Crystal Bowersox, who belted out “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Piece of My Heart” on “American Idol,” brought that big, powerful voice to the area Oct. 20-21 to campaign for Obama for America’s Women Decide 2012 initiative.
“Ohio is pretty important in the election, and I’m really here to support the president and his campaign,” the singer-songwriter said.
“Yesterday was jam-packed; I started in Sylvania, I went to Port Clinton, and then on to Sandusky, really speaking on women’s issues and how important those are.”
Wearing a black velvet blazer, black jeans, a black T-shirt with a graphic that included an homage to the American flag and orange flats, Bowersox seemed relaxed talking politics at the Lucas County Democratic Headquarters.
“In my younger days, I relied on Planned Parenthood for services — cervical cancer screenings, birth control contraception. I think it’s important that Planned Parenthood maintains support and, as we know, Romney wants to get rid of it. I don’t agree with that,” the Elliston native said.
Crystal Bowersox (TFP Photo by Vicki L. Kroll)
“As far as women’s issues go, I think Obama understands them from his own background, his grandmother, and his mother being a single mother,” she added.
The 27-year-old has always been on the left.
“I was raised in a Democratic household; my grandparents were Democrats as well. We’ve just always been taught to treat people equally and that we all have to put a hand in to help out so we can all benefit from the good that’s being done,” Bowersox said. “I don’t think the top-down politics that Romney would like to put into place work.”
She will cast her ballot in Portland, Ore., where she lives with her husband, Brian Walker, and son, Tony.
“Voting is so important because if you don’t voice your opinion, then you can’t have one,” Bowersox said.
While she did bring her guitar to sing to campaign supporters, she also hit the streets and went door to door to talk issues.
“If I can bring awareness to the issues that I think are important, I’m going to do that,” Bowersox said. “I know that my being on ‘American Idol’ was big for Toledo, and I’ve heard from so many people here: ‘I’m so proud of you.’
“If you have a megaphone and decide not to use it, it’s inexcusable.”
The only topic the star shied away from: her next disc.
“I’ll be recording most of the fall, and we’ll have an album out in the spring,” she said. “We haven’t started recording yet, but I’ve got the material, and you’ll just have to stay posted.”
Bowersox said the follow-up to 2010’s “Farmer’s Daughter” will be all original songs. She collaborated with her husband on some tracks as well as with musician and producer Jono Manson, who worked on Blues Traveler’s new disc, “Suzie Cracks the Whip,” which features her as a guest vocalist.
“MamaSox” was more forthcoming about her 4-year-old son: “He’s really into Michael Jackson right now. My husband can moonwalk, so we’re trying to teach him.”
She added, “[Tony] started preschool. He’s got a really good heart; you can see it in him. He cares genuinely for little bugs, everything — he’s amazing. He’s taught me a lot.”
What has she learned?
“I want to make more of my decisions, I guess even shopping decisions, out of kindness and love. I don’t buy things that have palm oil in them because they’re killing the habitat of the orangutans,” she said.
“And my son, he’s Captain Obvious; he states the most obvious things that are overlooked by adults. He sees the world in a very pure, lighthearted, loving way, and that’s what I’m learning from him, is to see the world that way, too.”
