calling all crows

Out Today, Chadwick Stokes (State Radio, Dispatch) & Friends release Live At The Armory on Ruff Shod/Nettwerk Records. Live At The Armory was recorded over two nights at the annual Calling All Crows’ benefit shows in December 2009. Featured tracks include State Radio classics - "Calling All Crows," "Keepsake," "Gang Of Thieves" - in addition to inspired covers of The Rolling Stones’ "Sweet Black Angel," Bob Dylan's "Girl From The North Country," Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me," and others. To listen to the album and view full track list, see below.

Next year, State Radio (fronted by Stokes) is set to contribute their rendition of Bob Dylan’s “John Brown” to Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honouring 50 Years Of Amnesty International. The four-disc collection includes 75 newly recorded Bob Dylan covers by over 80 artists, including Elvis Costello, Adele, Jackson Brown, Tom Morello, Queens Of The Stone Age, Miley Cyrus, Patti Smith, Diana Krall and others. Chimes Of Freedom is executive produced by Jeff Ayeroff and Julie Yanatta and scheduled for physical release on January 24th in the US and January 30th internationally.

In the meantime, be sure to catch Chadwick Stokes & The Pintos on tour. Dates below.

Chadwick Stokes - Girl From The North Country (Live At The Armory) by nettwerkmusicgroup

"haunting, moving, room-filling" - Artist Direct

Chadwick "Chad" Stokes (Dispatch, State Radio) partnered with Artist Direct to share a track from Live At The Armory, out November 29 on Ruff Shod/Nettwerk Records. The soulful cover of Bob Dylan’s "Girl From North Country," features the powerful, unmistakable vocals of The White Buffalo.

Live At The Armory was recorded over two nights at the annual Calling All Crows’ benefit shows in December 2009. Featured tracks include State Radio classics - "Calling All Crows," "Keepsake," "Gang Of Thieves" - and additional covers like The Rolling Stones’ "Sweet Black Angel" and Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me.”

Despite the recent solo debut, Simmerkane II (June 2011), Stokes remains actively involved in both State Radio and Dispatch, and has scanned a combined total of 875,000+ records. In his spare time, Chad can be found playing pond hockey and hopping trains with his dog Lefty.

Chadwick "Chad" Stokes (Dispatch, State Radio) set to release Live At The Armory on November 29th via Ruff Shod/Nettwerk Records.

Live At The Armory was recorded over two nights at the annual Calling All Crows’ benefit shows in December 2009. Featured tracks include State Radio classics - "Calling All Crows," "Keepsake," "Gang Of Thieves" - in addition to inspired covers of The Rolling Stones’ "Sweet Black Angel," Bob Dylan's "Girl From The North Country," Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me," and others.

The same day, Stokes’ will make a 300-piece limited edition CD available to fans. Assembled by hand, the special package will be made with eco-friendly materials and the artwork prepared by letterpress.

The recordings are the product of shared passion and solidarity amongst Chad's colleagues and friends - the late Ronnie Simonsen of How's Your News?, The White Buffalo, Matt Embree, Pete Heimbold, Stephen Kellogg, and Darren Buck. All proceeds from the sale of Armory will benefit Stokes’ non-profit organization, Calling All Crows.

Starting October 29th, State Radio will be touring the east coast with special performances from Massachusetts to DC, encouraging social awareness within the local and global communities.

To kick things off, the band and their fans will walk the Northampton streets in costume. That is, before State Radio's Halloween show at the Calvin Theater, band members and hundreds of fans from throughout the Northeast will participate in the 3rd annual Calling All Crows’ Northampton Halloween 5K. This zany, fun run/walk -- in costume through the streets of Downtown Northampton, Massachusetts -- will help Calling All Crows raise funds to support 50 Afghan women with shelter and education for one year. For more information, please visit: http://callingallcrows.org/2011-nh5k/

Last week, State Radio shared a live performance video of their song, “State of Georgia.” The song is written about death row inmate, Troy Davis, set to be executed by the state of Georgia tomorrow, September 21st. Davis has been on death row for 18 years and has received three stays of execution, twice coming within 24 hours of his death, despite a strong claim of innocence that has never been heard in a court of law. Davis was convicted on the basis of witness testimony - 7 of the 9 original witnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony. Watch it above.

Chadwick Stokes - Back To The Races by nettwerkmusicgroup

In anticipation of the June 28 release of his Ruff Shod/Nettwerk solo debut, Simmerkane II, Chadwick Stokes released lead single, “Back To The Races,” on May 31.

Inspired by Stokes’ train jumping adventures across the U.S., Simmerkane II is a diary of the sights and sounds discovered on his travels. “Back To The Races” “reflects on past mistakes while still being seduced by the excitement of the journey,” says Stokes.

Chad Stokes of Dispatch & State Radio prepares to debut his first solo outing under the moniker Chadwick Stokes. The solo project, titled Simmerkane II, will be in stores June 28th on Ruff Shod/Nettwerk Records. Available the same day is a two-disc deluxe version that features three tracks recorded with Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, a band formed by Sierra Leone refugees displaced to Guinea during the Sierra Leone Civil War.

