2023 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Lauren Monroe. The singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and healing arts practitioner and educator is thrilled to announce the upcoming single, “Brave,” a string of summer shows with legendary drummer Rick Allen (of Def Leppard), and a partnership with Chateau Diana to benefit Raven Drum Foundation, the organization she and Allen co-founded in 2001.
Raven Drum Foundation (RDF) serves, educates, and empowers trauma survivors and communities in crisis, with a focus on Veterans and First Responders. By integrating advocacy, storytelling, music and arts programs and events, we bring the tools and experiences of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to support and inspire mental health, resiliency, and unity. For the past several years, RDF has hosted the 12 Drummers Drumming online auction, featuring items and experiences donated by legendary musicians, including Taylor Swift, Stewart Copeland, Ringo Starr, Matt Sorum, Zac Hanson, and Todd Sucherman (of Styx). The latter served as the catalyst for the partnership with Chateau Diana Winery.
Chateau Diana owner and president, Corey Manning, is a drummer who has learned to use his music to process PTSD and grief since tragically losing his brother to suicide in 1999, and his family home in the Tubbs Fire of 2017. After being introduced to RDF by Sucherman, Manning - and his business partner/sister, Dawn Manning - worked to create a special line of wines featuring artwork by Allen and Monroe, and based on three of Monroe’s heartfelt songs. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to RDF. The wines are currently available on Chateau Diana’s website and at their tasting room in the beautiful Dry Creek Valley of Healdsburg, CA.
In addition to her work with Raven Drum Foundation - which also includes hosting healing workshops and other special events - Monroe is currently working on new music, the follow-up to Messages From Aphrodite. That album, released in 2022, garnered praise from esteemed outlets such as American Songwriter, Paste Magazine, The Boot, Americana Highways, Glide Magazine, and many more. Her first original offering of 2023 is “Brave,” dropping on July 7.
"Can you show me what is kind? Are we brave enough to be kind? These questions have continually filled my heart over the years, How we treat one another, our children, our animals, the earth. It’s overwhelming. This song came as a reaction to gun violence towards children. It came spontaneously as I tried to process yet another senseless school shooting.There has been tragedy after tragedy placed in our lives, leaving so many numb without hope, I had to find hope. I had to feel hope,” Monroe says. “‘Brave’ is an invitation to explore questions — Can you show me what is kind? Are we brave enough to be kind? — and step into a life of empathic leadership. An invitation to take courageous steps into creating a society that holds compassion and tolerance at its core. This is my call-to-action song, and I’m asking others to become bold with the intention of becoming unapologetically loving. I can’t think of a reason not to be ready, not to be emboldened by the cause of love. We are all so tired of this. There’s no other way toward change, and bravery is what it’s going to take to speak, think, and act in the name of love to reclaim our hope.”
Following the release of “Brave,” Monroe will be joined by Allen for a string of special, intimate shows on the east coast in July. Tickets and more information can be found at laurenmonroe.com/tour. Raven Drum Foundation will once again sponsor a program that will enable Veterans to attend the July shows for free, via sponsoraveteran.givesmart.com.
Tour dates:
July
17 - City Winery (Haymarket Lounge) - Boston, MA
18 - City Winery (The Loft) - New York, NY
19 - City Winery (The Loft) - Philadelphia, PA
“Brave” can be pre-saved here.
(Photo - Relevant Communications)
