Women's March

Written by Cris Williamson on . Posted in Blog

Greetings everyone! I'm riding the train on this May day, down from Seattle to my place in Oregon...Just back from the Road, in and out of Boston a bunch, playing some new places as well as some old faves. Rehoboth, DE was a new concert experience -- a beautiful beach town, gay-friendly galore, extremely nice women and men, and the closest I've been to the sea in quite a while. Also saw-the-sea in Massachusetts. The gig in Marblehead was wonderful, full of loving people, old friends and new, and a special treat of a piano there in the UU Church which hosts the Me and Thee Coffeehouse, bless 'em!

Made a quick trip to New Orleans for a show with Nanci Griffith and the Blue Moon Orchestra. Oh, that was nice! It was a treat for me to just play for a short while, then sit and listen to her. Took the train (I LOVE the train!) from Boston to DC for the March for Womens' Rights. I am so glad that I went!

As the train traveled south, it began to gradually fill with more and more women -- old and young -- some wearing buttons reflecting their stance on the topic around which the march was gathering -- i.e. reproductive rights, our bodies/ourselves...(and still we struggle!). My friend Anne met me at the station (which is so grand, by-the-by!), and we grabbed a bite to eat before heading out for the evening's gathering at the Armory, where I was to sing. There were other women doing the same, eating and having coffee, and sharing where they had come from and the general joyous mood in which we all found ourselves. A woman sitting nearby leaned over to us and asked: " Where are your really big stores?" I swear, we all fell into

a kind of stunned silence for a second there, then I did my best to let her know we had come not to shop but to march for women's rights. She looked baffled. "What rights?" she asked. Oh, I said, ticking off among other things, reproductive rights, equality in all things including equal pay...again, baffled silence, then she said, "OK, but where are your really big stores? They're all over in LA." (OK, so not all women were here in DC to march!)But what a March it was! Thousands of women and girls, men and boys, old and young, gathered on the Mall in front of the White House, where, of course, no one was home(!), to march and listen to inspiring speeches and music from our artists, our heroes...Gloria Steinem was there, a bit thin with newly-minted grief, still and yet, ethereally beautiful. Where would we be without her leadership? Where would I be without the influence of Carole King who was there also? I hadn't seen her in a long while and had a small chance to thank her for helping make my part of the Road just that much more meaningful. I'm sure many feel just that way about all the powerful figures who came on that Sunday. Kate Clinton and Hillary Clinton were there holding down the place of the clever and the charisma. What a day! We were there...we are here!

Judy and I made a quick trip to my Mom's house in AZ. She had foot surgury and it felt so good to be there for her. I've come to love her so very deeply...it's a gift for both of us, really. Ah...the Mother-and-Child Reunion...it's worth everything.

Holly and I did three concerts together with John Bucchino...the last for awhile. We ended on a very high place in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts. I expect we'll revive this show from time to time, but meanwhile, it's backto our individual work.

So...this trip took me as far north as Maine, as far south as New
Orleans, as far east as Massachusetts, and as far west as Seattle. Heading out on a teaching adventure on Shaw Island, a place I've never been. Thanks to all of you who support live music in this world, including mine. I do not take this support for granted. Remember to register to Vote...we have got to get them out of there! They are destroying too much... I remain...gratefully yours...Cris

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Contact Cris PO Box 30067, Seattle WA 98113 Email