The Stay Strong Story
The Stay Strong Project was originally conceived as a kind of ‘We are the World’ concept for the chant and yoga community initiated by a song called Stay Strong written by chant artist/singer songwriter David Newman (Durga Das). The Stay Strong single was released in partnership with Global Green USA to support efforts for the Gulf Coast recovery after the devastating oil spill of 2010.
The song, Stay Strong, was released along with an accompanying video in February of 2011, and featured prominent chant and yoga luminaries including, David Newman, Mira, Krishna Das, Wah, Jai Uttal, Sharon Gannon, Snatam Kaur, Seane Corn, Donna De Lory, Sean Johnson, Dave Stringer, Girish, Shantala, Shyam Das, Govindas and Radha, C.C. White, Saul David Raye, Bob Wisdom, Brenda McMorrow, Radhanath Swami, and many more.
Stay Strong was a success throughout the world and contributed 100% of proceeds to Global Green, USA in their Gulf Coast recovery efforts.
As the Gulf Coast cleanup became a less critical issue, the continued proceeds from Stay Strong have gone to Global Green USA in support of their other important environmental and humanitarian efforts, including: green building, climate solutions, security and sustainability and clean water projects.
Following the success of Stay Strong, David Newman and his wife Mira, collaborated on a second project with Global Green USA to support their Green School Building Program.
For this, David wrote a song entitled ‘You Can Count On Me/Shyam Bolo’ and brought together a group of renowned Kirtan Chant artists to record at the legendary Village Recorder in Los Angeles. The spirited session was filmed as well as recorded and features David and Mira, Donna De Lory, C.C. White, The Kirtaniyas, Shyamdas, Deepak Ramapriyan, Govindas and Radha, Duke Mushroom, Joey Lugassy, Zat Baraka, Jim Beckwith, Philippo Franchini, and many more. As did Stay Strong, 100% of the proceeds from You Can Count On Me… benefit the far reaching environmental efforts of Global Green USA.