Put Down That Weapon - Guitars Over Guns

Article Contributed by Woody Graber | Published on Monday, August 3, 2020

Y&T Music is proud to announce a special album release to benefit Guitars Over Guns, featuring artists with South Florida ties, covering famous anti-war and protest songs from the ’60s, ’70s, and beyond.

Growing up in the ‘60s, we witnessed the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy. We saw our country torn apart by a senseless war taking place in Vietnam - it was a tumultuous time in our nation's history. It was during this period when many artists raised their voices to be heard, hoping to affect change. Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Stephen Stills, and many others wrote songs that spoke to the struggles of their time, and it is in that spirit that this album came to be, to encourage new artists to be engaged with the issues that matter the most.

To us, that issue is gun violence, and how we can encourage America’s youth to step away from its perilous course. Guitars Over Guns has risen up to make a difference in the lives of so many underprivileged kids. They do this by offering students from our most vulnerable communities a powerful combination of music education and mentorship with professional musicians, to help them overcome hardship, find their voices and reach their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. It is our great hope that this album and all the artists who contributed will help raise awareness for this special organization!

The album is set for worldwide release for August 14th with a “virtual album release party” to be aired live on Facebook and YouTube, set for August 20th at 8 PM EST.  The event will be a fundraiser for Guitars Over Guns and will feature most of the contributing artists performing their recorded song and talking about why they chose to be a part of this special project.

THE ARTISTS & SONGS 

Mary Karlzen - Soldiers (James Taylor)

Andrew Hyra - Eve of Destruction (P.F.Sloan)

Matthew Sabatella - The Ballad of Penny Evans (Steve Goodman)

Jolynn Daniel - Comin’ Apart at Every Nail (Neil Young)

Omine Eager - Simple Song of Freedom (Bobby Darin)

Arlan Feiles - Masters of War (Bob Dylan)

Sweet Lizzy Project - Universal Soldier (Buffy Sainte-Marie)

Flash Company - And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle)

Eric Andersen - I Ain’t Marching Anymore (Phil Ochs)

Karen Feldner -  Now or Never (YokoOno)

Amanda Green - Put Down That Weapon (Hirst, Garrett & Mogine)

Jim Wurster - For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills)

Dracula - Where Have All the Flowers Gone? (Pete Seeger)

Helixglow - Ohio (Neil Young)

Turtle Grenade – Turn, Turn, Turn (Pete Seeger)

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