Marcus King Launches Curfew Foundation to Support Sober Musicians
Written by djfrosty on May 9, 2024
Today, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Marcus King announced the launch of the Curfew Foundation, a new foundation dedicated to raising funds for various causes close to King’s heart and developing a support system for musicians from all walks of life who are battling challenges such as mental health and addiction.
The name Curfew is inspired by Matt Reynolds, a friend of King’s who was a singer-songwriter, tour manager and pillar in the music community, who took his own life in 2017. Nicknamed “Curfew” by Colonel Bruce Hampton, Reynolds’ unexpected passing inspired King and mutual friend Charles Hedgepath to name the foundation in their friend’s honor.
“I began the process of forming my non-profit organization Curfew Foundation with my friend, writing partner and fellow Greenville, S.C. native, Charles Hedgepath in late 2018/early 2019,” King says. “This idea came to me after the death of multiple peers and friends within the music community and a feeling that something needed to change. I’m very excited to be part of the change and part of the community and team working to get the message out and to help those in need.”
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Tour promoter Live Nation has pledged to contribute $1 from every ticket sold on King’s upcoming Mood Swings tour to the Curfew Foundation with Marcus King’s Family Reunion Festival in August also matching this commitment.
Curfew plans to focus on various areas of need, including supporting fine arts programs, as well as providing instruments and funding to music programs in schools. Additionally, the foundation will advocate for mental health, sobriety and addiction support, combatting isolation by offering a hotline for those in crisis and emphasizing the importance of community support.
King also announced today a partnership with Stand Together and the 1 Million Strong impact initiative that seeks to transform the way people think about and approach addiction and recovery. King is aiming to inspire others to prioritize mental health and support both sober touring musicians and fans.
“I am so delighted to be working with Stand Together Music! I met their team at SXSW during a SPIN event, and learned all about 1 Million Strong and the incredible work they’d been doing for sober concert goers! I was so moved by the passion, enthusiasm and their commitment to creating a space and accepting atmosphere for people to enjoy the music while not being afraid to be themselves,” said King. “It all resonated so deeply with me and my personal journey. I went through a prolonged period of self-medication in an effort to feel something, anything. The high I’m chasing now is being entirely present in the music along with a few thousand of my closest pals.”
Together, King and 1 Million Strong are working to build a more inclusive experience for the sober community who live and work around a historically alcohol-exposed environment and often feel marginalized from the rest of the music community. Mood Swings tour initiatives will include offering Marcus King-themed mocktails, which will be available for concert attendees and guests to enhance their sober party experience.
“Music brings people together, breaks down barriers, and accelerates change. In that unity, we have the opportunity to drive real progress in the addiction, recovery, and mental health space by partnering with Marcus King,” said Colette Weintraub, head of Stand Together Music, Sports & Entertainment. “There can be a prevailing belief in society that people who are struggling with addiction or mental health are deficient or broken. We don’t believe that. We believe people are strong and resilient.”
Dates for King’s Mood Swings tour are listed below. Learn more about the mood swings tour here: Visit the website here.
May 10 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
May 11 – Grand Sierra Ballroom – Reno, NV
May 14 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
May 15 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
May 17 – The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
May 18 – Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO
May 22 – The Monument – Rapid City, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 24 – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center – Sioux Falls, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 25 – Harrah’s Stir Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
May 26 – EPIC Event Center – Green Bay, WI*
May 29 – The Pageant – St Louis, MO
May 30 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI
May 31 – Blossom Music Center – Cleveland OH w/ Chris Stapleton
June 01 – Railbird Festival – Lexington, KY
June 02 – Salt Shed – Chicago, IL
June 04 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT*
June 06 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion – Philadelphia, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 07 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 08 – Landmark Theatre – Syracuse, NY
June 10 – Ruby Amphitheater – Morgantown, WV*
June 12 – T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 13 – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena – Ridgefield, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 14 – The Criterion – Oklahoma City, OK
June 15 – Globe Life Field – Arlington, TX w/ Chris Stapleton
July 11 – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien Center, NY w/ Chris Stapleton
July 12 – The Pavilion at Star Lake – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
July 13 – Palace Theatre – Albany, NY
July 16 – Egyptian Room – Indianapolis, IN
July 18 – Huntington Center – Toledo, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 19 – Schottenstein Center – Columbus, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 20 – The Fillmore Detroit – Detroit, MI
Sept. 04 – Orpheum – Vancouver, BC
Sept. 06 – Grey Eagle Event Center – Calgary, AB
Sept. 07 – Midway Music Hall – Edmonton, AB
Sept. 09 – Burton Cummings Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
Sept. 13 – Massey Hall – Toronto, ON
Sept. 14 – London Music Hall – London, ON
Sept. 17 – Kemba Live! – Columbus, OH
Sept. 19 – Warner Theatre – Washington, D.C.
Sept. 20 – Warner Theatre – Washington, D.C.
Sept. 21 – The Ritz – Raleigh, NC
Sept. 24 – Avondale Brewing – Birmingham, AL
Sept. 26 – Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WI
Sept. 28 – The Sylvee, Madison, WI
Sept. 29 – Vibrant Music Hall – Des Moines, IA
Oct. 07 – Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
Oct. 09 – State Theatre – Portland, ME
Oct. 11 – House of Blues Boston – Boston, MA
Oct. 12 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA
Oct. 13 – Brooklyn Paramount – Brooklyn, NY
Oct. 17 – La Riviera – Madrid, Spain
Oct. 18 – Sala Apolo – Barcelona, Spain
Oct. 20 – Fabrique Milano – Milan, Italy
Oct. 21 – Komplex 457 – Zurich, Switzerland
Oct. 23 – Le Transbordeur – Lyon, France
Oct. 25 – Essigfabrik – Cologne, Germany
Oct. 27 – Markthalle – Hamburg, Germany
Oct. 28 – De Roma – Antwerp, Belgium
Oct. 29 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Oct. 31 – Metropol – Berlin, Germany
Nov. 01 – The Grey Hall – Copenhagen, Denmark
Nov. 03 – Bataclan – Paris, France
Nov. 05 – Eventim Apollo – London, UK
Nov. 06 – Albert Hall – Manchester, UK
Nov. 07 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow, UK
Nov. 09 – O2 Institute – Birmingham, UK
Nov. 10 – The Great Hall – Cardiff, UK
Nov. 12 – Olympia – Dublin, Ireland