Sandy O Biography Biography Singer/Songwriter, Justice Activist 1966 –
" If they can make cash machines that register each sale
Why can't they count our votes?
But they made voting machines that leave no paper trail and
Why can't they count our votes?"
Writers, photographers, community builders – the call for activists is answered in many forms. Musicians also answer the call, and singer/songwriter Sandy O (Opatow) is doing just that as one half of the duo emma’s revolution with Pat Humphries (whose portrait is also on this site). This is Sandy’s story.
Sandy O grew up in a family that surrounded itself in music (she played classical guitar as a child). Her family “sang and played everything from Beatles’ songs to Medieval rounds. We also made up songs about almost anything, which I now credit as great training for being a songwriter.” At Bryn Mawr College, she was in biological research until learning about the possible carcinogenic properties of the substances she was using. She switched to music history, developing an interest in Renaissance music, and learning to play the lute (even attending graduate school to continue her studies). It was while living in London, however, that Sandy O got her first taste of writing and singing for justice.
She saw an exhibit put on by The International Wages for Housework Campaign called “Who works for me? Mummy, Sister, Auntie.” It was an art collection created by children. Sandy O writes, “The drawings and writings were powerful, especially the ones showing the work the girls themselves were doing, like an 8-year old cooking for her father, uncles and brothers because the adult women were back home in India caring for elderly grandparents. This struck a chord with me about the expectations and treatment of girls compared with boys.” She became involved with the campaign and wrote “Time Off for Women” for them. It was her first experience putting people’s stories into a song and performing it, giving a voice to those who had gone unnoticed before.
Eventually, Sandy O left graduate school to write and perform music that reflected her own thoughts and feelings. She connected with Lucia Russett, a college friend, forming the folk duo PETRONELLA. Their songs were described as those which “aurally intrigue and then hit you with their message once you’re already hooked…placing the truth in a bed of lush harmonies.” She and Russett also organized an annual WomenFolk concert tour in addition to playing their own music. Sandy O was working on a tour for Women’s History Month when she heard some of Pat Humphries’ music, and invited her to join the tour. She and Humphries performed together occasionally before becoming the permanent duo emma’s revolution, inspired by activist Emma Goldman (her portrait is on this site). Goldman was a powerful voice for the rights of women, children, and workers who also believed people had the right to “free expression, to beautiful, radiant things.” This spirit lives in emma’s revolution as they travel to rallies and protests, singing out for peace and social justice. They have traveled as far as Korea for a reunification conference, to perform their song “We Are One,” which was the theme of the conference, and wrote “Peace, Salaam, Shalom” (peace in English, Arabic, and Hebrew), in response to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center here at home. Their goal is to promote peace wherever they go.
Sandy O’s life has always involved music. She is committed to social justice, and emma’s revolution represents that. They performed at the first-ever Peace Ball at President Obama’s Inauguration, and will have a book about their music and the stories behind it, titled An Uprising of Hope, published in Fall 2009. Information and CDs are available at http://emmasrevolution.com.
