good works
Ten-time ASCAP songwriter of the year Ashley Gorley is donating royalties from the Billboard Country Airplay chart-topping hit “I Am Not Okay,” written by Gorley with co-writers Taylor Phillips and Casey Brown, and recorded by Jelly Roll, to help aid mental health initiatives for those in the songwriting community.
Gorley, who is also known for writing No. 1 hits including the Morgan Wallen/Post Malone 16-week Hot 100 chart-topping “I Had Some Help” and other hits recorded by Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini and more, is commemorating the success of “I Am Not Okay” by supporting the launch of a program by The Onsite Foundation, aimed at helping the creative community. The Creatives Support Network will provide free mentorship, education, resources and mental wellness support specifically created to help members of the songwriting community.
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“A song about struggling to get out of bed in the morning is No. 1 and that really speaks to where we are in the world,” Gorley said in a statement. “It was important for us to take this moment to say ‘you’re not the only one,’ and to support a creative network with programming that is tailored to songwriters at any stage of their journey.”
Songwriter-focused intensives are a key part of the program, including two-day immersive, individual or group coaching and therapy sessions designed for creatives. The program also includes mentorship, social impact initiatives and online curriculum and conversation resources complimentary to the creative community, thanks to Gorley giving 80 grants for 80 individuals, in addition to program infrastructure support.
“This song in particular, along with the Jelly Roll Era, is creating a movement and timely conversation regarding the need to equip creatives with necessary tools to optimize their personal and professional pursuits,” Onsite’s Miles Adcox said in a statement. “I’ve been at the intersection of Music and Mental Wellness for the better part of my career and have experienced firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing today’s creatives. Music is medicine, and the comfort, relief, support, and overall impact it provides globally to humanity is immeasurable. Our storytellers are a national treasure we should pour into and protect at all costs. We’re grateful to Ashley, Jelly Roll, and the Tape Room writers for starting this conversation in the songwriting community and for lending their expertise and resources.”
The Jelly Roll hit “I Am Not Okay” offers an honest portrayal of the struggles many face with mental health issues. The song is from Jelly Roll’s recent Billboard 200-topping album Beautifully Broken.
Among Gorley’s recent accolades are ACM songwriter and song of the year for the Cole Swindell hit “She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” and ASCAP’s country song of the year with Wallen’s “You Proof.” Gorley was also honored as NSAI’s Songwriter of the Decade for 2010-2019.
In 2011, Gorley, a Belmont University graduate, also formed his own publishing company, Tape Room Music, with a roster that includes his “I Am Not Okay” co-writers Brown and Phillips.
Tuesday night’s (Oct. 22) Spirit of Life annual dinner may have been the first to feature a drone light show during cocktail hour, but that was far from the only surprise at the 2024 edition that honored AEG Presents chairman and CEO Jay Marciano.
Though it had already been announced that Elton John would play to help fete Marciano, no one was expecting Celine Dion. Looking luminescent in a gorgeous black gown, the Canadian legend wowed the crowd as she introduced Marciano, whom she has known and worked with for more than 25 years.
“I know that your career has been marked by great accomplishments and has survived its share of great challenges, but it has been marked, above all, by a consistent expression of empathy, she said of Marciano. “In your leadership roles, you have shown such a generosity of spirit, a kindness and understanding of humanity that your legacy seems to be writing itself.”
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Marciano accepted his award in front of an audience of more than 1,200 attendees at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium that included a number of past Spirit of Life honorees, including Irving Azoff, Lucian Grainge, Rob Light, Sylvia Rhone, Don Passman, Jon Platt, Neil Portnow and John Sykes.
From left: John Sykes, President, Entertainment Enterprises, iHeartMedia, Inc., Jon Platt, Sylvia Rhone, CEO, Epic Records, honoree Jay Marciano, Chairman & CEO, AEG Presents, Evan Lamberg, President, MFEI & President, North America, Universal Music Publishing, Alissa Pollack, EVP, Global Music Marketing, iHeartMedia and Rob Light attend MFEI Spirit Of Life honoring Jay Marciano at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on Oct. 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
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Before Dion and Marciano (and John) took the stage, there was the matter of some fundraising and some fun to be had.
