I have taken the summer off from touring to do some creative work. The summer will include a writer's retreat at Hedgebrook on Whidbey Island in the northwest, recording a CD to document the work I have been doing with emma's revolution for  the last few years, and benefiting from brainstorming sessions with cultural peers. In August, I will lead a master class at Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in North Carolina. 

If you look at the photo gallery you will see that I attended the Roma Festival in Sebstopol, CA. I am trying to unlearn the misinformation I have been taught about the Roma (Gypsies). Check out their web site www.voiceofroma.com if you want to learn more.  

I also attended a pro women's soccer game in Santa Clara and was shocked to see how little support these teams get. Yes, there was brief excitement around Olympic time but it doesn't sustain. Here is the web site for the team I saw: www.womensprosoccer.com/bayarea.  The leadership of the league would be happy to hear from any person or organization that would like to offer support. Look for the women's leagues in your area. Sports, like the arts, can be hugely important in the development of young people. The league in Santa Clara does a lot of work with girls to help them grow up outside the gender stigmas.  They also work with underserved children and, through sports, are helping them to make it through these trying times. Those are all good qualities of this league. But I come back to the original point, which is that women's sports does not get the same money, sponsorship, attention, press, respect that the men's leagues get. And that is not only frustrating to these fine athletes, the attitude trickles down to our children. 

I will be back on tour in October. Check the tour schedule in September for final details. Please help the promoters of live music by looking on the web sites of artists you like, get on their mailing lists, find out where they are performing, buy tickets early and bring a friend so the circle of people who know and appreciate social change music keeps growing. 

Have a great summer everyone.

OK, Im going to return to my chicken soup and sleep sleep sleep. If the cold stays in my head, I can sing. If it goes to my throat, that becomes the challenge. Fortunately I have the beautiful voices of emma's revolution to surround mine. 

I am writing from the ms Zuiderdam, on an Olivia Cruise. This is a celebration of their 35th Anniversary as a company serving the culture and needs of lesbians. It is also the first time Meg Christian and I have seen each other in probably 30 years. I was so pleased to be able to do this trip with long-time friends Amy Horowitz, Melissa Howden, and Torie Osborn. They all worked with Redwood Records at one time or another and have stayed in my life all these years. Such a blessing. And how lovely to be able to do these concerts with pianist, Adrienne Torf and to have the company of her partner Charlotte Lagarde.

On the third night out I sang at an onboard concert. About two-thirds of the way through my set - to Adrienne Torf's beautiful piano playing - I began to sing Imagine My Surprise. And indeed, we had a surprise for the audience that we had worked out at sound check. On a hand held mic, out of the darkness of the theater, came a voice filling in the harmony. It was Meg. I so enjoyed feeling the audience slowly realize what was happening and then burst into lovely recognition. It was such fun! We also sang The Rock Will Wear Away, a song that Meg and I wrote nearly 30 years ago. Later in the week, I joined Meg in her set and we sang Sweet Darlin' Woman by Diane Lindsey, and You Bet, another song Meg and I had written together in the '70s after some community critic had jumped on Meg for only singing love songs.
Click here for some cruise photos.

Later in the week, Judy Dlugacz, one of Olivia's founders and now its president, hosted a panel with Meg and I to discuss the history of what is now known as "women's music" before an audience of lesbians, some of whom were part of that early cultural phenomenon and some of whom were young and had never heard the history. The young women, in fact, were the ones who said, "Why can't we find this history on the Internet?" or "I have tried to find YouTube recordings of lesbian feminist artists and there is very little there. Why?" And they are correct in their thinking. The Internet hadn't been invented back then and was not our main mode of communication. Public gathering was the manner in which we found one another. So perhaps we need to make a great effort to put this history in the new form.

That said, I believe there is nothing like gathering in person and this is why I have toured so much in my career. And I think this cruise is a profound example of that truth. What is achieved on this cruise could not happen on the Internet. Everything from the lively concerts to the bingo games has to do with being together in real time. And the effect on the crew and local populations where the cruise ship stops cannot be taken lightly. Olivia is one of the largest clients in the cruise business. At first, oh so many years ago, they could not find a ship that would work with them. The companies didn't want to be that close to lesbians and thought it would ruin their business with their other clients. But years later, the crew has learned that no group of tourists are as fun, as polite, as clean, or tip as well! The islanders, albeit amused, put up signs now to welcome the "Olivia ladies" and if there is homophobia, the interest in capital is greater than the interest in oppression. And who knows, maybe after years of welcoming the Olivia ladies, they make room for gay people in their own families to come out.

