A man in India sits playing his drums, CUT TO: a woman singing, the blue hills of Jamaica as her backdrop, CUT TO: a street musician standing in a New Orleans park playing a washboard ...
CUT TO: Mark Johnson, a man who has spent 6 years traveling and filming musicians from around the globe to create Playing For Change, a band and a foundation that inspires people to connect and bring peace to the world through music.

Mark took to the road to discover a wide variety of unique musicians. He brought them together through song and video, capturing the spirit and heart of these vastly different artists. He illustrates how they all work together to tell a story, make beautiful music, and play for change.

The newest release, “Gimme Shelter” is an iconic song with a timeless message about just how close love and war are, resonating from New Orleans to Papua New Guinea.

The video opens with 2 musicians, one in Italy and the other in Louisiana, that are accompanied by the Sierra Refugee All Stars, a band that was formed inside a refugee camp during the Sierra Leone civil war. The melody transports you on a cultural journey from Brazil to Mali weaving together musical notes that smoothly come together to portray unity and harmony.

Evident throughout the piece is the message of the healing power of music. Legendary blues musician Taj Mahal, who sings lead vocal in the final verse says so eloquently,
“I hope as a human race we all go from the darkness to the light and let the music lead us there.”

Play the video and you will be singing the same tune.