Following the cocktail hour, the evening opened with a mockumentary expressing deep skepticism about presenting the Spirit of Life Award to a concert promoter for the first time given how low promoters are on the music food chain, according to many of the film’s participants. The humorous fake doc, which featured Jody Gerson, Azoff, Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, and many more artists and executives, also gave Marciano’s pretend origin story as an accordion player who started in the ‘70s playing with Herbie Hancock and tried to join a pre-Tears for Fears Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith in an outfit called George & The Rockets. Both Tears for Fears members were in on the joke and played their parts in the doc to Spinal Tap perfection.
The evening was hosted by comedian/Saturday Night Life alum Fred Armisen, who moved the night quickly along. He introduced David Blaine, who explained his connection to cancer was a personal one: the illusionist’s mother was diagnosed with cancer when he was 16 and died when he was 20. As he told the story beside a set of his initials that he had set ablaze, he added that “City of Hope is about putting out fires,” and then proceeded to put out the fire by spewing voluminous amounts of water from his mouth as if he had swallowed a fire hose. He also wondered into the audience for two slight-of-hand tricks that left the audience shaking its head in disbelief.
As dinner was being served, a live auction that included such items as Super Bowl tickets and a meeting with New Orleans native son Jon Batiste, a golden pass to AEG’s tentpole festivals, Coachella, Stagecoach and Jazzfest; and a Wes Lang original work of art, raised several hundred thousand dollars, greatly aided by Universal Music Group chairman Lucian Grainge and former Hipgnosis’ chairman Merck Mercuriadis, each of whom paid $100,000 for custom Rolexes that were originally gifted to Elton John and his band by AEG. Bernie Taupin was on hand to describe the auction items and help up the ante. It was all more money in the coffers of City of Hope, which the Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (MFEI) division has raised more the $160 million for since the partnership started in 1973, said Universal Music Publishing Group North American president Evan Lamberg, who is chairman of the MFEI board. He took on the new role after five years as president of the board, a position now held by iHeart’s executive vp of global music marketing Alissa Pollack, who also spoke about the Duarte, Calif.-based center, whose mission is to cure and prevent cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases.
Elton John performs onstage during MFEI Spirit Of Life honoring Jay Marciano at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on Oct. 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
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In his acceptance speech, Marciano joked, “I may be Elton John’s worst opening act ever. As soon as you can get me off the stage tonight, the Spirit of Life will intersect with the Circle of Life.” He then got serious about the music industry’s relationship with City of Hope, which first came to Marciano’s attention when he worked at Universal with Zach Horowitz, whose parents helped build City of Hope. “As a concert promoter, I’ve been on a lot of tours, but when I took the tour of the City of Hope campus in Duarte earlier this year to witness firsthand the comprehensive, compassionate care, it was a deeply moving and powerful experience. I’m reminded that what counts in this life: In this moment when our world is so terribly divided on too many fronts, City of Hope remains the kind of common ground we can all stand on together… Our industry is often maligned for our excesses. We’re loud, we’re narcissistic, we’re showy, but we are also very generous. When the world is facing a crisis, it’s often our industry and the people in this room that step up first to lend a helping hand.”
Marciano introduced John, who called Marciano one of the “four diamonds” in his career, and credited Marciano with his deal to for his 2004 residency at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace, which changed the face of how Las Vegas was,” and also coordinating his farewell tour. “We went out in the sunshine; I didn’t want to go out in the twilight.”
John closed the evening with a loving version of “Your Song,” a tender take on “Tiny Dancer” and an extremely robust, extended performance of “Rocket Man,” that had the crowd on its feet long before the song ended.
Conventional wisdom says getting down on a dance floor can be a healing experience. In this case, that’s literally true.
In the spring of 2011, Teddy Raskin was a sophomore at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Student life was treating him and his friends well until a close buddy of his, Luke (who requested his last name not be used to protect his privacy), broke his neck in a boating accident after jumping off and hitting a sandbar, fracturing two vertebrae.