The ship full of women, many of whom have been teachers, nurses, lawyers and organizers, charm their way into the hearts of the critics. On one trip, Judy describes some born-again Christians who came to the dock to protest the arrival of this ship of devils. They held signs and sang Christian songs. But apparently many of the lesbians on the ship had been raised as good Christian girls and knew the songs. They stepped out on the deck and sang with their critics, a joyful choir singing Jesus Loves Me! So it goes.

The population of the cruise is about 1700, bigger than my original hometown. So this is a traveling village with all that goes along with that Ñ falling in love, breaking up, domestic squabbles, depression, loneliness, sunstroke, etc. Yet it is the way that these issues are handled that reflects the extraordinary contribution lesbian feminism has made to society, modeling new ways of dealing with old problems.

There is even an environmental movement attached to these trips, with great attention put to health and wellbeing to avoid the illness issues that have recently surfaced in cruise life. There is still the issue of fuel and resources but I feel better knowing that feminists are involved in these investigations, bringing their years of skill and perspective to the decisionmaking. I love knowing that feminist lawyers are out there representing the planet on the issue of cruises. I have in my elder days learned that solutions come from odd places. I remain open to the outcome.

It was lovely to sing with Meg Christian again Ñ the audience had a sweet swoon. To those of you new to this period of feminist culture, in the early 70s, as in any social change movement, music began to rise up to articulate the condition of women in society, including the condition for lesbians. These songs were literally lifesavers for people who had been subjected to cruel criticism, told they would burn in hell, thought they were the only one, were committed to mental institutions, disowned by parents, and feared for their lives and wellbeing if they were to be discovered. These songs that we began to write (remember this is before any mainstream artists came out, before any TV shows had out gay characters) represented a lifeline for lesbians all over the world. Artists like Meg Christian, Cris Williamson, Alix Dobkin, Linda Tillery, Mary Watkins...well, I'm going to link you to a place on my site called "Remembering Women's Music" so go take a look.

Meg and I first sang together at a benefit for The Women's Building in Los Angeles. After that, some of the artists from that show (Meg, Cris, Margie, and I) did a tour of California called "Women On Wheels". It was the first large tour of all women artists, mostly lesbian, to perform together. The tour got mainstream attention, was reviewed in Rolling Stone, etc. and, in many ways, is seen as the kickoff for what later became more acceptable presence of lesbians in the music business.

In the Q&A that Meg, Judy, and I did on the cruise, Grethe Cammermeyer pointed out that there was a difference between being an out lesbian artist and being a lesbian artist who represents lesbians in all walks of life (culturally, legally, spiritually, politically) and she was grateful that many of us did not go mainstream. I agree with her. By necessity, the clarity of purpose and the ability to hold the integrity of the community is diffused by mainstream capitalism. I believe that it is powerful to work on all fronts. It was a wonderful thing to see Melissa Etheridge on the cover of Time (2005) with her partner and her babies. There is no way we could have reached that many people, and that there was a picture of a lesbian family on every newsstand and being discussed in households all over the world, is invaluable. At the same time, Melissa cannot do for or be for the lesbian community in the same way that cutting edge artists and activists are with regard to human and civil rights, education, love, sexuality, spirituality, class, races, gender, and political representation. So, we work on many levels and hopefully move forward together.

So, it was a sweet reunion to sing with Meg again. Walking around the ship, women kept stopping to tell me their stories. So goes the power of music. Recently in some work I did with Harry Belafonte, he said, and I paraphrase, that the only thing that is strong enough to stand up to the imperial thrust is culture. I agree with him.

And so, as much as this historic reunion was a long time in coming, and it is good to look back at our lives, what I hope people will recognize is that the power of culture to affect change is not a thing of the past. We are in a "window of opportunity" with the upcoming election. Neither candidate will be able to do what we want them to do but they open up a huge door for activism and debate leading up to November.

So please, move through that door with all that you have got. Organize your communities, talk to your neighbors and co-workers, make sure that there is a stronger bond between people in your town the day after the election than there was last year. Use this as a time to build relationships that will last, not ones that will fall apart after the first 100 days of the new president.

