Salutes Amnesty International's 50th Anniversary and Life-Saving Human Rights Work
(New York) -- Two iconic forces that have impacted the past 50 years -- the life-saving human rights activism of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Amnesty International and the incomparable artistry of Bob Dylan -- are being saluted by 80 musicians who contributed new or previously unreleased recordings to Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International.
Chimes of Freedom is Executive Produced by legendary music executive Jeff Ayeroff and Julie Yannatta, who spearheaded Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur -- a 2007 collection of John Lennon solo compositions performed by major artists including U2, Green Day, and R.E.M.
The collection is scheduled for physical (4 discs) and digital release in North America on January 24, 2012 through Fontana Distribution. It will be distributed internationally through Fontana International, a Universal Music company, on January 30.
Chimes of Freedom features a stellar and diverse group of artists across the generational and musical spectrum. The performers, including many of Amnesty International's longtime supporters, range in age from pop star Miley Cyrus, 19, to folk music legend Pete Seeger, who, at 92, records Dylan's poignant "Forever Young," with a children's chorus.
The diversity of the musicians and musical genres -- from rock, rap, hip-hop to pop, folk, country, jazz and blues -- attests to Amnesty's depth of support in the music community, the universal appeal of the core message of human rights, and the breadth of Dylan's impact on culture. Almost every track on the album is being released for sale for the first time* -- except for the title song, Dylan's original 1964 recording of "Chimes of Freedom." Seventy songs were recorded especially for this release -- with the addition of a few previously unreleased recordings.
"This album is a powerful fusion of the music community's respect for Amnesty's life-affirming work and for Bob Dylan's enduring brilliance," said Ayeroff and Yannatta. "We are proud to have worked with Amnesty to produce this remarkable project."
In 1962, Amnesty International evolved from a one-year campaign to free political prisoners into a worldwide movement fighting for justice, freedom and human dignity; today the organization has more than three million supporters in 150 countries. In March of that same year Bob Dylan's debut album was released, launching an unparalleled recording career. "Over the half century, Dylan's art has explored and expressed the anguish and hope of the modern human condition," observed Sean Wilentz, the noted historian, in the album liner notes.
"Bob Dylan's music endures because he so brilliantly captures our heartbreak, our joy, our frailty, our confusion, our courage and our struggles," said Karen Scott Amnesty International's Manager of Music Relations. "His words convey a depth of meaning that few artists can equal, inspiring us and always moving ahead of our expectations. We at Amnesty International are deeply grateful to this legendary musician and to all of the artists who have contributed to this project."
All of the artists, session musicians, arrangers, engineers, producers and recording studios worked pro-bono to support the human rights cause. Almost 30 tracks on the album were mixed gratis by famed engineer Bob Clearmountain. Bob Ludwig and Adam Ayan of Gateway Mastering donated their mastering services. The album cover illustration is by Grammy Award winning artist Mick Haggerty. Eight tracks were produced or executive produced by Martin Lewis, who as co-creator/producer in the 1970s of Amnesty's ongoing "Secret Policeman's Ball" benefit series, instigated Amnesty's outreach to rock musicians by recruiting and producing Pete Townshend, Sting, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Bob Geldof and others. Executive Producers for Amnesty International are Helen Garrett, director of special projects, and Karen Scott, manager of music relations.
Through Chimes of Freedom, Amnesty International seeks to enlist support for its fight against censorship and attacks on free speech -- whether involving artists, writers, musicians, political activists or bloggers. In this campaign, Amnesty is fighting for people such as the imprisoned Nobel Prize winner Liu Xiaobo in China, a scholar and human rights defender imprisoned since 2009 for writing about corruption and criticizing China's political system. In addition to purchasing the album at www.amnestyusa.org/chimes, supporters will find actions they can take to help individuals whose freedom of expression is under threat.
The tracklisting for Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International is as follows:
DISC 1
Johnny Cash Featuring The Avett Brothers One Too Many Mornings
Raphael Saadiq Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
Patti Smith Drifter's Escape
Rise Against Ballad of Hollis Brown
Tom Morello The Nightwatchman Blind Willie McTell
Pete Townshend Corrina, Corrina
Bettye LaVette Most of the Time
Charlie Winston This Wheel's On Fire
Diana Krall.Simple Twist of Fate
Brett Dennen You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Mariachi El Bronx Love Sick
Ziggy Marley Blowin' in the Wind
The Gaslight Anthem Changing of the Guards
Silversun Pickups Not Dark Yet
My Morning Jacket You're A Big Girl Now
The Airborne Toxic Event Boots of Spanish Leather
Sting Girl from the North Country
Mark Knopfler Restless Farewell
DISC 2
Queens Of The Stone Age Outlaw Blues
Lenny Kravitz Rainy Day Woman # 12 & 35
Steve Earle & Lucia Micarelli One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)
Blake Mills Heart Of Mine
Miley Cyrus You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
Billy Bragg Lay Down Your Weary Tune
Elvis Costello License to Kill
Angelique Kidjo Lay, Lady, Lay
Natasha Bedingfield Ring Them Bells
Jackson Browne Love Minus Zero/No Limit
Joan Baez Seven Curses (Live)
The Belle Brigade No Time To Think
Sugarland Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You (Live)
Jack's Mannequin Mr. Tambourine Man
Oren Lavie 4th Time Around
Sussan Deyhim All I Really Want To Do
Adele Make You Feel My Love (Recorded Live at WXPN)
DISC 3
K'NAAN With God On Our Side
Ximena Sariñana I Want You
Neil Finn with Pajama Club She Belongs to Me
Bryan Ferry Bob Dylan's Dream
Zee Avi Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Carly Simon Just Like a Woman
Flogging Molly The Times They Are A-Changin'
Fistful Of Mercy Buckets Of Rain
Joe Perry Man Of Peace
Bad Religion It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
My Chemical Romance Desolation Row (Live)
RedOne featuring Nabil Khayat Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Paul Rodgers & Nils Lofgren Abandoned Love
Darren Criss featuring Chuck Criss and Freelance Whales New Morning
Cage the Elephant The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
Band of Skulls It Ain't Me, Babe
Sinéad O'Connor Property of Jesus
Ed Roland and The Sweet Tea Project Shelter From The Storm
Ke$ha Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Kronos Quartet Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
DISC 4
Maroon 5 I Shall Be Released
Carolina Chocolate Drops Political World
Seal & Jeff Beck Like A Rolling Stone
Taj Mahal Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
Dierks Bentley Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) (Live)
Mick Hucknall One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)
Thea Gilmore I'll Remember You
State Radio John Brown
Dave Matthews Band All Along the Watchtower (Live)
Michael Franti Subterranean Homesick Blues
We Are Augustines Mama, You Been On My Mind
Lucinda Williams Tryin' To Get To Heaven
Kris Kristofferson Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
Eric Burdon Gotta Serve Somebody
Evan Rachel Wood I'd Have You Anytime
Marianne Faithfull Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Live)
Pete Seeger Forever Young
Bob Dylan Chimes Of Freedom
DIGITAL ONLY
Outernational When The Ship Comes In
Silverstein Song To Woody
Daniel Bedingfield Man In The Long Black Coat
For More Information:
Bobbie Gale/Big Hassle Media
323-456-3490
Bobbie@bighassle.com
Digital contact:
Cory Llewellyn/Transmission Media
310 295 0187
cory@transmissionmedia.com
For Amnesty International:
Contact: Suzanne Trimel,
212-633-4150, 917-815-5964
strimel@aiusa.org
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than three million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. For more information, please visit: www.amnestyusa.org