Simmerkane II is inspired by Stoke’s train jumping adventures across the US, a metaphoric diary of the sights and sounds discovered on his travels. Produced by John Dragonetti (The Submarines), Simmerkane II features collaborations with friends and heroes – Carly Simon, Blake Hazard (The Submarines), Matt Embree (RX Bandits), The White Buffalo (aka Jake Smith) and aforementioned Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars.

Chad Stokes & Friends sing Dispatch classic "Bang Bang" to close Calling All Crows' 3rd Annual Benefit Show at the House of Blues in Boston. From left to right: Lauren Coleman (Pebaluna), The White Buffalo, Bonnie Paine (Elephant Revival), Chad Stokes (State Radio, Dispatch), Matt Embree (Rx Bandits, Pebaluna), Melaena Cadiz, and Brad Corrigan (Dispatch). (Photo credit: Steve Rosenfield / Ganesh Photography)

Chad Stokes & Friends wrapped up their inaugural acoustic tour on Friday in Boston at Calling All Crows’ 3rd Annual Benefit Show at the House of Blues. Stokes (State Radio, Dispatch) shared the stage with tourmates Matt Embree (Rx Bandits), Lauren Coleman (Pebaluna), Bonnie Paine (Elephant Revival), The White Buffalo, and Melaena Cadiz as well as special guests Brad Corrigan (Dispatch) and Erin Coughlin. Through a check presentation to partner Oxfam America as part of the program on Friday night, Calling All Crows announced that it met its 2010 goal of raising $100,000 to support Sudanese women living in internal displacement (IDP) camps.

Founded by Stokes and tour manager Sybil Gallagher, Calling All Crows is a service organization that works to mobilize musicians and fans to empower women around the world. The donation will be used to offer grants, vocational training, and small-business loans — as well as assets like donkeys, donkey carts, seeds, and plows — to help many of those affected by the conflict in Darfur earn a dignified living.

"In my travels for Oxfam, I've seen first-hand how the initiatives Calling All Crows support are meaningful and can transform women's lives,” said Liz Lucas, Oxfam America’s Humanitarian Press Officer. “We are grateful for Calling All Crows and State Radio's support, and for the support of their members and fans."

Musicians State Radio, Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers, and Among Criminals champion fun run/walk benefitting Oxfam’s work to empower women in Darfur

Hundreds of music fans, human rights activists, and local runners – many in costume – hit the streets of Downtown Northampton this past Saturday, October 30th for Calling All Crows’ 2nd annual Northampton Halloween 5K. $25,318 has been raised to date through the event, including nearly $2,000 in walkup donations at race registration. Online fundraising remains open until Saturday, November 6th with proceeds to benefit Oxfam America’s work on the ground in Darfur to provide job training for women.

The 2nd annual Northampton Halloween 5K was organized by Calling All Crows, a service organization aimed at mobilizing musicians and their fans to empower women around the world. Calling All Crows was founded in 2008 by tour manager Sybil Gallagher and musician Chad Stokes, whose band State Radio played the Iron Horse Music Hall on Thursday and then headlined the Calvin Theater on Friday.

“It was great to be back in Noho for Round 2,” said Stokes. “After last year’s race raised $16,000 to help end violence against Sudanese women, local groups like the Belchertown High School Humanities Club and Smith STAND answered the call to make this year’s race even bigger and better. On top of being such an important cause to Sybil and me, the costumes and spirit that fans brought to the event were a blast, too!”

Just a day before their summer tour with the John Butler Trio begins, State Radio reveals their brand new video for stand-out track “Calling All Crows” from their latest album Let It Go. The track is a one-drop groove that calls the band’s legion of fans to attention as frontman Chad Stokes beckons, “It’s gonna be a showdown, said the rebel to the revolutionary, come with me!” The track serves as the anthem for the band’s humanitarian organization by the same name—founded by Stokes and State Radio tour manager Sybil Gallagher in 2008—that promotes human rights and specifically aims to end violence against women. The video, which just premiered on the Huffington Post, portrays strong women from all over the world uniting to take a stand. 

In 2009, Calling All Crows raised $100,000 to provide 5,000 fuel-efficient stoves to Darfuri women, decreasing the number of necessary trips away from IDP camps and, in turn, decreasing the risk of being victimized by violence. In 2010, Calling All Crows has renewed its dedication to fighting violence against women in Sudan through its Darfur Camps Project, which offers small grants and skills trainings to women so they can advance their rights, start businesses, and develop their communities.

As in the past, Calling All Crows will also have a presence on State Radio’s summer tour with their Green Summer of Service--community projects where volunteers can join band members as they clean beaches, collect petition signatures for the "Ban The Bag” campaign, retrofit homes and businesses with energy-efficient light bulbs, and much more. For more information on all Calling All Crows activities, visit www.callingallcrows.org.

State Radio and their humanitarian organization Calling All Crows is currently featured on the PBS Newshour Art Beat Blog. The Art Beat profiled the band as part of their Earth Day coverage, recognizing their devotion to both environmentalism and music. The coverage include a great video interview with State Radio front man and Calling All Crows co-founder Chad Stokes; check it out HERE. 

State Radio will be joining the John Butler Trio on tour dates later this month, and Calling All Crows will be focused on environmental service projects with their Green Summer Of Service. Click HERE to find out if State Radio and Calling All Crows will be coming through your city and how you can participate (full list of tour dates below).