And bring forward the songs. The old ones, yes but find the new ones. Listen to the voices of the young people. Create opportunities for them to be heard as well as the elders. The power of culture.

I am in the studio working on the reissue of Sing To Me The Dream. In additional to the original recording, there will be songs included that have never been released as well as some introductions to songs. Of course when I do these reissues, I am transported back to the time from which the recordings come. I was very young, full of energy and good will. I jumped fearlessly into collaborations, stumbling and getting back up to try again. Where did I learn to tolerate such humiliation?

Take the case of the work with Inti Illimani, an extraordinary ensemble from Chile.  I met them at a European Festival for Peace. Loving their music, I approached them to learn more about their lives. I knew they were in exile from Chile since Allende had been murdered, thousands of Chileans had been imprisoned, tortured, killed. I knew of Victor Jara's nightmare in the stadium along with thousands of others. The musicians were gracious and friendly. Before long we were discussing a tour together. Later I joined them in Scotland along with Victor's wife, Joan Jara, a well known ballerina.  It was here that we laid out plans for a tour in the US. I wanted the tour to be an invitation to the solidarity communities to grow in scope and size. So unlikely partners came together representing the Chilean's in exile, feminists, lesbian feminists, anti-imperialists, peace activists, environmentalists, people doing anti-racism work, indigenous groups, and of course none of these are mutually exclusive. Most of us are many things.

I am reminded of the power of these gatherings. The audience is energetic and vocal. There is a feeling in the room that for one moment in time, we had left our differences behind and felt the power of our being together.

But what did I mean about humiliation?  When one dives into unknown territory, there will be huge mistakes and misunderstandings that hurt. What was I thinking to invite a huge ensemble of men who were living in exile into the middle of the chaotic world of US political social change movements. What made me think I could financially support it, spiritually survive it, and culturally bring grace to it?  I had just agreed to sing many songs in Spanish. I didn't speak Spanish!

The fact is, with all its troubles, it was a spectacular tour. We played from huge concert halls to a classroom of children on the Onondaga Nation.  We had a spirited crew. One of our producers saw that the bus driver of our big rock-and-roll bus didn't know his way around Boston. She she got off the bus, hailed a cab, and told our driver to follow her. One way or the other, we got to where we were to be with out fail. Sandwiches were waiting, sound systems were set up, crowds arrived. And after, the Chilean community showed up back stage and before I knew it, we were all heading off to a home or a restaurant was being opened up especially to honor and celebrate these troubadour/ambassadors. In the midst of incredible sadness and trauma, there was music and laughter and food as if those elements were essential to remembering life in the face of death. As Violeta Parra sings, thanks to life, for all it has given me.

And so I sit listening to this music. One part of me cringes as I hear the Spanish words mispronounced, the sense of urgency in my voice, the tension in my heart.   The other part of me, my mother's voice, is much kinder and smiles at the success of this huge and unfamiliar collaboration.

Along with the reissue comes an invitation from Chile to visit. I have never been there. I will go in December. I will be the guest of a women's group that does health work in poor sections of the towns - Educacion Popular en Salud (EPES). I will also meet with families of the disappeared who continue to want the perpetuators of the nightmare brought to justice. I will be part of a ceremony at a peace park where the disappeared are remembered. Some of the names honored in the park are the same names that I call out in my song, "Hay Una Mujer Desaparecida." I will visit with friends I have known all these years doing solidarity work with Chile like Joan Jara and Fabiola Letelier. We will visit Neruda's home. And yes, I will share a concert with Inti Illimani, 23 years after our concert together in the USA. Our concert will be in a large concert hall and we will be welcomed by the mayor as well as friends and family and community. 

 So we are about to wrap up the days work in the studio. I hear Inti Illimani and myself and the audience that attended a show at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco all singing along - "it could have been me but instead it was you, so I'll keep doing the work you were doing as if I were two . . . "

And now coming in on the web is information of all the anti-war work that is taking place in September leading up to big demos in 10 major cities October 27th.

Maybe we haven't had an assassination as they did in Chile and maybe we don't have a military coup but there has definitely been a takeover.

In the last 5 years 70,000 to 80,000 Iraqis have died.

Over 3700 US soldiers. More than 20,000 have gone AWOL (absent without leave) since the invasion of Iraq began.

The Supreme Court unanimously upheld a law requiring colleges that accept federal money to allow military recruiters on campus.

