Labor folksingers Anne Feeney and David Rovics to perform October 11

In the labor movement's early years of struggle and then explosive growth that followed, solidarity was forged and fueled by singing together. Labor songs recounted wrongs, inspired hope, and provided the soundtrack for action - often with a touch of humor.

A few folksingers today carry on the tradition, writing new lyrics for an old or new tune to tell a story taken right from that morning's newspaper.

Labor songs old and new will be on the set-list for a concert Sunday, October 11 by folksingers Anne Feeney and David Rovics. The program begins at 5:00 p.m. at the Minnesota Music Cafe, 499 Payne Ave. St. Paul. Advance tickets are $10, available by calling 952-465-2866.

For more information on the October 11 concert, e-mail rossrowley [at] hotmail [dot] com.

Minnesota's "Peace Sisters," duo Delia Jurek and Deb Wilken, also will perform.

A labor lawyer turned folksinger, Feeney was hailed by none other that the late Utah Phillips as "the best labor singer in North America." In addition to releasing her own recordings, her songs have been recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary. She has performed at rallies all across the continent and recently completed a tour to promote Single Payer health care.

Feeney is a past president of the Pittsburgh Musicians Union. She is the granddaughter of a mineworkers organizer, who also employed music to bring the call of solidarity to workers.

Feeney frequently tours with folksinger David Rovics, who performs with her October 11 in St. Paul. Oregon-based Rovics has been called "the musical voice of Democracy Now" by the broadcast news program's Amy Goodman.

"I love coming to the Twin Cities. It has a great radical labor history," Feeney told the Minneapolis Labor Review. For the St. Paul concert October 11, she promised concert-goers "nothing they can hear on the radio that some test market group can sell to you."

"In the 1930s, we were building a mighty movement," Feeney observed. "When we cut out the music, we lost momentum."

Beware: Like Pete Seeger, Feeney may shout out the lyrics and ask you to sing along, just as she did at a recent Pittsburgh performance for the International Labor Communications Association.

Feeney also will perform and speak at a union women's luncheon October 12 in Minneapolis (see story, page 4).

For more information on Anne Feeney and David Rovics:

www.annefeeney.com

www.davidrovics.com