you. Send her a get well card at:
Faith Petric
885 Clayton
San Francisco, CA 94117
My husband, Julie Leonardsson is at home in Sweden chained to his easel working on a large oil painting for a big show in Sweden this summer. Avesta Arts is a prestigious international exhibition which will run from May 15th to September 15th. For at least part of the exhibition Julie will be on site painting. Here it is - a work in progress - standing on an easel in his kitchen:
This past month my daughter Amy Berlin and her brother Dan spent a week together in Austin and at Amy's house in San Marcos during South by Southwest. SXSW is a huge musical event in Austin. Many of Dan's wonderful Peace Corps pals joined him in Austin for a mini-Peace Corps Guatemala reuinion.
The Second Annual "Southern Exposure" Festival in Switzerland, FL was a total blast. It was so great to see Stetson Kennedy having so much fun with his friends, Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Willy Green, Frank Thomas, Doug Gauss (and me!!) - what a privilege it is to call this remarkable man my friend... Read more about him at http://stetsonkennedy.com - and here are some nice photos of Stetson and me and the other festival performers http://nonets.blogspot.com/2010/03/second-annual-southern-exposure.html
A super highlight of my Florida tour was to get to spend time with seven of my eight McCahill cousins and their families in St. Augustine... My cousins came from Brooklyn, Annapolis, Columbia MD, San Diego and New Orleans to rehearse 10 songs they had decided on. They hired a choral director and sang together all day and all night for six days. (I think they did take some time for some eating and drinking, too!)
On the last day of their week at the lovely beach house my recording-engineer cousin Ben Mumphrey showed up from New Orleans and took all my cousins to a Jacksonville recording studio where they recorded their second CD of musical favorites. This CD includes some of my favorites, too - "The Parting Glass," "The Water is Wide" -- also some very challenging pieces... "Panis Angelicus," "Ave Maria," "Locus Iste"
... My cousin Karen sings with the New York Oratorio, but the rest of my cousins just love to sing, and to sing with each other... It was great to be with them!
BIRTHDAYS
Guy Zahller - April 9th, David Rovics - April 10th, Laura Daniels - April 12th, Joyce Kornbluh - April 16th, Joey Only - April 17th, Rosanna Lane - April 19th, Karen Newman - April 19th
Thursday, April 1st, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert - April Fools Concert
Imaginary Fool's Juggling and Singin Club
Tallahassee, FL
850-878-4149
Price: $10-20 suggested
No potluck this time, but great music and good company guaranteed!
Friday, April 9th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour!
Ohio University
Athens , OH http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
Details TBA! Workshop and Performance sponsored by Sierra Student Coalition, Social Justice Coalition, and the UCM Center for Spiritual Growth. More info soon!
Friday, April 23rd-Sunday, April 25th, 2010
Labor Notes
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Dearborn, MI http://labornotes.org/conferences/details.shtml
Friday Evening look for us in the Railroad Workers' United Suite...
Saturday Evening look for us in the IWW Suite
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer in Concert for Beaver County Peace Links
FELLOWSHIP UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
235 MERCHANT ST
Ambridge, PA
Price: $10-20
Friday, April 30th, 2010 8:00 PM
Woo hoo! What fun! Eve of Mayday Concert with Anne Feeney, Roy Zimmerman and Evan Greer!
Eighth Step at Proctors
432 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
(518) 434-1703 http://eighthstep.org
Saturday, May 1st, 2010 8:00 PM
MayDay Extravaganza with Anne Feeney, Evan Greer and special guest Roy Zimmerman!
Crossroads Music
801 S. 48th Street (at Baltimore Avenue)
Philadelphia, PA 19143
215.729.1028 http://crossroadsconcerts.org/
Price: $10-30
I'm a traveling folksinger/agitator from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For almost 40 years I've been performing and occasionally writing songs for people in struggle. Each month I report here on where I've been and where I'm going. Always try to check with a venue before heading off for one of my concerts - details also continuously update at http://annefeeney.com/calendar.html Sign up now to get my hard-to-find news for activists in the labor, peace, feminist, social justice and environmental movements.
In August 2010 I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. I have a 20% chance of surviving this. In the meantime, I'm sidelined at home and unable to work. I've got some health insurance, so many of my medical expenses are covered. Still, if you're in a position to send some $$ my way, I could sure use it. It's scary being out of work.
Anne's tour calendar feed