Musician Marcus King announces Curfew Foundation for mental health and addiction
Musician Marcus King has been transparent about his journey to sobriety and now he wants to help others struggling with some of the same issues he did including mental health and sobriety.
Today, King announced the formation of the Curfew Foundation, an organization that will be dedicated to raising money for various causes close to King's heart and creating a support system for musicians battling challenges with mental health and addiction.
The foundation is named in honor of King's friend Matt Reynolds, a singer/songwriter, tour manager and prominent figure in the music community who died by suicide in 2017. He was nicknamed "Curfew" by fellow musician Col. Bruce Hampton. His unexpected passing inspired King and mutual friend Charles Hedgepath to name the foundation in his honor.
King said in a statement that de-stigmatizing and providing outreach and community around mental health issues with in the arts community was an idea that came to him after the death of multiple peers and friends within the music community. Those losses were followed by a feeling that something needed to change.
"I’m very excited to be part of the change and part of the community and team working to get the message out and to help those in need,” he added.
The Curfew Foundation, which will be based in Nashville, plans to focus on various areas of need, including supporting fine arts programs particularly in underfunded areas by 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.
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Foundation partners with Live Nation, 1 Million Strong, Stand Together
Concert promoter Live Nation has pledged to contribute $1 from every ticket sold on King's "Mood Swings" tour which consists of some 70 dates across the world throughout 2024. King's Family Reunion Festival held in August in Simpsonville, South Carolina, will also match this commitment.
King and Stand Together, are also partnering to bring 1 Million Strong on Kings’ tour. King marks the first artist partnering with 1 Million Strong on tour to begin to transform the way people approach addiction and recovery.
1 Million Strong is an impact initiative created in partnership between The Phoenix, Stand Together Music, and Stand Together Foundation. They are beginning with the music industry, where 56% of industry professionals struggle with substance use.
King hopes to inspire others to prioritize mental health as well as support sober touring musicians and fans. King said in a statement that he is delighted to be working with Stand Together Music because of the work they have 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,” King said. “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.”
For more information about the Curfew Foundation, visit www.curfew-foundation.org.
Melonee Hurt covers music and music business at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at [email protected], on X @HurtMelonee or Instagram at @MelHurtWrites.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Marcus King creates Curfew Foundation aimed at sobriety, mental health
