ARLINGTON, VA (May 9, 2024) – Today, GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter Marcus King and Stand Together, a philanthropic community that tackles the root causes of our country’s biggest problems, announced their partnership to bring 1 Million Strong on Kings’ Mood Swings The World Tour. King is the first artist partnering with 1 Million Strong on tour.
1 Million Strong is an impact initiative created in partnership between The Phoenix, Stand Together Music, and Stand Together Foundation that seeks to transform the way people think about and approach addiction and recovery, starting in the music industry, where 56% of industry professionals struggle with substance use.
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month and the kickoff of Mood Swings The World Tour, King is aiming to inspire others to prioritize mental health and support sober touring musicians and fans. King is launching an exciting new initiative with Stand Together Music, an organization that unites musicians and their teams with proven changemakers to co-create solutions to some of the most pressing problems in our country, which will include sober-supportive, mental health, and wellness activations throughout his tour launching May 6th.
“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 Marcus 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 The World Tour will include the following initiatives throughout the tour (subject to change per venue):
- Marcus King Tour x 1 Million Strong Mocktails – elevated Marcus King-themed mocktails will be available for concert attendees and guests to enhance their sober party experience. *Will be included at all Live Nation Owned and Operated Venues
- Marcus King Tour Diary Series will document King’s experience on tour and discuss ways King and his team are managing mental health and ensuring the sober community is a part of the party.
- 1 Million Strong Sober Tailgates to destigmatize addiction, recovery, and mental health by encouraging open conversations and allowing fans to meet up and enjoy the show as a united community.
- In key markets The Phoenix will be on-site to engage concertgoers.
“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. We are grateful to Marcus for his partnership and leading the way for artists by championing the important work of destigmatizing addiction recovery in the music industry. Together throughout Mood Swings The Would Tour we will focus on the power of community, so we can better support those impacted by addiction.”
With more than 48.7 million people struggling with substance use, there is a need to change the approach to addiction which currently treats people as broken and isolates them from society. The Phoenix — a national sober active community that provides free, active, and meaningful programming to anyone impacted by substance use, including those in recovery and their allies, and anyone who chooses to live a sober lifestyle — is harnessing the innate power of community, empowerment and belonging as a long-term recovery model, so members can reach their full potential. 83% of their members report remaining sober after three months and report increased meaning in their lives.
Over the past year and a half, 1 Million Strong has engaged thousands of fans in partnership with over a dozen renowned festivals across the country, including Bourbon & Beyond, Stagecoach, Luck Reunion, and Louder Than Life, to name a few, catalyzing a movement around addiction recovery to create a more open society where everyone can reach their full potential.
King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show. His solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton (he opens for him once again at U.S. Bank Stadium - Minneapolis), Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more with one seismic show after the next. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.
Additionally today, Marcus King also announced the launch of the Curfew Foundation, a new foundation dedicated to raising funds for various causes close to Marcus King's heart and will develop a support system for musicians from all walks of life who are battling challenges with mental health and addiction.
The name Curfew is inspired by Matt Reynolds, a dear friend of Marcus’ who was a singer-songwriter and tour manager, who took his own life in 2017. Nicknamed “Curfew” by Colonel Bruce Hampton, his unexpected passing inspired Marcus and mutual friend Charles to name the foundation in Matt’s honor.
The foundation launches with an exciting partnership with Live Nation who has pledged to contribute $1 from every ticket sold on the Mood Swings Tour, 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 in schools, particularly in underfunded areas, providing instruments and funding to music programs in schools. Additionally, the foundation will advocate for mental health, sobriety and addiction support, aiming to combat isolation by offering a hotline for those in crisis and emphasizing the importance of community support.
MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR DATES CAN BE FOUND HERE: https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/tour/
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https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/
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About 1 Million Strong:
1 Million Strong is committed to breaking down the barriers to sobriety for allies and their loved ones. We believe that the most powerful solutions are rooted in communities like The Phoenix, an organization that uses the transformative power of meaningful activity and social connection to help individuals impacted by substance use. To learn about 1 Million Strong, visit 1MillionStrong.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About The Curfew Foundation:
A new foundation dedicated to raising funds for various causes close to Marcus King's heart and will develop a support system for musicians from all walks of life who are battling challenges with mental health and addiction.
The name Curfew is inspired by Matt Reynolds, a dear friend of Marcus’ 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, his unexpected passing inspired Marcus and mutual friend Charles Hedgepath to name the foundation in Matt’s honor.
The foundation launches with an exciting partnership with Live Nation who has pledged to contribute $1 from every ticket sold on the Mood Swings Tour, 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 in schools, particularly in underfunded areas, providing instruments and funding to music programs in schools. Additionally, the foundation will advocate for mental health, sobriety and addiction support, aiming to combat isolation by offering a hotline for those in crisis and emphasizing the importance of community support.
About Stand Together:
Stand Together is a philanthropic community that tackles the root causes of our country’s biggest problems. Alongside inspiring partners, we drive solutions on education, economic opportunity, health care, bridging partisan divides, and dozens of other pressing issues. We can all make a greater difference by uniting on areas of common ground than we can by acting on our own. Learn more at www.standtogether.org. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Stand Together Music:
Stand Together Music unites musicians and their teams with proven changemakers to co-create solutions to some of the most pressing problems in our country, including criminal justice reform, addiction recovery, education, free speech, and ending the war on drugs. To learn more about Stand Together Music, visit StandTogetherMusic.org.
