"Toast to Freedom" is a commemorative song for Amnesty International. It was written by Carl Carlton and Larry Campbell and recorded with contributions by nearly 50 musicians from all over the world. Amnesty International released "Toast to Freedom" on May 3, 2012.
Amnesty International concluded its 50th anniversary celebration with the release of "Toast to Freedom", an original commemorative song, performed by a selection of renowned artists. Written by guitarist/producers Carl Carlton (Robert Palmer, Eric Burdon, Keb Mo) and Larry Campbell (Levon Helm Band, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello), "Toast to Freedom" is the brainchild of Carlton and longtime music industry executive, activist and entrepreneur Jochen Wilms. The two men worked in collaboration with Bill Shipsey, founder of Art for Amnesty, Amnesty's global project that engages musicians, actors and artists around the world to raise profile and funds for Amnesty International.
The song's title is inspired by the story behind the 1961 founding of Amnesty International. British lawyer Peter Benenson claimed that his inspiration for Amnesty came while reading about two Portuguese students sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for raising their glasses in a toast to freedom at a Lisbon bar. In May 1961 Benenson launched the worldwide "Appeal for Amnesty 1961" campaign by publishing front-page article in the British newspaper The Observer. Reprinted in newspapers across the world, Benenson's call to action was the spark that ignited a fire of hope and inspiration in people around the world. It marked the beginning of what has become a global movement of more than 3 million supporters, members, and activists in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. [1]
In the spring of 2011 Carlton and Campbell wrote the song within five days in a New York hotel. The basic tracks were recorded at the legendary Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, N.Y, affectionately known as "the Barn". Internationally acclaimed musicians were assembled to record the song’s basic tracks. Additionally, the late Levon Helm corralled a number of his own friends, family members, and collaborators—including Steely Dan's Donald Fagen—who were backed up by Carlton's band Carl Carlton & the Songdogs. Wilms also contacted producer/engineer Bob Clearmountain (The Who, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen), who was impressed by the studio's sound and moved by the spirit and passion of the sessions. With the initial track completed, Wilms, Carlton and Campbell called together a diverse collection of voices from all corners of the globe, including Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, Carly Simon, Kris Kristofferson and the actor Ewan McGregor to name but a few.
The host of the recording sessions, The Band drummer Levon Helm, unfortunately did not experience the song's release. He died on April 19, 2012, after a longstanding illness. In a press release by Amnesty International on May 2, 2012, Wilms said about Helm: "Levon was one great soul. I am so grateful we got to work with him, his outstanding band and team in his barn in Woodstock. He was an inspiration and our muse. The song 'Toast To Freedom' is dedicated to Amnesty International, but in a certain way is now a 'Toast To Levon' and a celebration for him as well."
Bill Shipsey from Art for Amnesty said about Levon Helm: "On behalf of Amnesty International's millions of members around the world, I want to say how grateful we are to Levon Helm for his generous artistic contribution and support that will make a real difference to our life-saving work around the world. We in Amnesty owe him a huge debt. The best way to repay that debt to him is by continuing our work. Levon Helm created with 50 international musicians some musical magic for Amnesty. This happens when goodness and love combine with kindness and art to produce beauty and power leading to unarmed truth – still the most powerful thing in the universe." [2]
Slated for release on Thursday, May 3, 2012 to coincide with World Press Freedom Day, "Toast to Freedom" is central to an innovative global campaign heralding the important human rights message behind Amnesty International. A dedicated "Toast to Freedom" website has been created, as well as social network pages on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube with links to the websites of Amnesty International and all contributing artists. "Toast to Freedom" is available for purchase via most online stores with proceeds benefiting Amnesty International.
"Toast to Freedom" is available in a wide assortment of audio mixes, including Global Master Mixes for both the extended version and radio edit. It is scheduled to be available soon in regional specific remixes for South America, Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe and the US.
All stages of the international production of "Toast to Freedom" were captured by filmmaker Natalie Johns of Dig for Fire [3] who is known for her work with such artists as Jay-Z, Peter Gabriel, and The Rolling Stones. The project is featured in a making-of documentary as well as a companion music video.