The friend group was devastated by the accident. The good news was that with rehabilitation, Luke could relearn how to walk. The problem was that the machine he needed to do it cost $90,000 and wasn’t covered by insurance. But Raskin saw a way to make it happen: a splashy dance set on the campus lawn.
“Instead of just asking people for money for this machine,” says Raskin. “I thought we could put on a concert to raise the money and do it in the spirit emblematic of Luke, ourselves and the University and turn tragedy into a celebration of life.”
Raskin had already been hosting events around town and had always wanted to put on a dance show in Nashville, a city not necessarily known as an electronic music hotbed, especially in 2012.
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So he started hustling, asking fraternities at the school to each pitch in between $500 and $1,000 for the event and also agree to not throw their own party on a fall Friday night set aside for the show. While Raskin says Vanderbilt was “a bit terrified” about letting a bunch of fraternity brothers throw a dance show on the Alumni Lawn, the chancellor and other officials ultimately agreed to let it happen, even making it possible to purchase tickets through student ID cards.
Meanwhile, through friends of friends, Raskin made connections at the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which focuses on curing spinal cord injuries.
They just needed a DJ. Raskin’s sister worked in the mail room at WME, and a good friend worked at NUE agency. With their help, he reached out to agents. “I was asking for Afrojack for like, $10,000 and Swedish House Mafia for $20,000,” he says. “These agents were like, ‘Did you leave a zero off the offer letter?’”
Ultimately, the house duo White Panda signed on to play. On Oct. 18, 2012, more than 1,500 students gathered on the Alumni Lawn to see them play, with the show making $96,000 through ticket sales and donations. Within the year, Luke was walking again.
With this, Lights on the Lawn was born. Taking place each year since that 2012 debut, the show is now a staple of the Vanderbilt events calendar. Over the years, it’s hosted marquee dance acts including The Chainsmokers, Diplo, Afrojack, Oliver Heldens, Two Friends, Loud Luxury and Louis the Child, simultaneously expanding to become a training program that teaches student organizers from Vanderbilt the ins and outs of the live events industry.
This year’s Lights on the Lawn happens tomorrow (Sept. 27) with headliner Gryffin, who was originally one half of White Panda and has since gone on to have a massive solo career. The lead up to the show now includes Lecture on the Lawn, which this year featured execs including Kris Lamb of Big Machine, Az Cohen of 300 Entertainment and Alessi Nehr Alessi Nair, the general manager of Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheatre speaking to students about getting into the business.
More than 500 students have gone through the program, with many of them getting jobs at Live Nation, Wasserman, WME, CAA and Spotify, along with banking firms like McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America.
“Vanderbilt’s a very competitive university,” says Raskin. “If someone’s passionate about music, this gives them a path to [learn about] producing, promoting, marketing, putting on an educational series, then going to get a job at one of these places.”
With the original need that inspired Lights on the Lawn solved with the first show, in 2013 the event started sending 100% of its profits to East Nashville’s Mary Parrish Center, which provides domestic abuse survivors short- and long-term housing. The organization was chosen in the wake of a case that rocked the Vanderbilt campus in 2013, when four football players were accused of raping a student, which ultimately resulted in each of them being sentenced to prison time.
Donations over the first three years made it possible for the Mary Parrish team to purchase the building they’d been renting. “This was in 2015, right before things started getting insane as far as the cost of housing in Nashville,” says the Mary Parrish Center’s executive director Mary Katherine Rand. “It was such a gift that we were able to purchase it at that time.” The organization, which was founded in 2002, has been able to completely renovate the facility with subsequent donations from Lights on the Lawn. Other donation money has paid salaries for the facility’s resident therapists, with Vanderbilt students also volunteering at the facility. Rand says that annually, Lights on the Lawn is one of the biggest donors to Mary Parrish.
Over its first 11 years, the event has raised roughly $850,000. And this year, even those who aren’t attending can make donations through the Event’s GoFundMe.
