Artist For Action Launch Gun Violence Events & Video [Watch]

Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence, a coalition of musicians dedicated to ending the epidemic of gun violence, has released a new video that includes Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow, and other top musicians.

Led by musician Mark Barden, the video also includes Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), Nile Rodgers, Bush, Rufus Wainwright, Pixies, LP, Bootsy Collins & Funk Not Flight, Old Crow Medicine Show, Halestorm, Rozzi, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Sofi Tukker and more.

Artist For Action is an artist-led, non-partisan initiative designed to drive people to volunteer, donate, and vote.

The coalition is also launching a series of live events to build awareness, including a concert in New York City featuring Bush and special guests at Irving Plaza on September 22nd.

The nationwide series will include a December concert to celebrate the release of the film that directly led to the creation of Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence: A Father’s Promise, as well as one next summer at Central Park SummerStage around Gun Violence Awareness Month.

Directed by Rick Korn and Executive Produced by Sheryl Crow, the film tells the story of professional musician Mark Barden whose life changed instantly when his son Daniel was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary.

Mark lost all joy in music and made a promise to do everything in his power to help prevent gun violence so that nobody ever has to feel his and his family’s pain. He co-founded Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization that takes a holistic approach to ending school shootings and gun violence by teaching the warning signs of violence and how to get help.

“This needs to stop,” said Peter Gabriel. “So many needless deaths. So much suffering. It just needs a little common sense.”

According to the Gun Violence Archive, 2023 will be the deadliest year of gun violence on record, with the U.S. now averaging more than one mass shooting a day.

How Artists Can Get Involved

Their platform (available here) makes it simple for artists to activate fans to get involved with gun violence prevention and other life-enriching grassroots organizations in their communities and take direct action.

Watch the new video below and learn more about Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.