A Seattle high school bars military solicitation, touching off debate over Iraq war and free speech.

Get on board and make it known where you stand.

The war cost so far $449,600,482,000 . . . well, now it is more.  Hard to keep up.

Instead we could have:
hired 7,791,636 additional public school teachers for one year.
or
provided 21,795,664 students four-year scholarships at public universities.
or
insured 269,222,191 children for one year.
or
built 4,048,236 additional housing units.

Get the picture?

And if anyone says "Yes, but what will happen if we pull out of Iraq?" Well, we don't know exactly, but we know what happens when we stay. 

It is an environmental disaster to stay, a horror for humanity.  And to continue to kill people around the world is the worst thing we could do for national security. Anyone out there who thinks that the behavior of the US Government through foreign and domestic policy is making people warm and fuzzy toward this country has really lost sight of reality.

Do you oppose the war? Do you oppose this war? Do you oppose the invasion into Iran? Are you concerned about national and international and global and universal security?

Do you let it be known?  Bumper stickers, buttons, posters in the window, standing in peace demonstrations, writing letters to the editor, doing anti-recruitment work, tax resistance, talking to neighbors and coworkers.

Or maybe it is better to ask questions than to talk ....
How would you feel if another country had attacked our country because they knew that we had nuclear weapons and that there were terrorists in our country like Timothy McVeigh, terrorists who bombed schools full of children and that our country had over 2 million people in prison and jails and that our leaders were holding political prisoners in an interrogation camp without trial at Guantanamo with evidence of physical and psycological abuse.  Do you think that the invading nation, in search of those who perpetuated injustice in our country, has the right to kill a million people in their search?

Peace.

School Of The Americas Protest

March 5
New York City
I joined Code Pink in welcoming women from Iraq who will tour the US to explain what life is like for them under US occupation. I was very moved by their stories. Not surprisingly, they tell a grim story of life in a war zone. The violence and fear, the disruption of daily life, the overcrowded hospitals functioning without resources, the psychological damage done to families, the kidnappings, the destruction of infrastructure. You can read more about their tour, read their stories, on the Code Pink web site.

March 6
Washington DC
I joined Code Pink and the women from Iraq again in DC.  Pat Humphries and Sandy O also sang. Cindy Sheehan and other Gold Star mothers spoke.

March 7
Brunch with Pat Humphies and Sandy O. We discussed the relationship between social change artists and political activists. A full-time political singer wants to be of use and at the same time, needs to make a living. It is disturbing how often artists are asked to do fund raisers but without much consideration for financial needs. Is it appropriate for artists to be treated like a bake sale? Artists should not be brought in to sing during the fund pitch. Good political artists are best used to educate, inspire, heal, activate, challenge and instill hope. Organizations don't organize a rally with the hope of it being a fundraiser. They organize a rally to bring attention to an issue, to create a gathering that will lead to mobilizing community. But when they organize a culture event, they see it as a fundraiser rather than a spirit raiser.  Why is a cultural event not considered an essential way to bring attention to an issue and to mobilize community? But then how are organizations to make money?  One model came from a group in Mount Shasta, California where they gave the ticket money after expenses to the artists and they hosted a silent auction in the lobby to raise money for the organization. This is an ongoing discussion but it is always fun to cross paths with folks like Pat and Sandy.

March 9
Met up with Carrie Newcomer and Bernice Reagon in Ohio to rehearse for a concert we will do together in June. We shared songs and talked about what inspired the songs as we began to build a program. Lovely day.

March 10
Met with Amy Horowitz about a film project that is ongoing. A while back she filmed a dialogue between myself, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Harry Belafonte, and Pete Seeger. We discussed political song and the affect it has had on public policy and responsible citizenship. It was a great gathering.  We are now doing more fundraising to take the project to the next step. By the way, Amy was the producer of Sister Fire Music festival in Washington DC and was also the founder of Roadworks, a feminist cultural  organization that put women on the road. Most of the historic records/papers were unfortunately lost. If you have any letters, posters, newsletters, memories of the this work, please send it to Amy. We are trying to recover the history. 

March 31
John Bucchino and I went into a studio in Portland, Oregon to record "Gracias a la Vida" at the request of Irene Young. Irene is putting out a compilation CD of tracks by women friends in support of ongoing work with regards to people with cancer. Irene has photographed hundreds of artists, including me. 

