EL CAJON, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Taylor
Guitars and 50+ of Taylor artists, including Zac Brown, KT
Tunstall, Jason Mraz and
Keith Goodwin, have come together to
release an incredibly catchy original song, "I Know What Love
Is." A philanthropic project that aims to raise money to
support members of the music industry whose art and careers were
put on hold by the pandemic, "I know What Love Is" will be
available January 21 for download and
streaming across multiple music platforms, including Apple Music,
Spotify and Amazon Music. The song, written by Keith Goodwin and co-produced by Jay Parkin of Taylor Guitars, and audio engineer
Gabriel O'Brien, will also feature a
music video with footage of all 50+ artists. Net proceeds from the
song will benefit MusiCares, a charity founded by the Recording
Academy® (GRAMMY Awards®), which provides a support system of
health and human services for music people across a spectrum of
needs including physical and mental health, addiction recovery,
hearing clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies, and disaster
relief including COVID-19 relief. Taylor has also partnered with
renowned music organizations The NAMM Foundation and Nettwerk Music
Group to help promote the song and its positive message. Various
Taylor artists will give an exclusive live performance of "I Know
What Love Is'' as part of NAMM's Believe In Music Week.
Taylor® Guitars, Zac Brown, KT Tunstall, Jason Mraz Join To Create
Uplifting Anthem "I Know What Love Is"
One community that has been acutely affected by the COVID
pandemic has been the music industry. The suspension of live music
performances has created a domino effect, throttling the
livelihoods of working musicians, road crews, staff at music venues
and many others who contribute to the industry's ecosystem. The
lack of live performances has also amplified the extended sense of
social disconnection being felt everywhere.
Yet music has always played an essential role in helping people
get through tough times and creating a deeper sense of connection
to others and the world around them. According to Keith Goodwin, singer, guitarist and songwriter
from the indie folk band Good Old War, that's exactly the spirit
that was channeled when he wrote the lyrics and melody for "I Know
What Love Is." Goodwin's music was underscored with added
poignancy when, soon after the recording of the song, he lost his
grandmother, Madeline Lanni, from
COVID-19 complications.
"During lockdown one of the most challenging things for me
was trying to adapt to not having my friends around to play music
with," said Goodwin. "This project really helped keep me
focused on making music when everything else in life had changed so
drastically. I'm grateful for this opportunity to connect and
collaborate with such great artists and for a good cause. We are
all lucky to be able to share our love of music together."
Goodwin collaborated with Taylor Guitars content producer
Jay Parkin and producer/engineer
Gabriel O'Brien to bring the song
together, mix and master the original skeleton of the song. But
after hearing the finished product, they decided that something was
missing. In his role as producer, Parkin realized the song could be
even bigger.
"We were shooting for a 'Hey Jude' meets 'We Are
the World' vibe," Parkin explains. "The song itself felt
good, but this was always about supporting musicians and bringing
people together. Once we started reaching out to the music
community and began to get the parts back, we started to see how
the pieces all fit together to create an anthem of hope for
2021."
Goodwin and Parkin drew on their connections to the music
industry to enlist dozens of Taylor players for the project, from
hobbyists and weekend warriors to touring bands and big-label acts.
Each artist was asked to contribute their own version of a piece of
the song that spoke to them. Zac
Brown, Jason Mraz, KT Tunstall, Chris Conley (Saves the Day), Alana Springsteen and 49 others enthusiastically
collaborated via email, creating over 200 tracks recorded in their
respective home studios around the world, from Los Angeles and Nashville to Tokyo, responding to the song's inspiring
message of solidarity among the music community during a time of
great need. In addition to audio tracks, the artists and performers
also captured their parts on video using iPhones and DSLR cameras
to create the "I Know What Love Is" music video, a tribute
to community, connection, technology and the power of music.
With those contributions in hand, Goodwin, Parkin and O'Brien
then spent hundreds of hours working across time zones to assemble,
edit, mix and master a new version of the song, this one composed
of sounds drawn from musicians across borders and genres.
"So many brilliantly talented crew, venue teams and artists
have been financially crippled by the arrival of COVID-19, and
hopefully we can ease some of that pain a little through
MusiCares," says KT Tunstall, the GRAMMY-winning Scottish
singer-songwriter and musician.
Among the respected music institutions that have joined the
effort to promote "I Know What Love Is'' and its message of
positivity are The NAMM Foundation, a not-for-profit association
with a mission to strengthen the music products industry, and
Nettwerk Music Group, an organization that connects music fans with
music makers. Nettwerk Music Group will release the song and
provide promotional support, while The NAMM Foundation will host an
exclusive live stream performance at NAMM's Believe in Music week
on January 21, 2021, at 9:30 a.m. PST. Visit
https://attend.believeinmusic.tv to register.
"'I Know What Love Is' offers a message of hope and
resilience that through music is a way forward," shares
Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of
The NAMM Foundation. "While we continue to navigate these times
for our industry and society, the gift of music is a wellspring
that ripples throughout communities and undoubtedly will help those
most in need."
"I Know What Love Is'' will be available to stream and download
January 21, on major music platforms
Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more. For more information
and to watch the music video, please visit
www.iknowwhatloveis.com.
ABOUT TAYLOR GUITARS
Founded in 1974, Taylor Guitars is one of the world's leading
manufacturers of premium acoustic guitars. Renowned for blending an
innovative use of modern technology with a master craftsman's
attention to detail, as well as their pioneering sustainability
efforts, the company's guitars are loved by players around the
world for their playability and acoustic tone. Many of today's
leading musicians make Taylor their guitar of choice, including
Jason Mraz, Jewel, Zac Brown, Sarah
McLachlan, Shawn Mendes and
Ben Harper, among many others.
ABOUT THE NAMM FOUNDATION
The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the
not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the
$17 billion music products industry.
The NAMM Foundation, which works to advance active
participation in music-making across the lifespan by supporting
scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service
programs, is comprised of approximately 10,400 members located in
104 countries and regions. NAMM events and members fund The NAMM
Foundation's efforts to promote the pleasures and benefits of
music, and advance active participation in music making across the
lifespan. For more information about NAMM, please visit
www.namm.org, call 800.767.NAMM (6266) or follow the organization
on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
ABOUT NETTWERK MUSIC GROUP
Nettwerk Music Group connects music fans with music makers. From
launching the careers of Sarah
McLachlan and Coldplay to developing artists like fun., Old
Crow Medicine Show, Morgan Page,
Passenger, Syml, Angus & Julia
Stone and Family of the Year, Nettwerk continues its over
35-year history of tenacity, innovation and ingenuity. As a
worldwide organization, NMG offers its clients a wide range of
services in the business of music while ensuring the artist remains
the creative center.
ABOUT MUSICARES
MusiCares helps the humans behind music because music gives so
much to the world. Offering preventive, emergency, and recovery
programs, MusiCares is a safety net supporting the health and
welfare of the music community. Founded by the Recording Academy in
1989 as a U.S. based 501(c)(3) charity, MusiCares safeguards the
well-being of all music people through direct financial grant
programs, networks of support resources, and tailored crisis relief
efforts. For more information please visit: www.musicares.org
North America
|
Europe
|
Alex
Jessup, JESSUP
PR
|
Conny Calvert, Big
Fish Studios
|
323.529.3541,
alex.jessup@jessuppr.com
|
0044 1206 382224,
conny@thebigfish.eu
|
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