Folk singer and songwriter from Pittsburgh, Anne Feeney breathed her last at the age of 69 after suffering from the global pandemic infection of the COVID-19 virus.
Legendary folk singer and political activist from Pittsburg, Anne Feeney passes away owing to COVID at the age of 69. The news was officially shared on Facebook by her daughter, Amy Sue Berlin on Wednesday night. The post read of the sad demise of her courageous and beautiful mother. She shared that the family counts themselves lucky to have spent the last few days of her struggle staying by her side before she finally decided to leap over the other side of the horizon. The singer was born in Charleroi nut grew up in Feeney. Her inspiration comes from her grandfather, William Patrick Feeney who was a violinist and a mineworkers’ union organizer. While in high school around 1967, she bought herself a Martin guitar and went on to perform for the first time publicly at an anti-war rally in 1969. Later, she was also arrested at the Republican National Convention in Miami in the year 1972. She was protesting the nomination of President Richard Nixon. She is also the co-founder of Pittsburgh Action Against Rape founded in 1972. She is a law graduate from the Pitt School of Law and continued her profession as an attorney, as a musician, and as an activist.
Activist and artist Anne Feeney was married to labor attorney Ron Berlin and raised two kids with him, Dan and Amy. She played her music extensively across the country at various festivals, rallies, and conventions. Her debut album, ‘Look to the Left’ released in 1992. Her later albums have infusions of folk, pop, bluegrass, and Irish. Some of her most prominent songs include ‘Union Maid’, ‘Have You Been to Jail for Justice?’, and ‘Dump the Bosses Off Your Back’. She was known to express her insights and opinions without any hindrances. Her efforts, contributions, and activism got her the Joe Hill Award from the Labor Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. in 2005. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010. Over the years, she has inspired and motivated thousands and pushed them to claim justice and peace. She blended social and cultural horizons with that of creative introspection to give the common man a sense of relatability. Her political stances have moved many rocks over the years. She was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia in late January while living in a senior care facility. She continues to spread her light in making people realize every day that music is empowering and stands above all.