The Riccardis came to our attention back in 2008 -- the early days of Hope and Change -- with a hilarious Sarah Palin send-up on YouTube . We were delighted to discover they were our neighbors, and we’ve collaborated on projects ever since. Richard is a virtuosic pianist who has accompanied many Broadway greats. Sandy is not only a brilliant vocalist, but also a writer, actor and comedic genius (we could make an entire video just from the multiple Grim Reaper takes she sent us.) The Riccardis bring their formidable musical comedy skills to bear on wonderfully rendered song parodies like “The Boy From Mar-a-Lago” ...  “Tiki Torch Nazis” ...  and originals like “Kiss My Rump, Donald Trump” ...  -- Roy and Melanie We are pleased to offer you FREE DOWNLOADS of the mp3 audio files for some our recent videos. Just click on the record player. If you're able and so moved, you can also make a contribution of $5 or $10 to help us produce our next Virtual Sing-In. To add a contribution, just click on either the “Kick In a Lincoln” or “Kick In a Hamilton” box below.
In order of appearance ... PEGGY SEEGER Shortly after the first “Vote Him Away” video made the rounds, we got this email from Peggy Seeger: "HEY, VOTE HIM AWAY JUST HIT THE SPOT. I’m one of Pete Seeger’s two surviving sisters and can tell you Pete would have also loved the song. Keep on keeping on."  Peggy is 85 now, still performing, still spreading a resolutely progressive message in song as she has since she released “Folksongs of Courting and Complaint” in 1955. Here she is in the 1970’s with “Gonna Be an Engineer,” perhaps her best known song.  Peggy’s is the first “Vote Him Away” chorus we see and hear in our new video -- singing with a wry smile, her head thrown back in unmistakable Seeger style. JAY SIEGEL After the first “Vote Him Away” went up we also got this email: "Just wanted to tell you I loved "The Liar Tweets Tonight." Just what we needed at this time. You made so many people laugh! Keep doing it."
We’re overjoyed to feature Jay’s exuberant falsetto in “Vote Him Away #2.” GEORGE KAHUMOKU, JR.
 VICKI RANDLE The activist-meets-artist quotient of our new video is given a huge boost by the appearance of Vicki Randle. Vicki is an amazing bass player, guitarist, drummer, singer and songwriter who spent almost twenty years playing in Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show Band. For the last eight years, Vicki has toured with Mavis Staples.  “I am a progressive political evangelist,” says Vicki, “and when I’m not arguing with people on Facebook, my political views wend themselves into my song lyrics, whether with my Alt Rock/Funk band Skip The Needle or my solo acoustic performances.” Check out Skip the Needle’s “Ain’t Never Going Back” for a jolt of progressive zeal:  PHILIPOS MELAKU-BELLO  Philipos Melaku-Bello is an advocate for nuclear disarmament who has been sustaining a peace vigil across from the White House for over thirty years. The organization’s motto: “Mr. President, meet your closest neighbor." If you have visited the White House in the past few decades, you have seen Philipos.” And About That Whirligig ... That ... VOTE ... HIM ... AWAY... whirligig was sent to us out of the blue by Terry Faust of the Twin City area. We instantly fell in love with it! Check out Terry’s online store, Wee Weather Vanes featuring his handcrafted wind art.  -- Roy and Melanie We are pleased to offer you FREE DOWNLOADS of the mp3 audio files for some our recent videos. Just click on the record player. If you're able and so moved, you can also make a contribution of $5 or $10 to help us produce our next Virtual Sing-In. To add a contribution, just click on either the “Kick In a Lincoln” or “Kick In a Hamilton” box below.
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