Clint Eastwood ~ The classic movie tough guy and sometime mayor of the small town of Carmel California in the 1980's was also a talented amateur pianist and an enthusiastic fan of jazz and blues. He would later make the definitive jazz film bio of all time with "Bird" and still later a more bare bones documentary for Martin Scorsese's series on the blues. Eastwood got into local politics after a fight with the Carmel council over a zoning dispute. After winning the mayorship he promptly fired the officials who had ruled against him and he also kept an election promise to allow a ice cream parlour to set up shop. A moderate Republican, Eastwood also promoted environmental causes as well. He served only one term but has occasionally made news by endorsing or refusing to endorse various Republicans before he famously did a bizarre speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention.
CLINT EASTWOOD ~ "PIANO BLUES";
Rahm Emanuel ~ Chief of staff for President Obama and previously a congressman from Chicago, recently elected mayor of that city. Emanuel was in his youth a trained ballet dancer who won a scholarship to the Joffre Ballet but turned it down to attend Sarah Lawrence College, after which he got into politics. His mother, who encouraged his dance aspirations, had previously run a rock and roll club.
Tony Erba; Singer for 1990's Cleveland hardcore band Face Value also ran for mayor and got a few hundred votes.
FACE VALUE ~ "OUTSIDE LOOKING IN";
Sam Ervin ~ A veteran Democratic senator from North Carolina who became famous for chairing the committee investigating the actions of Senator Joseph McCarthy and later possible impeachment of Richard Nixon. He capitalized of his fame by recording an album in which he told folk stories and sang a few songs in his distinctive broad southern drawl. Including a version of "Bridge over troubled water" which has become something of a classic of terrible and wrong-headed cover versions of pop songs. He died in 1985.
SAM ERVIN ~ "BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS";
Stephen Fincher; A former Tennessee (from a town called Frog Jump) Republican Congressman and currently in the State House who eyed a run for the Senate after the retirement of Bob Corker is also a singer in a White Gospel group called, appropriately enough, The Fincher Family and another called the Frog Jump Quartet.
THE FROG JUMP QUARTET ~ "JUST A LITTLE WALK WITH JESUS";
Robert Fisher; A Republican member of the New Hampshire State House, Fisher had previously distinguished himself as a far-right blogger known for his hateful rants about women and (of course) bragging about his prowess as a pickup artist. This is even more obnoxious than his other sideline as a one-douche-electro band the Five-Nines with several recordings. Definitely not to be confused with an Irish Folk Rock band of the same name.
Lovett Ford-Whiteman ~ A black civil rights activist of the 1920's and one of the founders of the Communist Party USA, Ford-Whiteman had originally had musical training and had originally aspired to a career as a concert pianist. He ended up in the USSR where he supported the losing side in the battle for succession after Lenin's death and found himself on Stalin's hit list, he died in a Siberian gulag in 1939.
Ari Friedman ~ Running for the nomination for Congress in Ohio in 2020, launching a primary challenge to a sitting Democrat, but as Trump supporter, because apparently that's a thing. His regular job is as a lounge pianist and singer under the name "Harry Bacharach" and as such he has recorded a few campaign songs in praise of Trump. Because apparently that's normal now.
Kinky Friedman ~ Infamous humorist country music rebel with his band the Texas Jewboys and songs like "The Ballad of Charles Whitman" and "Ride 'em Jewboy". He ran as a independent liberal/libertarian candidate for governor of Texas in 2006. His campaign got much publicity, raising plenty of money and at times leading the Democratic candidate in the polls but he finished a disappointing fourth in the end, losing to Rick Perry. He has since announced that he would be running again in 2010 as a Democrat. However Friedman announced on December 14, 2009, that he was leaving the gubernatorial race and would instead seek the Democratic nomination for Texas Agriculture Commissioner in 2010, but lost the nomination to rancher Hank Gilbert in the state's primary on March 2, 2010. He switched parties in 2011 to endorse Texas Governor Rick Perry, noting among other things that Rick Perry was a drummer who had once sat in with ZZ Top.
KINKY FRIEDMAN ~ "SOLD AMERICAN";
Lenora Fulani ~ A left wing activist in New York since the 1980's, Fulani has run for public office several times including presidential runs as leader of The New Alliance Party in 1988 1nd 1992 becoming the first black woman to do so. Originally from Pennsylvania who's father was a singing baptist preacher, she played piano in his choir.
Jared Gomes ~ Singer for 1990's Rap/Nu Metal band HED (P.E) made an announcement he would run for the Presidency in 2020 but does not seem to have followed it up. He has a history of supporting various liberal causes like pot legaliaztion in the past but in the past few years has endorsed the usual grab-bag of conspiracy theories, plus he's opposed to oral sex for some reason.