I dropped the ball on keeping my tour notes up to date. The temptation is to go back and pick up where I left off but if I do that I know I will never catch up . So I will highlight a few events from the past year or so and then try to get back on track. Archive of my tour schedule

Last fall was of course full of pre-election work. I toured the country, energized by the number of people who were dedicating their time to social change activism.

I also attended a gathering called by Pete Seeger to investigate the complex subject of Cultural Commons - copyright , cultural sharing versus cultural theft, gift culture versus capitalist culture. It was attended by artists and lawyers and historians and educators.

In January, my song writing partner from many years ago, Jeff Langley, who is now heading up the performing arts department at Sonoma State, invited me to come and kick off the convocation session for the semester. I enjoyed that, knowing that I would be back there later in the year to watch my stepdaughter graduate. And next year I will be there again, honoring a nephew who will graduate

I spoke at a family therapy conference in New Hampshire. And although I made it in and out of the conference before the snow storm, I did not make it out of the airport. So I spent two days at the airport hotel. I went out thinking I could take a walk around the hotel just to get some air and exercise. I lasted about 6 seconds!

A friend of mine works with The Noetic Institute. She facilitated me speaking at their board retreat. Very interesting organization. http://www.noetic.org/

March 6, 2005 we did a special only fund raising concert at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles for 10,000 Kites: http://www.10000kites.org/

Also in the spring, I did several skill sharing workshops in New York State working specifically with organizers and activists who present their work in public. Each would get up in front of the group and do a 3-5 minute presentation and then I would work with them to make the work more clear, more exciting, more inventive. Great fun. Actors and athletes have directors and coaches but so often activists are hurled out there without any guidance. It was very exciting to watch the quality of their presentation improve with just a little tweaking .

Ronnie Gilbert and I did a house concert in New York City to raise money for Tipitapa, sister City project in Nicaragua. Enough money was raised to pay for the children's food program for several months. If you want to know more or to make a contribution, http://www.tipitapa.org/

I joined Pete Seeger, Bruce Cockburn, Judy Collins, Ronnie Gilbert, Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz, Janis Ian, Natalie Merchant, Odetta, Stephan Smith, Bernice Johnson Reagon, and other artists in Philadelphia to celebrate 50 years of SINGOUT Magazine. I had the great pleasure of singing "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" with Pete and "Study War No More" with Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon. It was an honor to spend the day with the artists. If you would like to subscribe to SINGOUT: http://www.singout.org/

The Women's Foundation did a tour in California to learn more about the economic conditions of women and to participate in a response network. I joined them in Los Angeles for the closing event. One of the other speakers was Erin Brockovich. Lovely to meet her and see that she is still out there doing good work around the environment.

I gave a talk at Intel in Albuquerque New Mexico on diversity with a major focus on how we change ourselves and a minor focus on GLBT awareness. I also gave a public concert in Albuquerque and two workshops. Then my partner and I spent our birthdays enjoying the wonders of new Mexico - hiking, ooohing, aahing, eating, visiting old friends. I celebrated my birthday in Santa Fe. Ron Romanovsky (formerly of Romanovsky and Phillips) invited us to Cafe Paris, a sidewalk cafe situated on a little walking street--Burro Alley. Ron has become a French accordion player who calls himself Dadou. He specializes in music from France and performs at the cafe. We ate great French food and were serenaded by our dear friend. If you are ever in Santa Fe, stop by and enjoy the music and spirit of our dear friend Dadou.


In Washington DC, I did a concert for the women who gathered at the International Feminist Economics Conference. http://www.iaffe.org/ Next one is in Australia!

1000 Peace Women were nominated for a Nobel peace Prize. As one of the 1000, chosen from 250 countries,, we represent thousands more who work for peace around the world. The Prize is announced in October. http://www.1000peacewomen.org

I gave the fund pitch at the annual fund raiser for La Peña. This is one of my favorite cultural centers, located in Berkeley/Oakland, California. http://www.lapena.org/

Attended Barbara Lee's town meeting where she and other panelists discussed the Downing Street Memo

Then went over to UC Berkeley to sing at the Spiritual Activism Conference sponsored by Tikkun Magazine http://www.tikkun.org/

My partner and I hosted several "salons" at our home. These are usually pot luck gatherings where we invite people who we think would enjoy each other's company. After food, we sit in a large circle and talk. People talk about their work, their current challenges and successes. Several summer salons. The subjects ranged from health care, how we want to prepare for elder age and retirement communities, blogging, rural pond care, and one gathering was mostly young people who are learning to live clean, in recovery and building new social relationships to support their personal growth.

