Grammy Winner Marc Cohn to Perform for African AIDS Organization at Carolina HopeFest

Cary, NC, September 15, 2007 - Grammy Winner Marc Cohn, best known for the hit single “Walking in Memphis,” will lend his voice and talents to the challenge of AIDS in Africa by performing at the third annual Carolina HopeFest in Cary on September 30th. Cohn will be joined in the festival by Mat Kearney, Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket), Derek Webb, and local favorites Thad Cockrell and David Spencer.

The Carolina HopeFest, which benefits Beacon of Hope in Nairobi, Kenya, will be the third stop on Cohn’s nationwide tour, the first time in more than a decade that Cohn has toured with a full band. The performance at the Koka Booth Amphitheater also comes just days before the release of Cohn’s first new album in nearly nine years, entitled Join the Parade.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on tour with a full band and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Cohn. “Playing the older songs with a full band and now doing some of the newer tracks from Join The Parade for fans is going to be a lot of fun.”

“We are thrilled to have one of the great American songwriters express his concern for people halfway around the world by joining in this event,” said Jenny Nicholson, co-producer of the Carolina HopeFest. “We are looking forward to having his fans come out for this rare, full-band performance, and help us celebrate the hope that Beacon brings to women and children in Africa.”

Beacon of Hope brings in women and children affected by the HIV / AIDS epidemic in the slums of Kenya and gives them medical care, vocational training, education, and a means to earn a living.

The festival, sponsored by Morrisville-based computer maker Lenovo, will also feature a second stage where acoustic acts will play.

Doors open at 1:30 and music continues until 10 PM. HopeFest tickets are available at the amphitheatre box office, online at Ticketmaster, and at Beantraders coffee shops. More information is available at http://www.carolinahopefest.org

Contact Information

Bill Stevenson

Co-producer

Africa Rising / Carolina HopeFest

Contact via E-mail