Orrin Hatch ~ Republican Senator from Utah from 1976 to today and a devout Mormon, Hatch is also a successful part time gospel singer and songwriter who plays piano, violin and organ, with many recordings. One of his songs was played at George Bush's inauguration while another was used by Billy Graham and another has even appeared in the Steven Soderberg film "Oceans Eleven" while Hatch himself appears in another Soderberg film "Traffic" in a cameo. Hatch has reportedly made over $65,000 as a singer and songwriter. Before becoming Senator Hatch also managed a few Mormon rock bands in the 1970's.
ORIN HATCH ~ "8 DAYS OF HANUKKAH";
Bob Healey ~ Republican candidiate for Congress in New Jersey is a millionaire owner of a shipping company who had previously spent his teens and twenties slumming as the singer of a Thrash Punk band Ghoul.
GHOUL ~ "WONDERFUL WORLD";
Roger Hedgecock ~ Republican Mayor of San Diego from 1983-85 when he was forced out in a massive corruption scandal in which he plead guilty. Mere days afterwards he got a job as talk radio host. Although he had been elected as a Liberal Republican he quickly became a typical far right radio host ranting about immigrants and sometimes even filling in for Rush Limbaugh (who he claims copied him) until they had a falling out. He quit the radio gig in 2015 but apparently still hosts a local TV show and as entertainment writer. Before politics he had a musical career as a manager (for Gary Puckett) and promoter which included involvement at the infamous Altamont (reportedly he's the one who paid the Hells Angels in Jack Daniels, because what could possibly go wrong there?). After his stint as Mayor he briefly led a band called the Arnold-Hedgecock Experience who recorded an inept version of "Louie Louie" and "Wild Thing" in 1987
THE ARNOLD-HEDGECOCK EXPERIENCE ~ "LOUIE LOUIE" & "WILD THING";
Chris Hightower; Campaign manager for Republican Rand Paul's 2008 Kentucky Senate Run and subsequent media spokesman. Until it was revealed in 2010 that his last gig was as a singer for a thrash metal band named "Commander". OK; so you're thinking, what's the big deal? Did I mention it was also a White Power Thrash Metal Band? Sorry, Kinda buried the lede there, oh well. At any rate his musical resume became a tad embarrassing for Paul, not to mention Hightower and once this became public he was eventually shown the door. It wasn't embarrassing enough to stop him from running for, and winning the nomination for a seat in the Kentucky house in 2012 but he ended up losing in the general election in a deeply red state.
Unknown Hinson ~ Alt Country singer/guitarist/comic & voice-over actor whose real name is Stuart Baker ran a low-profile write-in candidate for Governor of North Carolina in 2010. By 2020 he was a full-fledged Republican engaged in a high-profile (and one-sided) feud with Dolly Parton after he attacked her for endorsing Black Lives Matter in a series of unhinged tweets which got him fired from a cartoon he was doing voice-over for.
UNKNOWN HINSON ~ "CHEESE BURGER";
Tipper Gore ~ The wife of Vice President Al Gore became famous as the founder of the PMRC and their crusade to clean up music, making her enemies of a wide spectrum of musicians including Jello Biafra, Frank Zappa, Dee Snider, John Denver, Donny Osmond, Public Enemy, Ozzy and Judas Priest. She always denied she was anti-rock however and was in fact a competent rock and roll drummer. Al Gore claimed to be a fan of Zappa and Denver as well.
Jack Grisham ~ Singer for Los Angeles punk band T.S.O.L. who recorded several albums in the 1980's, he also ran during the California recall election for governor in 2003 which was won by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Previously known as a fiery anarchist in his early TSOL ("Property is Theft") days he evolved into more of a social democrat and ran a serious campaign based around health care but had little money and got few votes. TSOL has since reformed.
T.S.O.L. ~ "SOUNDS OF LAUGHTER";
A. Oakley Hall ~ Republican Mayor of New York from 1868 to 1872 who was implicated but acquitted for involvement with the notorious Boss Tweed Ring's corruption trials in the 1870's. Known as "Elegant Oakley" he had earlier been a prominent lawyer who also found time to moonlight as a poet and songwriter including writing a then popular Christmas song "Old Whitey's Christmas Trot". After his political career was ruined by the scandal he resumed his legal practice including defending the anarchist Emma Goldman who considered him a defender of freedom of speech. He died in 1898.
John Hall ~ A member of 1970's pop group Orleans, who's 1976 hit "Still the one" has been used as a campaign song by various politicians over the years. Hall got into politics himself and ran as a liberal Democrat for local offices successfully before getting elected to Congress in New York in 2006. He lost a re-election bid in 2010.
