With suicide deaths on the rise and celebrities such as Kate Spade and Chef Anthony Bourdain shocking the nation, it should come as no surprise the numbers of death by suicide keep rising. Suicide is up by 25 percent – since 1999.
The C.D.C. reports suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34, and the fourth leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 35 and 54. There were more than twice as many suicides (47,173) in the United States as there were homicides (19,510).
Zach Bair, a national fixture in the music technology space and CEO of VNUE, Inc. (OTC: VNUE), is honoring National Suicide Prevention Month in September by donating 20 percent of all sales proceeds from his new single, Ordinary Girl, and EP of the same name. Bair is now aligned with non-profit American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, (AFSP) a nationwide organization providing services to suicidal people and their families.
Bair was introduced to the group after an interview with longtime New York rock radio veteran, Zach Martin (www.zachmartinrocks.com), where the two discovered their mutual passion for suicide prevention and addressing mental health issues.
Suicide is currently the third leading cause of death among young people age 15 to 24. The highest overall rates of suicide are for adults age 40 to 59. Helping this vital non-profit cause that offers a lifesaving services for anyone with suicidal thoughts and their families is a cause close to Bair’s heart.
“I lost a friend and member of my team at one of my venues last year to suicide almost exactly a year ago,” said Bair. “It really hit me hard, as she was young and had her whole life in front of her. And of course I have known others as well who have unfortunately taken their own life. It’s tragic, and I think that we as humans need to be more aware of people who may be in need, even if they may not be overtly projecting their pain.”
Martin agreed, saying “One of my goals is to let people know they have a value. They are important and precious. Let’s do all we can to provide resources for those that need our support. One way to accomplish this goal is by suicide prevention. I am going to do all I can to make sure people know that have access to resources that can help”
Bair’s new single dives directly into this topic, telling the true story of a young woman who is considering taking her own life, but after being surrounded by support and love, decides she is not just an Ordinary Girl, but extraordinary, and that life is precious. The upbeat single as well as the upcoming EP highlight his storytelling and musical prowess, addressing the timely subject of depression and mental illness with musical grace.
Bair’s band, The Zach Bair Band, includes Daniel Dwight, a founding member of platinum-selling band Saving Abel on bass and backing vocals, Jeff Cobble on guitars, who has worked with globally-known “epic” rock act Medieval Steel, and Olive Branch, MS resident Jeff Ward on drums and percussion.
The Ordinary Girl EP contains five new songs plus a remastered version of Rutherford Drive, Bair’s hot single from 2019, and was produced in Nashville by Grammy-winner Skidd Mills, known for producing such artists as Saving Abel, 12 Stones, Pop Evil, Skillet and others. It was mastered by another Grammy-winner, Brad Blackwood, of Euphonic Masters, who has done work for such notable artists as Evanescence, Black Eyed Peas, KoRn, Alter Bridge, Keith Urban, and more.
Although Bair is an independent artist through his imprint RockHouse Records, he has assembled a “label” team second to none. His team includes his colleague at VNUE, Lou Mann, who ran Capitol Records as GM and EVP for a number of years, and who went on to serve as president of House of Blues Media Properties (part of LiveNation – NYSE: LIV); and Jody Best, of Best Bet Promotions, who is heading up the promotion of the record to Radio. Bair is in good company with Mann and Best, both of whom have worked with some of the biggest artists in the world, such as Duran Duran, Frank Sinatra, Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon, Boston, and Orianthi, to name a few.
Ordinary Girl is available for purchase and streaming on all major platforms, and the EP will be available as of today, September 1st.
The Official Music Video may be viewed by clicking this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNxhpEGfL0U