After graduating from Vanderbilt in 2014, Raskin himself went on to work in the resale department at Ticketmaster for three years, starting in 2017. That year, he thought to ask the company to sponsor Lights on the Lawn, and it was suggested to him that he email Michael Rapino directly to ask for the money. He did.
“I didn’t expect a response,” says Raskin. Within 48 hours, however, Rapino wrote back. Raskin can still recite the email word for word.
“Dear Teddy on behalf of myself and the entire Live Nation family, we’re so proud of you,” the note went. “However, we are in the business of getting partnership checks, not writing them.”
“My heart went through the floor. I thought I was going to get fired,” Raskin recalls. But Rapino’s email continued.
“He said, ‘This show is so amazing. We are so happy to support. [COO Mark Campana] will reach out to you, and we will be writing a check for $50,000.”
The email came through when Raskin was with his parents on the way to a Lady Gaga concert at Wrigley Field. “I started crying in the cab,” Raskin says. The $50,000 sponsorship from Live Nation helped propel Lights on the Lawn to its best year ever, yielding $171,000 in proceeds and driving 2.1 million digital impressions and nearly 4,000 tickets sold.
In terms of music, agencies and DJs have also generally been generous, with artists typically playing for discounted or highly competitive rates. “No one’s out there trying to win over their top offer with us,” says Raskin. “If you’re coming to play Lights on the Lawn you know three things: One, it’s going to be a well-produced, well-attended show. Two, it’s an unbelievably impactful show. And three, you’re not going to get your Lollapalooza booking fee.”
Raskin, who now lives in New York City and is the CEO at KOACORE, the supply chain company he founded during the pandemic, says he’d love to expand Lights on the Lawn to other college campuses, a move he foresees being beneficial for nationwide charities and student bodies at large.
“You have all these educational experiences, you have this blowout concert, you raise a bunch of money, you have a sick time, and you get to learn,” says Raskin. “That’s what our deal is.”
Years after Dave Petrelli worked in the Nashville music business, he experienced a moment in the city’s Shelby Park that eclipsed any expectations he had had for his career.
A former peermusic creative assistant and Nashville Songwriters Association International director of events, Petrelli purposely segued into music education, and one step in the journey included teaching general education to fourth graders. Drawing on his innate skills, he frequently rewrote existing songs to teach students, and when a full solar eclipse occurred in the city in 2017, Petrelli prepared his classes by reworking the Bonnie Tyler/Celine Dion hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart” as “Total Eclipse of the Sun.”
When the big day arrived, Petrelli and his wife, songwriter Victoria Banks (“Come On Over,” “Saints & Angels”), joined thousands in the park to watch the afternoon sky turn dark. Around a dozen kids saw “Mr. Petrelli” and ran to him to sing “Total Eclipse of the Sun.”
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“I didn’t even expect this to be a moment,” he says now, “and it was a moment.”
Petrelli is one of 30 instructors from eight states who will have another personal moment tonight (Sept. 17) when the Country Music Association recognizes them as CMA Music Teachers of Excellence at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. CMA has turned music education into a mission, funneling revenue from the annual CMA Fest into programs that are vital to the development of future generations.
The program is so appreciated that the teacher awards will be attended by as many artists as instructors, including Walker Hayes, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Terri Clark and Gretchen Wilson.
The teaching jobs may not be as glamorous as the touring gigs those artists pursue, but they’re “way more important,” CMA senior vp of industry relations Tiffany Kerns says. “We have the best gigs in the world, don’t get me wrong. But by far, what they do is way more impressive. And I mean, talk about having deep impact in communities.”
That impact is far-reaching. Music develops collaboration skills, learning to play an instrument builds discipline, and studying music rewires the brain, strengthening the connectivity between different cortexes and providing more paths for thoughts to follow. Schools with music education, according to Kerns, have lower rates of absenteeism. And since music teachers typically spend more one-on-one time with individual students as they learn their instruments, they are often the instructors whom students feel most comfortable with in revealing hunger or mental health issues.