I spent a week in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains with relatives.

Then to The 30th Anniversary Mich. Women's Music Festival. The quality of music this year was excellent. The next generation artists are full of spirit, power, politics, and craft. And it was an honor to be with my peers. The performers included: Alive, Judith Cassleberry, Mary Watkins, Ferron, Cris Williamson, Krissy Keefer and Dance Brigade, Toshi Reagon and Big Lovely, Ellis, Ember Swift, BETTY, Indigo Girls, Ubaka Hill, The Butchies, Ulali, Theresa Trull and Barbara Higbie, Nedra Johnson, The Topp Twins, and many more. Congratulations to Lisa Vogel and all the staff and crew.

Dinner with old friends, Joan and Bill Zimmerman and getting a long overdue update from Bill on his work with MoveOn.Org, as well as other campaigns he has been working including Medical Marijuana. He is currently working on gay marriage issues which are going to be challenged in California next election.

Gave a talk at Theatricum Botanicum which is an lovely outdoor theater in Topanga Canyon founded by the Will Geer Family. http://www.theatricum.com/

Gave keynote address at SolfFest. http://www.solarliving.org/solfest2005.cfm

Then on up to do an artist retreat organized by Peter Alsop up on The Klamath River.

Off to South Africa and Botswana

FEBRUARY 2004
Master class with MUSE--a wonderful choir in Cincinnati, Ohio that has been singing social change music under the direction of Dr. Catherine Roma for over 21 years. And then, in the evening, I presented an a cappella concert at the Unitarian Church. It was wonderful to see Therese Edell at the concert. Therese was part of early feminist music. She has been living with MS for many years and can no longer perform. However, she remains a great appreciater and critic of political song.

I participated in a rally and cultural event in Juarez, Mexico organized to protest the killing of over 350 girls and young women. http://www.vday.org/contents/vday/press/media/0402181 Eve Ensler, Jane Fonda and other so-called "Very Important Vaginas": actors Sally Field and Christine Lahti, PBS president Pat Mitchell, Lifetime CEO and president Carole Black, and Congresswomen Jan Schakowsky (Illinois) and Hilda Solis (California). Solis wants to pass House Resolution 466, which supports the multilateral creation of a DNA database in Chihuahua state. I sang "Hay Una Mujer Desaparecida", a song I wrote long ago for women disappeared in Chile. I altered a few words to focus on Juarez. I think around 7000 people were at the march and 5000 at the cultural event. This was an amazing turn out given the violence and fear that plagues the city. Jane Fonda called on the press to not wait until beautiful movie stars show up to report on this horrific situation. Meetings were held with the mothers of the killed and disappeared and a strategy proposed which included getting funds and expertise there so that the mother's could get DNA and forensic help. The police are so steeped in the killings that the mother's have no where to turn but to the international community. The event was sponsored by Amnesty International and V.Day.

Writing workshop in Sebastopol
Ring True--Designed for writers, thinkers, teachers, and artists
Focus: Articulating ideas and beliefs effectively and creatively
I guide the group through the creative process - from recognizing an idea to expressing it true. This is a time when we need everyone to rise to their most creative selves. We need activists/artists to articulate that hope and the possibility of change has historical precedence. There is an odd discouragement lying over the spirit of activism in the US and all we need to do is lift it. Lurking below is a movement much stronger than the Bush Administration.

JANUARY 2004
Concert with John McCutcheon in Santa Rosa to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King and other leaders in the movement for non-violent resolution. I also sang at a MLK event put on by progressive labor activists in San Francisco.

I saw an excellent screening of the film, Until the Violence Stops which was made by director Abby Epstein. The film follows the work of The Vagina Monologue/V Day Movement to The Philippines, Harlem, NY, Ukiah, California, and to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Traveled up to Seattle to pay tribute to Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon who sang her last concert with Sweet Honey in The Rock after 30 years of dedication to the sound and the work of one of the most treasured cultural organizations of our time. Sweet Honey In The Rock will continue to perform. I look forward to their new work. There is no public announcement as to Dr. Reagon's future plans.

