HART FUND

a fundraising campaign

HARD TIMES NEED HOPE – new single by
Lilly Martin, Mikey Wunderbar, Richard Koechli, Michael Dolmetsch

A fundraiser for the HART Fund of the Blues Foundation
Single release June 12, 2020 / Streaming June 26, 2020

The Blues revolutionized music; its radiant power is still unbroken. But in the country of origin, the USA, of all places, there is great economic and social hardship in the current blues scene, which is further aggravated by the Covid19 pandemic. On behalf of all musicians worldwide who are grateful to the birthplace of the blues, who see these hardships and feel solidarity, four renowned representatives of the Swiss blues scene are now releasing the song «Hard Times Need Hope» - and thus launching a fundraising campaign for the Blues Foundation's HART Fund.

The New York singer Lilly Martin, who lives in Switzerland and was nominated for this year's Swiss Blues Award, wrote a blues saturated soul ballad together with pianist and producer Michael Dolmetsch. It carries a message of hope for all people who have fallen on to hard times. Together with Mikey Wunderbar (a young, up-and-coming blues, indie and soul artist) and Richard Koechli (a multiple award-winning blues musician and music author), a remote studio recording was made during the Covid19 crisis. Martin's and Wunderbar's outstanding voices merge into a stirring duet, Koechli additionally inspires the piece with his razor-sharp blues guitar, Dolmetsch gives the production a touch of the famous Memphis sound. The correlating video clip gives a close insight into the spontaneous lockdown session.

All proceeds from the sale of this song will go to the HART Fund in 2020. The proceeds will directly support USA and Canadian blues artists in need (medical care, basic needs, funeral costs, etc.). Since downloads, and especially streams, are known to generate little income - the four Swiss musicians ask that people also donate individual amounts directly to the fund.

Lilly Martin (www.lillymartin.com)
«We are all committed and indebted to this great American art form. Without the blues I wouldn't be who I am, nor would I be able to survive as a musician. Yes, we too have suffered because of the Covid19 virus and the cancelled concerts, but we are aware that our 'hard times' are not nearly as hard as those of our fellow musicians in the USA»

Mikey Wunderbar (https://www.instagram.com/mikeywunderbar/ )
«The song and the message touched me from the beginning. For many musicians the crisis is not over; some of them cannot perform for a longer period of time and do not receive social help. To be able to use my voice, which was decisively shaped by the blues, for the benefit of American artists makes me happy.»

Richard Koechli (www.richardkoechli.ch)
«The blues has set me free. On my voyage of discovery to the roots of the African-American musical soul I became grateful, but also sad and angry - because of all these historical and current injustices. Now, I feel thankful to be able to give something small back to the source of that wonderful culture with this song.»

Michael Dolmetsch (www.theloop.ch)
«The US musicians are particularly hard hit. For all of us, the blues is a never-ending inspiration, and that's why the renowned Blues Foundation with its various foundations should be supported by this song - to give something back to those who have influenced us throughout our lives.»

HART FUND

DONATION FOR THE HART FUND

Be sure to use the field "province" in the donation form if you reside outside of the USA! Also, add a comment (like song title "Hard Times...") in the note section to indicate the impetus behind the donation. Thank you.