Nathaniel Rateliff premieres the Rett Rogers-directed video for “Willie’s Birthday Song” today. Shot in isolation, the video features performances from Willie’s sister Bobbie Nelson on piano, his famed harmonica player Mickey Raphael, The Night Sweats’ Patrick Meese, Mark Shusterman and Jeff Dazey, Jonathan Tyler, Matt Pynn, as well as background vocals by Willie’s sons Lukas and Micah, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Nikki Lane and Courtney Marie Andrews.
“Willie’s Birthday Song” is the latest installment of The Marigold Singles, which is an ongoing project to raise money for Rateliff’s foundation, The Marigold Project, supporting community and nonprofit organizations working for economic and social justice. It will appear on the B-side of a limited edition 7” that will be released this summer exclusively at shop.nathanielrateliff.com/. The A-side will be a duet by Rateliff and Willie, which will at that time be available digitally. Proceeds will support Farm Aid, whose mission is to keep family farmers on their land, and StrongHearts Native Helpline, which confronts issues of domestic violence in the Native American community.
“Farm Aid is honored to be a beneficiary of this song Farm Aid’s founder, Willie Nelson. We’re grateful that Nathaniel Rateliff and his foundation, The Marigold Project, are part of the Farm Aid family. The work they do to support so many communities and advance racial and social justice is critical, especially in these times.” said Farm Aid’s executive director Carolyn Mugar.
StrongHearts is a culturally appropriate, anonymous, confidential service dedicated to serving Native American survivors of domestic violence and concerned family members and friends. “We are honored to be chosen as a beneficiary of this special project,” said StrongHearts Director Lori Jump.
In December 2019, The Marigold Singles series debuted featuring Rateliff and John Prine performing Prine’s “Sam Stone” as well as a cover of Prine’s “Summer’s End” with Courtney Marie Andrews. Future releases of The Marigold Singles will feature more collaborations and the beneficiaries will be chosen based on the artists’ common beliefs and the subject matter of the songs. All Marigold Singles are released on 7” vinyl and digitally.
Rateliff established The Marigold Project in 2017. In 2018, The Marigold Project hosted a day of workshops and a rally focused on gun violence prevention, and in December the foundation hosted a summit in Denver concentrated on community and coalition building. The foundation also offers grants to organizations working on income inequality, voter registration, food access, gun violence prevention and indigenous rights, among many others.
Nathaniel Rateliff plays the following UK and EU dates. Tickets are on sale now HERE
October
Thurs 22nd BATH, Forum
Fri 23rd GLASGOW, SEC Armadillo
Sat 24th BIRMINGHAM, Symphony Hall
Mon 26th LONDON, Royal Albert Hall
Tues 27th MANCHESTER, Bridgewater Hall
