Wellstone World Music Day - October 25th

[Cadfael]

-----From an email from Wellstone Action

Saturday, October 25 is the first anniversary of the crash that took the lives of Senator Paul Wellstone, Sheila Wellstone, Marcia Markuson Wellstone and campaign aides Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic and Will McLaughlin.



As we approach the first anniversary of this tragedy, each of us will be looking for ways to pay tribute to the memory of our friends and advocates. Jim Walsh, Twin Cities music critic and writer, recently put out a call for a Wellstone World Music Day to mark this date.



The idea is for musicians, artists and performers across the country (maybe the world!) to get together in concert halls, coffee shops, parks or living rooms to share their music and art. From orchestras to cabaret singers, superstars to shower-singers, people will sit down together on one day to celebrate the lives that were lost.



Here is what Jim Walsh wrote:



"If you’re a musician, book a gig now for Oct. 25th. Tell them you want it to be advertised as part of Paul and Sheila Wellstone World Music Day. If you’re a shower singer, lift your voice that day and tell yourself the same thing. If you’re a club owner, promoter, or scene fiend, put together a multi-act benefit.... If you’re a newspaper person, tell your readers. If you’re a radio person, tell your listeners. Everybody talk about what you remember about Wellstone, what he tried to do, what you plan to do for Wellstone World Music Day."



“I don’t want anyone telling me what to think or feel that day, or any day, anymore. I want music on that day. I want to wake up hearing it, go to bed singing it. I want banners, church choirs, live feeds, hip-hop, headlines, punk rock, field reports, arias, laughter. I want to remember October 25, 2002 as the day the music died, and October 25, 2003 as the day when people who’ve spent their lives attending anti-war rallies and teaching kids and championing local music and independent films got together via the great big antennae of music and took another shot.”



When Wellstone Action first heard Jim’s idea, we felt this was a wonderful way to celebrate the lives and contributions of our dear family, friends and colleagues. Like the spirit that guided those who died, World Music Day will be inspiring, inclusive, grassroots, and it will build community and hope. We urge everyone, wherever you are, to join in on Wellstone World Music Day and enjoy the healing power of music, art, dance, poetry and the human spirit.



For more information on this event, go to www.wellstoneworldmusicday.com



If you want your event to be posted, please contact [e-mail]



Jeff, Connie, Fawn, Anne and Pam

Wellstone Action!

www.wellstone.org