ORLEANS ~ "DANCE WITH ME";
Stuart Hamblen ~ One of the first of the Hollywood singing cowboys of the 1930's appearing with such other stars as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and John Wayne. Hamblen had a long and successful career on radio and recording star as well, first as a member of the Beverly Hillbillies and then solo. As a songwriter he had such credits as the classic hits "This Ole House" and "Open up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)", which was later covered by the Flintsones. He also wrote gospel songs which became hits for singers Eddy Arnold, Pat Boone, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Hank Snow and Ernest Tubb. Originally from Texas he decided to run for congress in 1938 in California as a Democrat and only narrowly lost. In 1949 he had a religious conversion with Billy Graham and joined the Prohibition Party becoming their candidate for president in 1952 losing again. He would continue on with the Billy Graham crusade and as a gospel singer until he died in 1982.
STUART HAMBLEN ~ "IT'S NO SECRET " (with Billy Graham intro);
Warren Harding ~ U.S. president from 1920 to his death in office in 1923; the first Jazz Age president loved to drink, smoke, gamble and womanize and he also played the cornet and trumpet.
Bill Hefner ~ Definitely no relation to the Playboy King, this Hefner was a singer with the Harvester's Quartet, a white gospel vocal group through the 1950's and 60's before becoming elected as a Democratic congressman from North Carolina for 1972 to 1999. A version of the group still performs.
Gordon Hintz ~ A Democratic Wisconsin State Assemblyman and possible 2018 candidate for Governor also has an earlier claim to fame in placing second in the 2003 National Air Guitar Championship, which is apparently a thing.
Mike Huckabee ~ The Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007 and candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and again in 2012. Like his fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton is also a rock musician, albeit a bassist, frequently playing at his own rallies and fundraisers as well as on TV.
MIKE HUCKABEE ~ "FREE BIRD";
Jon Huntsman ~ Republican Governor of Utah from 2005 to 2009 when he was made Ambassador to China by President Obama, now a candidate for President. Huntsman is a keyboard player and a fan of prog rock band Dream Theater for whom he once proclaimed a "Dream Theater Day" in Utah and he has also joined REO Speedwagon on stage for a few songs. Republican insiders state that this musical history will help him win over young voters. Ummm...with REO Speedwagon? (Note; He lost).
Thomas Jefferson ~ The Founding father was well educated and played the violin, harpsichord and clavichord.
Gene Jeffress ~ Arkansas state Democratic lawmaker from 1999 until he was forced out by term limits in 2012. He them ran for Congress and lost to Tom Cotton. He was previously gospel music teacher with a music Bachelor's degree.
Stephan Jenkins; Singer for the San Francisco based alt-rock band Third Eye Blind is currently the subject of a vague campaign to draft him to run for office as a Democrat. Somewhere. Although he has not really been known as an activist previously.
THIRD EYE BLIND ~ "JUMPER";
John Kerry ~ Democratic senator since 1985 and Democratic presidential nominee in 2004 was also played bass in an instro garage band "The Electras" who recorded an album in 1961. Unlike Clinton and Huckabee he hasn't played in public since however. After he won the Democratic nomination the old Elektras album was re-released on CD.
THE ELECRTAS ~ "GUITAR BOOGIE";
Khalifa Hamaas Abdul Khaalis ~ Born as Ernest McGee was a jazz drummer in the post war New York scene before he was drafted into the army then discharged for mental instability. He became an early follower of Malcom X and the Nation of Islam before leaving in a dispute when he decided they were not Muslim enough for his liking. He started his own fundamentalist Hanafi sect which attracted followers like Kareem Abdul Jabar and Amiri Baraka until they left deciding he was too extreme for their liking. Khaalis wrote an open letter attacking the NOI after which Khaalis' home was attacked and his family killed, Khallis blamed the NOI for this. In 1977 he turned to terrorism and captured the New York offices of the Bnai B'rith to protest the showing of the film "Mohammed the messenger of God" in spite of the fact that the film was made by a muslim film maker funded by Muamaar Qaddafi and had nothing to do with the B'nai B'rith. After a police officer and a journalist were killed the hostages were later released and Khaalis was carted off to prison where he died in 2003.
Kid Rock; Real name Robert Ritchie, is a a Nugent style dirt-bag Republican who is threatening to run for the Senate next year and polls have given him a huge lead; over potential GOP primary opponents at least.
KID ROCK ~ "BORN FREE";
Lyndon LaRouche ~ The fascist/conspiracy theorist/perennial presidential candidate and all-around nutbar was actually a respected (if controversial) opera critic who has written extensively on Verdi who he loved and Wagner who he hated.
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