Ewan McGregor: Toast to Freedom (AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL)

Iconic artists release 'Toast To Freedom' song for Amnesty's 50th anniversary

Posted: 03 May 2012

Released to mark World Press Freedom Day, song is also tribute to recently-deceased drummer Levon Helm

Amnesty International has released “Toast To Freedom,” a new and exclusive commemorative song dedicated to human rights activism around the world.

The song, an ambitious collaboration, is performed by nearly 50 artists, including Levon Helm, Kris Kristofferson, Carly Simon, Ewan McGregor, Donald Fagen, Eric Burdon, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, Jane Birkin, Rosanne Cash, and The Blind Boys of Alabama, among others.

“Toast To Freedom,” which celebrates Amnesty’s 50th anniversary and is being released to mark World Press Freedom Day (3 May), is written by veteran guitarist/producers Carl Carlton (Robert Palmer, Eric Burdon, Keb Mo) and Larry Campbell (Levon Helm Band, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello). The initial recording was made at the famous Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY, and producer/engineer Bob Clearmountain (The Who, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen) produced the track, which was then sent out to dozens of artists, who added vocals.


Amnesty International Secretary General Salil Shetty said:

“Human rights are everybody’s business. I would like to thank all the people who gave their time to make this project happen. I hope ‘Toast To Freedom’ will become a major source of inspiration in the coming years.”

“Toast to Freedom” is available for purchase at www.toasttofreedom.org and via the usual online retailers worldwide, and proceeds will go to Amnesty’s human rights work.


 http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=20106