Friday, March 18, 2011

Let the Music PLAY!

On Monday evening, March 28, Mel Healy and Vinnie Cerniglia of Spittoon Studios bring a screening of Broad Old River 2 to the Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery! The screening features the Hudson River Sloop Singers; Pete Seeger and his friends. The screening will begin at 7 PM followed by the singing of several of the Sloop Singers.

Pete Seeger, Folk Singer and long time activist for peace and social justice, took a look at his own back yard, noticed how polluted the Hudson River had become and decided to do something about it. He helped bring the sloop the Clearwater to the Hudson and sailing up and down the river with crews of singers and environmental activists brought about changes in communities along the banks of the Hudson that led to waters that now run clear. The fleet grew to three sloops as the Woody Guthrie and the SoJourner Truth were added. Mel Healy became the captain of the Sojourner. She now resides in Lake Worth Florida singing with her husband Vinnie Cerniglia at open mikes and spreading the word and the work of the Clearwater.

Back in November 2009, states Healy, “we were able to gather a whole batch of old Clearwater friends to do a concert together and do some interviews about the Sloop Clearwater and The Hudson River Sloop Singers. We were lucky that so many old friends came to join in the fun. Months later after lots of editing and with the combined energy of Koza Productions, Spittoon Studios & LCA TV - VCAM we put together a half hour video featuring Pete Seeger and friends.

The concert celebrates the release of the Broad Old River 2 CD. Four decades of sloop singers and family came together in Pete’s 90th year at the Clearwater Beacon sloop club to sing the songs together again. The video tells how a group of people can come together and make a dream come to life. Screening will be followed by music. CDs will be available for purchase. $15 from each CD sold benefits maintenance and restoration on the sloops Woody Guthrie and Clearwater.

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax exempt nonprofit, member-supported corporation whose mission is to preserve and protect the Hudson River. In 1966, folk music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger, in despair over the pollution of his beloved Hudson River, announced plans to “build a boat to save the river”. At the time, the Hudson was rank with raw sewage, toxic chemicals and oil pollution; fish had disappeared over many miles of its length. Seeger believed a majestic replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries would bring people to the river, where they could experience its beauty and be moved to preserve it. Inspired by that vision, the 106-feet-long tall ship Clearwater was built and launched in 1969. The sloop was among the first vessels in the U.S. to conduct science-based environmental education aboard a sailing ship, virtually creating the template by which such programs are conducted around the world today.

Mel and Vinnie are Spittoon Studios. Vincent Cerniglia plays old school blues guitar. Maryellen Healy sings from the heart. Together they sail, fundraise, compose, organize, educate and archive for Clearwater spreading a message you can sing and dance to.

Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery will host this eventm free to the public. CDs of Broad Old River 2 will be available for sale. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

So, please join us and be sure to bring your dancing shoes!!!!

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