Sept. 9
Davis, California
Healing Journeys
I join Linda Tillery and others for "Healing Journeys", a conference of people with cancer and their friends and supporters. Linda starts off the day, calling us together with her deep spiritual wisdom. The room is already full of spirit and power and she invites us to go deeper. Andre dos Santos Morgan and Quinn Van Antwerp join me in an a cappella set, reaching for our higher selves even as we are aware of the fragility of the body. I look over at Andre and Quinn and am filled with so much love that they are in my life.

Sept. 16
Wesleyan College, Conn.
A celebration of political song with many artists.
I cant get there since no planes are flying. Toshi Reagon, Pete Seeger and others who were within driving distance hold up the spirit of the event in the face of the tragedy. I hope to return at a later date to try again. I am sad not to be there. I believe political and compassionate music helps, especially when one may have lost one's way. It is a hard time to think clearly, to feel the ground under one's feet. Music. Bring forth the music. Listen to the voices that have been there for us before. They are there again.

Sept. 18-21
Salisbury, Maryland
Artist-in-residence. Guest teacher in 4 classrooms and then a concert. All of the plans for each class are changed in the face of current events. The classes include topics of gender, sexuality, interpersonal communications, international conflict. We find our way through each one. I am the biggest student of all, being reminded by these first and second year students what if feels like to lose one's innocence, to learn that the world is somewhat different than one had thought only moments ago.

John and I do a sound check. It is a beautiful piano. One of the best we have "met" in all our years of touring. 10 minutes before the event, electricity went out. I suggested we all move out on to the front steps of the hall and I would stand at the bottom and sing a cappella. Some students got a flashlight to shine on my face. Someone brought John a little Casio keyboard--little being the operative word! But to soften the blow, a huge candelabra was included to add flare. It was a lovely event out under the stars. Afterwards, several students said that this was more fun than a concert and wanted to know if this is what their parents and grandparents meant by a hootenanny! Quietly we grieve the beautiful piano inside that John did not get to play.

Sept. 22
Alexandria, Virginia a few miles from the Pentagon
500 hundred people join Cris Williamson and I at The Birchmere. Everyone very raw. Cris and I let the music guide us through a healing. Many say it is the first time they have let themselves cry.

People had lost loved ones in the attack. Others had just kissed their girl friends goodbye as they were called up to serve. There is confusion. We have been long time proponents of peace and everywhere around us, people are joining the war cry, "Let's get 'em!" I do not think they even know who "'em" is but they want revenge. I wish everyone would go into counseling rather than to war. Then we could gather together and come up with a much stronger, long term solution to our problems, which have always been and are now more than ever, global.

Sept. 28
Tucson, Arizona
Cris and I do a sold-out concert. It is a good time for people to gather, to resist the urge to isolate. Various family members are there with us. We laugh together. This is good. Cris and I do love to laugh together.

Sept. 29
Los Angeles, Ca
1200 people gather in an outdoor theater, stars out, moon rising, lovely night. My set is a work in progress, keeps changing. Trying to present a musical journey that allows the listeners to remember who they are even as they may be being told in the media and by the government that they are required to be someone else. Throughout the night, we each re-discover our true self, rise up from grief and fear to a place where we can think more clearly, daring to stand on higher ground. Many friends come backstage. As I look at them I see 30 years of my life in their faces. We have known each other a long time.

Sept. 30
Santa Cruz, Ca
Cris and I enjoy another large gathering of dear hearts. My family arrives early along with friends Ronnie Gilbert and Donna Korones to share a meal. Cris and I walk on stage and she makes me laugh. I get uncontrollable giggles which runs in our family. For a moment it is questionable as to whether I can continue. We start the song three times before I can get through it. I think it was my way of weeping.

Oct. 4
Bethlehem, Pa
A lovely little folk club called Godfrey Daniels, keeping folk music alive year after year. They are wonderful people and take good care of me. There are folk clubs like this around the country, celebrating 20 and 30 years, keeping the music life for all this time. I honor them.

Oct. 5 and 6
Philadelphia, Pa
Cris and I do the last two concerts that we have scheduled together. It is hard to say good by. It has been good to sing with her.

Oct. 9
Pittsburgh
I feel the weight of what has happened here. The turnout is low. The word did not get out that we were coming...or people do not want to go out....or ....but those who do come are so warm and present. It is a good night.