In Petrelli’s case, students likely relate to him in part because he’s one of them in spirit. Growing up in Connecticut, his mother — who taught Spanish — died when he was 10, and he had to take care of himself sooner than his peers.
“I grew up too fast, and because of that, there’s still a lot of kid in me,” he says.
Petrelli leaned toward music early, and after graduating from Boston College, he taught the subject at a private Catholic elementary school for a year. He subsequently earned a songwriting degree at the Berklee College of Music, then moved to Nashville and worked his way into the music community. Once they got married, he and Banks decided at least one of them should have a job with greater security, and he shifted into education.
The “Total Eclipse of the Sun” moment grew out of his approach, which mixes music with other parts of the school’s curriculum. A few years ago, when Lockeland Elementary was operating under the schoolwide theme “Lockeland is out of this world,” he would have classes explore the details in songs with galactic lyrics — such as David Bowie‘s “Space Oddity,” Europe‘s”The Final Countdown” or Elton John‘s “Rocket Man” — to better understand space and enhance the school experience.
“What I have found is that that gets the kids really, really, really interested in what they’re going to learn today,” Petrelli says. “My lesson springboards off that.”
Other courses, such as math or science, have more cut-and-dried material — two plus two will always equal four — and Kerns suggests that those classes feel more “black and white” to students.
“When you walk into that music room, I really believe that Dave’s students immediately feel and see color,” she says. “There is something that is so vibrant about his personality and the way that he teaches, and that’s a gift.”
The CMA doesn’t restrict its Teachers of Excellence awards to instructors who use country music in their classes. Pop, jazz, R&B and mariachi have all been used extensively by various honorees, though Petrelli does, in fact, incorporate country in his work, with songs by Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings and Shania Twain among the material he has used.
“The storytelling aspect is huge,” he says.
While teaching music may not be as glamorous as the careers of the artists that Petrelli’s classes draw from, it still scratches his own artistic itch.
“I teach six classes a day, and it’s six one-hour performances,” he says. “It is a song-and-dance show for one hour, six times in a row. I’ve worked physically demanding jobs, mentally demanding jobs. I have never been as exhausted at the end of a day as when I come home from a particularly hard day of teaching.”
It’s usually a thankless job, though the Teachers of Excellence event extends a bit of appreciation. And the students do provide feedback, whether they know it or not, at moments like the 2017 eclipse. At times like that, Petrelli is reminded that the job really is an opportunity to inspire the next generation, even if it looks a little different than what he originally envisioned.
“I always dreamed of girls screaming my name,” Petrelli says. “I didn’t think they’d be 9 years old and waving in their car, [yelling], ‘Mr. Petrelli!’”
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City of Hope will present Jay Marciano, chairman and CEO of AEG Presents, with its prestigious Spirit of Life Award at a Oct. 22 gala headlined by legendary singer and songwriter Elton John.
City of Hope is one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and a leading research center for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. The Spirit of Life Gala, organized by the City of Hope’s Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (MFEI) volunteer and fundraising group’s, will take place at the historic Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Marciano is the 51st executive to be honored during the annual affair, recognizing individuals for their longtime philanthropic and humanitarian efforts. Besides managing some of the largest tours in history — Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” and Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” — Marciano is focused on galvanizing the industry to accelerate cancer research at City of Hope so that more people around the world may benefit from its findings.
In addition to the performance by John, attendees will experience a curated menu by chef Evan Funke, a master of the old-world techniques of handmade pasta, and an unprecedented act by magician and mentalist David Blaine — both experiences promise to round out an evening of magic. Comedian, actor, musician and writer Fred Armisen will emcee the event.
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“I am honored to be receiving The Spirit of Life Award from City of Hope and to be able to contribute to raising awareness and funds to speed its important work of eradicating cancer and improving lives for so many,” Marciano said in a statement. “I am also humbled and grateful that Elton John, a true superstar in every regard, has agreed to lend his immeasurable talents to this event with a performance that’s sure to inspire support for a cause that unfortunately touches so many lives.”
