Courtesy of LlrtcoinfesfrVic Gutman
The Washington Sisters
Blues, gospel and reggae:
Flatwater duo will do it all
By Chris Carroll
hditor
The Washington Sisters will hit the Main
Stage of the Flatwater Festival at 7:45 Sat
urday night with a variety of music likely to
draw a diverse crowd. Melanie Monsur will
accompany them on the piano and sing
backup vocals.
The duo hasn’t characterized its style,
which moves from bop-swing to acapella
funk and on to a little blues and plenty of
gospel. Their repertoire of music also in
cludes reggae and folk songs.
“We are definitely a diverse, eclectic
group,” said Sandra Washington. Sandra
wrote most of the songs that she and her twin
sister, Sharon, perform.
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others are thought-provoking. The fun side
of the sisters comes through in “Under
stated”, the title song on the Washington
Sisters’ album of the same name. Many of
their songs are summed up in this song as
they sing about “making those good old
mciodies/fceling them deep down in your
knees.”
Their lyrics on other songs evoke feel
ings many can relate to. “You’re Always
There,” depicts a person who is down
hearted but has the support of another who is
always there to “be a guiding hand and
huiId me up again.”
The sisters also devote their creative
energy to political concerns. Sandra said
she finds anything that promotes race or
class divisions upsetting and their song
Say No” calls for the rejection of apart
heid policies.
The Washington Sisters perform politi
cally motivated songs with education as
their goal. Sandra said she doesn’t expect
individuals to leave the concert and urge
their employer to sell all South African
investments. Instead, she wants individuals
10 think about the political stances they are
taking.
By not speaking against policies that
exist, Sandra said citizens are saying they
approve. She and Sharon strongly believe
each American citizen is responsible for
actions taken by the government.
Sandra said the sisters are politically
active offstage as well.
‘‘1 work daily, when I am at home, at
preserving our natural habitat, this is our
natural heritage,” said Sandra, who has a
degree in Environmental Education.
Home for the Washington Sisters is Co
lumbus, Ohio, where Sandra and Sharon
were bom and raised. Other family mem
bers reside in Columbus and Sandra de
scribes the family as close-knit. She said the
family is proud of the sisters and supportive
of their political stances. Sandra describes
the family’s support as especially effective
because it is “a system that humbles you.”
After completing a tour, she and Sharon
iook iorwaru 10 iciuuung nu»« ^ a
sage from their father reminding them of
yard work they promised to help with.
Sandra said their mother has been sup
portive in more career-oriented ways, as she
has a master’s degree in music, is a music
teacher and performs in a local chorale
group.
Sandra said support also comes from
extended family members. The Washington
family is a large one, where cousins are
treated like siblings and no divisions exist
between first, second or third cousins, she
said. . .
Sandra said she and Sharon are excited
about returning to Lincoln. They were the
musical act during Women’s Week at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln in March
and performed on east campus. During Sat
urday’s performance, a local musician,
saxophonist Jaci Augustin of Amethyst,
will join the Washington Sisters on stage for
a few songs.
On the drive from the Lincoln Municipal
Airport to the university district, Sandra
said “I could have swom we were in Co
lumbus.” She said the cities are similar,
both being flat and surrounded by farmland.
“Lincoln feels pretty comfortable, feels
a lot like home.”
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