Amy Helm, Angelique Kidjo, Arno, Axelle Red, Blind Boys of Alabama, Carl Carlton, Carly Simon, Christine & The Queens, Christophe Willem, David D'Or, Donald Fagen, Emmanuel Jal, Eric Burdon, Essie Jain, Ewan McGregor, Florent Pagny, Gentleman, Jane Birkin, Jerry "Wyzard" Seay, Jimmy Barnes, John Leventhal, JP Nataf, Keb Mo, Kris Kristofferson, Larry Campbell, Levon Helm, Mahalia Barnes, Marianne Faithfull, Matthew Houck, Max Buskohl, Moses Mo, Nacho Campillo, Pascal Kravetz, Rosanne Cash, Sari Schorr, Shawn Mullins, Sir Samuel, Sonny Landreth, Sussan Deyhim, Taj Mahal, Teresa Williams, Vida Simon, Warren Haynes, Wayne P. Sheehy, Zackary Alford
Executive Producers: Bill Shipsey, Jochen Wilms
Produced by Bob Clearmountain
Co-Produced and Written by Carl Carlton, Larry Campbell
Engineer: Justin Guip
The single’s release date saw unprecedented dual performances of the song on both Russian and American television. The very same day "Toast To Freedom" was being performed on Russia’s Evening Urgant by Pavel Artemyev, Jenia Lubich and beatbox band Jukebox Trio, the all-star "Art For Amnesty Band" played the song on NBC’s "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno". The performance featured bandleaders Carlton and Campbell teaming up with Kris Kristofferson, Shawn Mullins, Theresa Williams, Essie Jain, and Jonny Lang among others.
„Toast To Freedom" has drawn widespread global media attention. The New York Times hailing it as "a heart-warming single". [4] In the U.K., the Sun named "Toast To Freedom" as its "Single of the Week", awarding it 4.5 of 5 stars and noting that "this brilliant charity single brings together a formidable congregation of talent... making up one hell of a supergroup." "Toast To Freedom" has received loud applause from some of the world's top artists, including such longtime Amnesty International supporters as U2, Peter Gabriel, Sting, and R.E.M., all of whom endorsed the track on their official websites. [5] The song is also being played live in concert by musicians everywhere, including the song's co-writer, Carl Carlton, who has been performing it nightly while on tour with German rock icon Peter Maffay.
Artists from all corners of the globe were on hand for "Electric Burma: A Concert for Aung San Suu Kyi", on Monday, June 18 at Dublin's Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Organized and promoted by Art for Amnesty's Bill Shipsey, the extraordinary event was a celebration of Nobel Peace Prize recipient and leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi. "Electric Burma" included a very special live performance of "Toast To Freedom". The unique multi-artist rendition featured an all-star band led by the song’s writer and Electric Burma's Co-Musical-Director Carl Carlton, who said: "It will be a great honor perform 'Toast To Freedom' for Aung Saan Su Kyi. She stands for everything I believe in and fight and write for. She is not only a guiding light but a voice for every soul in this universe in the name of human rights. She is the spirit of 'Toast To Freedom'." Musicians who took the stage in Dublin included Bob Geldof, Bono, Damien Rice, Angelique Kidjo, Lupe Fiasco, Vanessa Redgrave, Jack Gleeson (HBOs Game of Thrones), Singer/Songwriter Yungchen Lhamo from Tibet, violin player Sarah Nemtanu, cello player Vyvienne Long, piano player Romain Descharmes, Riverdance from Ireland and more.
Released May 3 to coincide with World Press Freedom Day, "Toast To Freedom" has since been reinterpreted by a remarkable range of artists. "I am surprised how many professional and semi-professional musicians have contacted me to see if they could produce cover versions to become part of this special initiative," said Jochen Wilms. "Musicians from many different backgrounds are connecting with 'Toast To Freedom'." Among them is Russian rap icon Basta, whose version of the song – dubbed "Svoboda" ("Freedom" in Russian) – is currently becoming widespread in his native country. The nom de hip hop of popular Russian singer/composer/poet Vasilii Vakulenko, Basta created "Svoboda" by melting potent new lyrics with samples from the original "Toast To Freedom" track. Joining Basta on the song is an array of famous Russian musicians, including rapper Smoky Mo, singer Tati, rapper Slovetsky, and singer/songwriter Billy Novik from Billy's Band. "Svoboda" was executive produced by renowned Russian music journalist Boris Barabanov in collaboration with Bill Shipsey, who noted: "There is a hunger for freedom and human rights in Russia that is palpable, more urgent and 'real' than anything we can know or feel." An additional version of "Toast To Freedom" was recorded – both audio and video formats – by the vocal collective of Pavel Artemiev, Jenia Lubich, and Russia's top a capella beatbox group, The Jukebox Trio, the group, which initially broadcast a live version of the song on the Channel One late night show, Evening Urgant.
