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Politics

Back to the Cradle

Oct 7th, 2022
by Frank.
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Cat's Cradle

Courtesy Chapelboro.com

When Ben, Darren and Robert first assembled as a band in 1994, one of the first places they unloaded Ben’s Baldwin was at the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, N.C., the little town just down the street from Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina (famous in song for Kate handing out the Baghavad Gita on Rosemary and Cameron Streets). The Cat’s Cradle hosted Ben Folds Five for the first time on February 10, 1995 as the fifth stop on a mostly Southern tour as the band was gaining popularity with each gig.

Now, Ben is returning to the Cradle on October 17 for a very special private one night only appearance in support of North Carolina Democrats. (more…)

Takeover Tuesdays: On politics

Oct 4th, 2022
by Frank.
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As we approach the consequential midterm elections in the US, Ben is turning his Facebook page over on Tuesdays to issues of politics. Every week he’s featuring a guest commentary to encourage fans (and everyone, really) to vote in our November 8 Congressional elections (and, in many states, local and statewide elections). Current commentaries come from his manager, Mike Kopp, a longtime political operative turned music manager, and Scott Goodstein, Mike’s blogging partner, who took the opposite course and transitioned from music to a career in politics. Both have tremendous insights into our political landscape and are worth paying attention to.

The bottom line in the effort is to excite everyone – especially young people – to pay attention to the candidates who want to serve as their representatives and to the issues on the ballot in their communities, and to register and vote in this fall’s election. The weekly commentaries are well worth the read, and will hopefully motivate you to get involved.

 

“Mister Peepers” continues Ben Folds’ foray into politics

Sep 10th, 2018
by Frank.
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Those who have heard Ben’s live shows recognize his occasional foray into current political affairs. Though rare, his leanings belie his red-state upbringing while at the same time are generally in line with his audience. So, following in the footsteps of his recent performance for and alongside Tennessee Democratic Senate candidate and former Governor Phil Bredesen, Ben has recorded a song taking aim at the discord between Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein and Ohio Republican congressman Jim Jordan that arose during a hearing in June.

In conjunction with the Washington Post Magazine, the song, “Mister Peepers”, (more…)

Benefit for Tennessee U. S. Senate candidate

Aug 10th, 2018
by Frank.
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Ben Folds will co-headline a campaign fundraising event for Tennessee Democratic U. S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen on August 20. Sharing the stage at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works will be singer-songwriter Jason Isbell.

The evening event, being called Our Country, Our Future, includes Delta Rae in support of the former two-term Tennessee governor making his bid for the U. S. Senate in the fall election. Bredesen and his challenger, Republican U. S. Representative Marsha Blackburn, recently won their parties’ primary elections. While no Democrat has been elected to the Senate from Tennessee since Al Gore in 1990, Bredesen, who considers himself a moderate, holds a slight lead in polling against Blackburn in the race. They’re vying to fill the seat currently held by Republican Bob Corker, who announced his retirement from the Senate last year.

Folds, no stranger to politics, endorsed U. S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in his run for the Democratic presidential nomination ahead of the Michigan primary in 2016. Sanders won Michigan but fell short nationally to Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).