People's History in Song,

Anne Feeley's Health, and More

by David Rovics

Hi folks; a few relevant announcements:

Anne Feeney is Sick.

Dear friend of mine and many of you, Anne Feeney, rabble-rousing performer whom the late Utah Phillips called “the greatest labor singer in North America,” is in the hospital in her home city of Pittsburgh with a large tumor in her chest.

 

She's had to cancel tour plans and has incurred major expenses as a result of this situation. She does have health insurance, but she's already had to pay $6,000 just for co-pays and all that junk. Please go to fellow-travelers-advisory.blogspot.com/ and send her encouragement and money.

Troubador: People's History in Song

I have a new release coming out in the fall -- it should be available through my estore and at shows by October 1st. It will include a booklet with extensive liner notes, lyrics and cool graphics, plus a CD. A no-frills digital version of the project is now online at songwritersnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/08/troubador-peoples-history-in-song.html/. To make it extra easy to share, I've also posted it on my Facebook pages.

My Fall Tour – the USA

My ambitious, three-month tour throughout the continental US is coming together brilliantly, with dozens of gigs all over the country. It's all online at www.davidrovics.com – just scroll down to September, where it begins. (Until then, the tour of Australia and New Zealand continues, and it's going great!)

 

There are plenty of free dates in almost every region of the US, in case you or anyone you know might be inclined to organize a stop on the tour – if so, please contact me! These tours only happen because folks like you think they should, and take the initiative to organize a show. And they only go well if folks like you spread the word amongst your friends and drag them to the show!

Song of the Month

Song of the month from the This Month in History and Song section at www.davidrovics.com is “Cordova.” On August 20th, 1993 the people of the Alaska fishing community of Cordova blockaded Prince William Sound for three days and nights in protest of Exxon's duplicity. They need to do that in Louisiana right now. If you go to www.soundclick.com/davidrovics it'll be the first song that comes up.

Jim Page in the Northeast

Certainly one of the greatest songwriters in the English language as well as a phenomenal fingerstyle guitarist, Seattle's Jim Page, is making a rare foray to the northeastern US in September. He could definitely use more gigs, and now's the time to contact him if you're interested. His website is www.jimpage.net. You won't find Jim's music properly represented on the internet in terms of many free downloads and such, but if you run any kind of venue or house concert series in the northeast I promise you will not be disappointed if you have Jim do a show – he is a jaw-droppingly good songwriter, and very political (though his love songs are also amazing). There are only a few others on the planet who come close to Jim as far as I'm concerned. Have I made myself clear...? If you can't organize a show for him, you will at least want to drive hours to hear him perform – it will be worth it.

Signing off,
David