Meanwhile, students at Germany's Hochschule Osnabrueck gathered on Wednesday, May 16, for a communal performance of "Toast To Freedom" by the many visitors to the city's annual Osnabrueck Maiwoche celebration. Inspired by Osnabrueck journalist Heinz Rebellius and organized by Institut für Musik director Martin Behrens, the event saw hundreds of voices ringing out in the Osnabrück town center und were recorded by the students, who added the voice of the citizen of Osnabrueck to their own version of "Toast To Freedom", which they had recorded in the studio of Osnabrueck's Institute for Music. The students arranged their version of "Toast To Freedom" as a contemporary dance song with a faster disco beat, a sampled and looped guitar hookline and with a wide array of local musicians. More than 110 vocal tracks were recorded, and additional performances of well known Osnabrueck musicians like Toscho Todorovic (Blues Company), Heaven (Die Angefahrenen Schulkinder) and the Osnabrueck Symphony Orchestra pay tribute to the multi-artist rendition of the original version. "Toast To Osnabrueck – The Freedom City Mix" was released worldwide on Humans Rights Day, December 10, 2012, including a video. [6] Carl Carlton, composer and lyricist for the original version of the song, also expressed admiration for the "Freedom City Mix" of his song: "Many versions of this song are currently spreading the spirit of Amnesty International throughout the world, and this makes me indescribably happy as a songwriter. The fact that the entire city of Osnabrueck joined in creating this version is something very special. You can see the enthusiasm in the video: the stage performers and audience members practically melt together as one – that's how it should be!" City mayor Boris Pistorius noted that the song fits in perfectly with the history of Osnabrueck, whose town hall famously hosted the "Peace of Westphalia" in 1648. Treaties signed here put an end to the bloody Thirty Years' War. Since then, Osnabrueck has been known as the "Freedom City (Die Friedensstadt)". Pistorius added, "I am convinced that 'Toast to Freedom – The Freedom City Mix' embodies the power of freedom, and now many people around the world will have a chance to hear that."
Coinciding with the release of "Toast to Freedom" in May 2012, Amnesty sponsored a competition encouraging musicians all over the world to enter their own musical interpretations and arrangements of this tune. Of the many entries received, "Toast to Freedom – The Berlin Mix" by the young Berlin artist Luca, [7] was unanimously chosen by the judges as the winner. Inspired by Berlin's own struggles against tyranny, Luca succeeded in creating a moving arrangement of the Amnesty anthem. Accompanied only by sister Maria on cello and by unadorned acoustic guitar and fragmentary bass, Luca's "Toast to Freedom – The Berlin Mix" delivers equal parts reality and rapture. Luca’s version was also a clear winner for songwriter Carlton: "The message of the original, which is about each individual's right to freedom and the protection of human rights around the world, is in Lucas’ version transformed into a very personal one. In the original, we used many musicians to create a powerful and colorful sound, and to do justice to a multicultural understanding of rights and freedoms. By contrast, Lucas' version is fragile, sensitive, but at the same time it delivers a very concrete message. This is a young voice coming forward to make the point that the fight for freedom and human rights takes place in our very own back yards every day." Executive producer Jochen M. Wilms says, "Luca's Berlin Mix adds a new and very personal dimension to the artistic initiative. She recorded it independently in Berlin and, together with Berlin cameraman Daniel Devecioglu and co-director Tom Richter, also produced her own video [8] - a truly impressive and moving professional production!"
The Band was a Canadian-American rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1967. It consisted of Canadians Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson, and American Levon Helm. The Band combined elements of Americana, folk, rock, jazz, country, and R&B, influencing musicians such as George Harrison, Elton John, the Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton and Wilco.
Peter Benenson was a British barrister, son of British army colonel, Harold Solomon, human rights activist and the founder of the human rights group Amnesty International (AI); a global movement of more than 10 million people, currently, and in over 150 countries and territories who campaign to end abuses on human rights and to secure the release of political prisoners.
Richard Clare Danko was a Canadian musician, bassist, songwriter, and singer, best known as a founding member of The Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm was an American musician who achieved fame as the drummer and one of the three lead vocalists for The Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Helm was known for his deeply soulful, country-accented voice, multi-instrumental ability, and creative drumming style, highlighted on many of the Band's recordings, such as "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek", and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".