Oct. 11
Berea, KY
This is my third time at this school. It is a remarkable place with a long tradition including a strong abolitionist position. The students do not pay tuition. They all work. The campus is lovely. Convocations are held (speakers, artists of many traditions). The students must attend 7. A wonderful group chose to come hear me. I talked about how when I feel discomfort with something new or unfamiliar I try to face it with fascination rather than fear. Or if I hear someone say something that makes me mad, before I have a knee jerk reaction, I try to say to myself, "Huh!" It is a way that makes me remember I share the planet with people of different opinions. So, if in my presentation I said anything that made anyone mad, they might try first saying, "Huh!" There were several young people in the front row who, after a challenging idea, began to say out loud, "Huh!" It was great fun and brought a warm laughter into the room which might have otherwise harbored tension. It was a delightful night.

Oct. 12
Marblehead, Ma
Another wonderful folk club, one of the oldest in the country. All run by volunteers. Fine people with a commitment to live music. Took a walk along the bay and then up a residential street, feeling such peace in the presence of the trees. It was reassuring that in spite of what is going on in the world, the trees are changing as promised.

Oct. 13
Cleveland, Ohio
Aids Task Force presented this event. Saw old friends who I have known and worked with for over 25 years. So good to know that these long time organizers stay focused on the issue of AIDS. So much to distract them to other places and yet this heartbreaking crisis continues to take many lives every day. A whole new group of young people affected. And of course, the tragic crisis of AIDS in Africa. A good reminder to not give up on this, to stay with it.

Oct. 14
Dayton, Ohio
Canal Street Tavern, another music club, surviving over the years. The bombing continues in Afghanistan and there is a growing frustration among peace activists. People hang around after the event to talk. It is hard to remember that the beginning of any movement carries with it a sense of loneliness. This is a time to educate ourselves, to be alert to the climate, to invite our most creative selves to the table. Responding to this situation will not be the same as it was to respond to previous wars. I can feel in the email debates that the thinkers are thinking and this is good. We will not be well served by knee-jerk reactions. A large number of people were critical of US foreign policy before September 11th and continue to be now. However the educational and organizational tactics may be changing.

Oct. 15
Columbus, Ohio
I share a class at Ohio State with Amy Horowitz. We discuss political music that affects our lives and political lives that affect our music. She focuses on music in the Middle East, I focus on music in the US. In the evening, I present an evening of song and talk about the search for peace in a time of war. After the music, we open it up to discussion with the audience. A very high level sharing took place. It was refreshingly not a debate, but people really telling how they are feeling and others really listening. Some expressed their frustration at trying to talk to people in their workplace who continue the line of thinking of wanting to just "go bomb 'em" but how, if there is time for a real conversation to unfold, people really do have other thoughts and concerns. We discuss "compassionate listening" and how asking people questions about themselves and about their ideas often can lead the person to their own higher conclusions rather than an argument where they get defensive and dig in to hold on to their position. This may be a time for those of us in the peace movement to act as counselors, to really listen to peoples' distress. Often when this stress is relieved, a person can think more clearly and this, of course, is a good thing.

Oct. 18
North Eastern Illinois University
Women associated with The Feminist Majority present a lecture and concert. I speak on art and activism in the afternoon and I do a concert/story telling in the evening. The students once again give me hope as they are in search of the path they want to take in these confusing times. I encourage them to learn from the elders and at the same time to leap forward with new ideas and strategies of their own. That is the great gift that youth can give to society. They have a fresh approach that is less weighted down with history and this is an essential contribution to social change. A ten year old says hello after the concert. She too is working on her activism, testing the waters at her school.

Oct 19
We have one more event to do in Oak Park, Chicago. But I am putting these notes to bed this morning. We have worked with the women of the First United Church of Oak Park many times. I look forward to the event with them. Some of our friends from Goldenrod Distribution are coming in from Lansing, Michigan, not to sell CDs, but to finally just be able to sit in the audience and enjoy a concert. I love this. Toni Armstrong, who has done such great work in documenting women's music (Hot Wire) will also be there. I so enjoy getting to cross paths with people who I have known for years and who continue to do such good work in the world. It is one of the great perks of this work I do. And then home. It has been a good time to be out in the world singing. And, I am ready to go home and be with family. Thanks for visiting my web site and taking an interest in the work I do. Please notice the concerts that are coming up in November and December and tell your friends. The people who present these events appreciate your help to spread the word, as do I. Best wishes. Holly