Photo: Sanjay Parikh

Direct Relief is currently working to provide personal protective equipment and essential medical items, including protective masks, exam gloves and isolation gowns, to U.S. and international health workers. I’m sure people are wondering what they can do to help during this time of crisis. The rock band Shinedown is a shining example of how people in their position can help for the greater good.

Shinedown is offering some optimism and faith in humanity by reaching into their vault to make available a never-before-heard, brand new song “Atlas Falls,” which will benefit Direct Relief. The song is available now for download with the purchase of a special T-shirt. 100% of proceeds will go to Direct Relief, one of the largest providers of humanitarian medical resources in the world operating in the U.S. and in more than 100 countries around the world.

To take it a step further the band is kicking it off with a $20,000 donation to Direct Relief. The organization is working in overdrive to get protective gear into the hands of as many health workers as possible as quickly as possible, with emergency deliveries leaving daily for medical facilities across the U.S. Drawing inspiration from the Greek myth of Titan Atlas who carries a celestial sphere on his shoulders, the song is a reassuring anthem that if Atlas falls, we will hold each other up in times of strife.

Lead vocalist Brent Smith says, “I have always said and believe to be true that music can heal us all. We need music, and each other, now more than ever as we all are witnessing a global pandemic unlike anything we have ever seen in many generations. Myself, Barry, Zach, Eric, and our Shinedown family want the entire world to know that we are in this together, and we must all do our part and continue to encourage love, respect and taking care of each other. Now is the time to put our differences aside so that we can truly lift each other up. We have partnered with an incredible organization Direct Relief who are doing important work globally to help the medical community receive the resources they need in order to save lives. Years ago during the writing and recording of the Amaryllis album there was a song that meant a great deal to me and the band titled “Atlas Falls.” Although the song did not make the album, I always felt that one day the world would hear it…It has never been more clear to me than right now that the time has come for ‘Atlas Falls’ to arrive.”

Pretty inspiring stuff from a band that is rolling up their sleeves and getting to work.

You can purchase the T-Shirt and also recieve your song download be going here: https://store.shinedown.com/

-Tommy Marz

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