John’s historic, final tour saw the musical icon play 330 shows worldwide to over 6.25 million fans across the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. The U.S. leg of the tour concluded with three sell-out shows at Dodger Stadium. The concert was livestreamed on Disney+ in every territory the channel broadcasts in, a global first. He later headlined Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in June 2023, the final UK show before the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour concluded in July 2023, marking the end of more than 50 years on the road. Now, the stage has been set for another very special performance at the Spirit of Life Gala.
“Jay is more than a colleague; he is a dear friend,” John said. “It is my pleasure to lend my support to him as he receives the Spirit of Life honor, especially given City of Hope’s dignity-giving supportive care for people who face cancer, along with its unmatched research for other life-threatening illnesses. Their important work has led to advancements in the field that have fortunately enabled so many people to live beautiful, long lives. Everyone should have that opportunity, and I’m honored to play a part in City of Hope’s work towards that goal.”
Founded more than a century ago to serve people who had trouble accessing high-quality, effective cancer treatment, City of Hope combines inclusive, compassionate care with big dreams realized through breakthrough scientific research.
“Our longstanding supporters in the entertainment industry are helping us deliver on our most important goal: saving lives,” said Robert Stone, CEO of City of Hope and the Helen and Morgan Chu Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair. “Thank you, Jay, and our partners for helping us ensure that people with cancer, regardless of race, socioeconomic status or geography, have equitable access to the most advanced cancer treatments available.”
In its 50-plus year history, MFEI raised over $150 million to benefit City of Hope research and care programs.
“The music industry has the power to unite millions of people for a cause, and when that cause is cancer research, the impact can be transformative,” said Kristin J. Bertell, chief philanthropy officer at City of Hope. “Jay’s support will amplify awareness, raise crucial funds, and inspire hope for millions of cancer patients and their families. It’s not just about entertainment; it’s about saving lives through the power of philanthropy,” Bertell continued.
“City of Hope’s MFEI Board cannot thank Jay Marciano, and his entire team, enough for all they are doing to help fight these horrible diseases,” said Evan Lamberg, president of Universal Music Publishing Group. “There is not a single person I meet that has not, in some way directly or indirectly, been affected by cancer. City of Hope continues its battle against cancer around the clock and looks to continue to make the quality of people’s lives better.”
MFEI’s Spirit of Life Gala will conclude a year-long fundraising initiative which will also include auctions and a dinner series to benefit City of Hope. Tickets and sponsorship information can be found here.
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
Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, entertainer Whoopi Goldberg and actress and businesswoman Priscilla Presley are among 88 individuals who will receive 2024 Ellis Island Medals of Honor, the Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) announced on Wednesday (May 1). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The […]
Public Enemy co-founder Chuck D and Hip Hop 4 Peace founder Tina Marie Tyler are among the honorees for the upcoming Rap 4 Peace: A Hip-Hop Gun Violence Awareness Conference & Gala. The event will be held on National Gun Violence Awareness Day (June 2) at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, Calif. Explore […]
The Ray Charles Foundation has donated $2 million to the Grammy Museum Foundation to fund the museum’s Campaign for Music Education. The Campaign, launched in October 2022, will expand access to the museum’s educational programs, including the Grammy in the Schools programming. Its co-chairs include Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, Shawn Mendes, and Rosalía. “As the […]
“Lyor Cohen changed my life,” said rapper and Drink Champs host N.O.R.E., speaking to the packed open-air space at Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (Oct. 18).
He was one of many to express appreciation for Cohen throughout the evening, during which industry titans (such as Lucian Grainge, Sylvia Rhone, Jon Platt, Julie Greenwald and more) mingled with hip-hop royalty (such as Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, Ludacris, Diddy and others). After all, the genre’s 50th anniversary just to happens to coincide with the 50th anniversary of City of Hope‘s philanthropic partnership with the Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (MFEI) — making Cohen, considering his contributions to and impact on hip-hop, as well as his generous spirit and advocacy for accessible and affordable care for all, an ideal recipient of the City of Hope 2023 Spirit of Life Award.