Eric "Garth" Hudson is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist best known as the keyboardist and occasional saxophonist for rock group the Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He was a principal architect of the group's sound, described as "the most brilliant organist in the rock world" by Keyboard magazine. With the deaths of Richard Manuel in 1986, Rick Danko in 1999, Levon Helm in 2012, and Robbie Robertson in 2023, Hudson is the last living original member of the Band.
Larry Campbell is an American singer and multi-instrumentalist who plays many stringed instruments in genres including country, folk, blues, and rock. Campbell is best known for his time as part of Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour band from 1997 to 2004, his association with Levon Helms and the musical director of the Midnight Rambles.
"Levon" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was recorded on 27 February 1971, and was released on John's 1971 album, Madman Across the Water. Backing vocals are provided by Tony Burrows. Paul Buckmaster wrote the orchestral arrangements and directed the orchestra.
James Jeffrey Weider is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the Band. He joined the reformed version of the Band in 1985 to replace original guitarist Robbie Robertson.
Paul Kennerley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer working in the American contemporary country music industry.
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organisation says it has more than ten million members and supporters around the world. The stated mission of the organisation is to campaign for "a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments." The organisation has played a notable role on human rights issues due to its frequent citation in media and by world leaders.
Carl Carlton is a German rock guitarist, composer and producer. His collaboration with Robert Palmer culminated in the Grammy-nominated album Drive, released in 2003. In 2005, Carlton joined Eric Burdon and the Animals. The collaboration resulted in the Grammy-nominated album Soul of a Man, released in 2006. Carlton has released five albums with his own band, Carl Carlton and the Songdogs and two solo albums.
Todd David Cerney was an American songwriter and musician.
"The Forgotten Prisoners" is an article by Peter Benenson published in The Observer on 28 May 1961. Citing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights articles 18 and 19, it announced a campaign on "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961" and called for "common action". The article also launched the book Persecution 1961 and its stories of doctor Agostinho Neto, philosopher Constantin Noica, lawyer Antonio Amat and Ashton Jones and Patrick Duncan.
Ramble at the Ryman is a 2011 live album recorded by American rock multi-instrumentalist Levon Helm during his September 17, 2008 performance at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. The performance kicked off the beginning of the Americana Music Festival & Conference. The album features six songs by The Band and other cover material, including songs from previous Helm solo releases. Helm's band is led by multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell and Helm's daughter, vocalist and mandolinist Amy Helm.
Bill Shipsey is an Irish human rights activist, barrister (retired), artist event promoter, producer and consultant. He is the founder of Art for Amnesty, Amnesty International's global artist engagement programme, and the co-founder of Art 19. In November 2022 Art for Amnesty changed its name to Art for Human Rights. Shipsey remains its Executive Director. Art for Human Rights brings together artists of all disciplines in a collaborative effort to support human rights organisations including Amnesty International through the medium of the arts.
Love for Levon: Benefit to Save the Barn was a benefit concert held on October 3, 2012 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The concert was a tribute to the life of The Band's co-lead vocalist and drummer Levon Helm, who died of throat cancer on April 19, 2012. The concert featured a wide variety of musicians who had worked with Helm as well as musicians who were influenced by him. Proceeds from the concert went towards keeping Helm's Woodstock barn in his family's control as well as continuing his Midnight Ramble concert series in the barn. The concert's musical directors were Don Was and Helm's frequent collaborator Larry Campbell. The concert was released on CD and DVD on March 19, 2013.
Amy Helm is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is the daughter of drummer Levon Helm and singer Libby Titus. She is a past member of the Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble Band and Ollabelle, as well as her own touring band.
The Art for Amnesty-Sís-Atelier Pinton Tapestries are an ongoing collection of giant memorial tapestries designed by artist Peter Sís and created by French tapestry manufacturer Ateliers Pinton for Art for Amnesty, Amnesty International's global artist engagement program.
Art 19 is a German company that supports human rights organizations by raising funds through the sale of artworks. It was founded by four associates, Mike Karstens, Burkhard Richter, Bill Shipsey and Jochen Wilms, with backgrounds in the fields of art, law and human rights.
The Weight Band is an American rock band formed in 2013. It consists of Jim Weider (guitar), Michael Bram, Brian Mitchell, Matt Zeiner and Albert Rogers. The Weight Band was created by Jim Weider to continue the musical legacy of The Band.