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Two-Party Animal
This year is no different, but it might be a little more difficult to tell the partisans without a scorecard.
Oh, there are some of the regulars giving their all for the political party of their choice – the Democrats will have Barbra Streisand warbling for the cause, while the Republicans can rely on Lee Greenwood to do the same.
Then there’s Chaka Khan.
Whichever party you guessed she’d perform for, you’d be right – because she’s performing for both.
She is scheduled to close out the GOP confab in Philadelphia at 10 p.m. Eastern on August 3. But before assuming she’s out pounding the pavement for George Dubya, consider this: she’ll also appear at an A-List fundraiser for the Democrats on August 17, headlined by La Streisand. Management for Khan did not immediately return calls from Pollstar.
Smart cookie, that Chaka. It just goes to show it’s not nice to discriminate.
Other performers at the GOP convention are Brooks & Dunn, Jimmie Vaughan, Jon Secada, Lorrie Morgan, the Temptations, Hank Williams Jr., Delfonics, and the Blue Notes.
Khan and Streisand are expected to share the stage at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for the Democrats’ post-convention bash with Enrique Iglesias, Boyz II Men and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Democratic party officials hope to build on the success of their Blue Jeans Gala Tribute fund-raiser that brought in a record $26.5 million to party coffers at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. on May 24.
The show attracted more than 12,000 people to hear Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz and Robin Williams.