And though his honor was revealed back in March, the event itself came at an unexpectedly fitting time, as it seemed the entire music industry was waiting to hear from Cohen (the son of Israeli immigrants) on current events unfolding in Israel and Gaza. It seemed that he, too, had been waiting for this moment and platform to share them.
“With all that’s going on in the world, Lyor, you powered though,” said Evan Lamberg, City of Hope’s MFEI board president. Lamberg also called Cohen – current global head of music at YouTube and Google – “indomitable,” noting his 93-year-old mother was in attendance, among many other members of Cohen’s family.
But before Cohen himself could speak, there was the business of fundraising. Diddy kicked things off, becoming the first to donate at the entry point of $100,000. Dozens followed, ultimately raising over $4.3 million. (Over the course of its 50-year partnership with City of Hope, the MFEI has raised a total of $150 million to cure and prevent cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases.)
Next up was the long-awaited performance, for which the crowd was spoiled with a never-ending parade of hip-hop and R&B greats as DJ Cassidy brought his Pass the Mic Live! franchise to the stage (much of which Jay-Z, seated at the Sony Music table next to Platt, bobbed along to). After Cassidy dedicated the set to Cohen (“an icon behind the scenes”), what followed was a 30-plus-minute jaw-dropping show during which the mic was passed nearly 20 times to artists and groups including: Slick Rick, Kurtis Blow, Big Daddy Kane, MC Serch, Nice ‘N Smooth, EPMD, Redman, Onyx, Warren G, Domino, Musiq Soulchild, Dru Hill, Ja Rule, T.I. with Swizz Beatz and Public Enemy, who ended with an all-star rendition of “Fight the Power.”
Just before 9:45 (45 minutes after the event’s scheduled end time), Cohen’s congratulatory video started to play, featuring everyone from Busta Rhymes and Slim to Kevin Liles and Julie Greenwald. Chuck D then returned to the stage to introduce Cohen, delivering a particularly memorable opening line: “[Run-]D.M.C. says hip-hop succeeds where religions and governments fail – and that’s ironic at this particular time right now.”
It’s a sentiment that set the tone for Cohen to deliver his own anticipated speech, which began with the sound of a computer glitching as the lights switched off (“Lights!” exclaimed Chuck, to which Lyor motioned all was well… it was all part of the plan). Cohen opted to open with an excerpt of the famous “final speech” delivered by Charlie Chaplin in the 1940 film The Great Dictator, in which he ultimately calls for unity.
“We came here to help eradicate cancer, but wouldn’t it be great if we could also eradicate hate?” said Cohen once the lights came back on. He spoke of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack at a music festival in Israel, saying it will never be forgotten and calling for the immediate return of those who were kidnapped and are still being held hostage. “I’m so sorry to hijack this special event to express my feelings as a human,” he said, “just as I express them when injustices happen to anyone targeted because of their race or religion or sexual identity… My heart goes out to all the Palestinian people in the region that have had to endure unnecessary loss of life. I pray for peace – won’t you join me?”
He proceeded to express gratitude for his family, many of whom were in attendance and many of whom, as he said, couldn’t make it “because they are burying Israeli children.” He then thanked the room for “a lifetime of tolerance and kindness and unwavering belief in the mission,” calling out Greenwald (“for always trying to make everyone better with love”), Liles (“you’re a selfless warrior”), Russell Simmons (“thank you for this wonderful life that I live”) and the “great music and great artists that I’ve had the honor of serving.”
Lastly, Cohen addressed “the additional controversy,” saying “I’m so sick and tired of people thinking that celebrity and fame trumps great music and artistry. We’re in a funky monkey moment but don’t get it twisted, quality will always prevail.”
LL Cool J then closed out the night (alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff and Adam Blackstone) with a medley of hits including “Mama Said Knock You Out.” Before stepping off stage, he addressed Cohen directly: “We went through a lot… and it all ended up really great.”
And as the crowd started to shuffle out, he shared one final message – and it perfectly underscored the ethos of the entire night: “Erase the Hate.”