The Sanctuary Project Press Releases
Sadly, domestic violence is an issue that impacts us all, and transcends age, gender, race, socioeconomic background and geography. A Global team of professional singers and instrumentalists collaborated to record and bring “Sanctuary” and its message to those who need it most. The song was beautifully Mixed and Mastered by Lonnie Park, assisted by Nate Horton. We honor the courageous journey of domestic violence survivors and their children and the many good organizations that exist to help them, with an invitation for all of us to look at the roots of domestic violence and how we can create a safer world for all.
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BOSTON SINGER-SONGWRITER SUPPORTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH WITH LOCAL PERFORMANCES
Linda Marks brings her “Sanctuary” project to Waltham and Lawrence at special events raising support for abuse survivors
Photo credit: Ellen Snyder
“…[a] longtime fixture on the Greater Boston music scene”
- The Boston Globe
“...rais[ing] awareness about domestic violence’s far-reaching impacts” - The Eagle-Tribune
WALTHAM – After tapping a global network of collaborators to supplement her Sanctuary project, Linda Marks is bringing the initiative home to Massachusetts with two performances supporting Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Marks – a Waltham musician and mind-body psychotherapist – bolsters her beacon of hope as a featured performer at two vital events supporting abuse survivors: a Waltham festival organized by REACH: Beyond Domestic Violence, and RESTORE, a Lawrence event uniting artists, politicians, and nonprofits in a quest to help survivors heal from trauma.
Marks’ performances begin the next phase of her Sanctuary project, a months-long effort that utilizes new music, shows, and collaborations with nonprofits to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of domestic violence.
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Marks will livestream a performance of her song “Sanctuary” on October 1 to extend her compassion and message to a global audience.
The song also appears on the October 2024 edition of Folk Now, a compilation album of leading singer-songwriters distributed to the worldwide Folk DJ Community by Hudson Harding Music.
For the rest of the month, Marks turns her attention to nearby communities and local initiatives supporting domestic violence survivors. She will appear at a fall festival organized by the Waltham nonprofit REACH: Beyond Domestic Violence on October 5, spreading compassion with an afternoon performance on the Waltham Common. She will also bring attention to the issue as a featured performer at RESTORE, an October 25 event at Lawrence club One Broadway Collaborative. This community gathering will unite artists, politicians, and nonprofits in a mission to help abuse survivors heal through creativity. In addition to Marks, featured performers and speakers include Massachusetts folk legend Kemp Harris, poet Mary Prenaveau, Massachusetts’ Director of Restorative Justice Dennis D. Everett, and more.
The event will also offer guests the chance to network with others whose work supports recovering from trauma through self-expression.
“When addressing this issue, I have wanted to both think and act globally and locally,” reflects Marks. “It felt important to bring the Sanctuary project home to the town where I live, and to use other means – the ‘Sanctuary’ global recording and live-streamed performances – to reach out far from home."
Marks’ Sanctuary project began in June with a music video release for her song “Sanctuary,” an uplifting embrace for those breaking free from a cycle of abuse. In August, Marks released the song’s global recording, which interweaves the talents of artists from around the world to form a unifying message of tenderness. Layered together, the global version of “Sanctuary” is a collage of empathy and encouragement, shaped by the creativity of musicians from Greece, Israel, India, Germany, and the United States.
Most recently, she hosted a September benefit concert at One Broadway Collaborative in Lawrence, raising funds for Casa Myrna and RESPOND, Inc. Both area nonprofits help domestic abuse survivors secure refuge and a full recovery by providing free residential programs, legal advocacy, and counseling, among other resources.
“I grew up in a household where domestic violence cast a dark shadow,” Marks shares. “My mother told me to keep the shades down so the neighbors would not know what was going on. As a child, I wanted to break the secrecy and find help. But I did not know where to turn.”
Reflecting on the experience decades later, the Sanctuary project is Marks’ tender response to the issue, and a soaring endorsement of a world where abuse survivors do not feel confined to the shadows.
About Linda Marks
Linda Marks is a multi-award-winning Boston singer-songwriter, a healer at heart, and emotional alchemist whose music gracefully uplifts the spirit and transforms sorrow into gold. Currently preparing her 15th album, Marks is as prolific as she is mindful, using her music to touch upon the current events and issues shaping our reality. Her past releases have been featured in The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and NPR, among other outlets.
Throughout her decades-spanning discography, Marks’ elegant voice and piano always tug at listeners’ heartstrings and inspire optimism. She released her 14th studio album A Recipe For Hope in January of 2024, which debuted at No.18 on the Roots Music Report Alternative Folk Chart. A Recipe For Hope also won the Clouzine International Music Award for “Best Folk Album,” received a Bronze Medal for both Best Album and Best Folk Album in the Global Music Awards, and produced two charting songs: “September Morn,” which appeared on the Cashbox Top 100, and “Love Always Wins,” which reached No. 1 on the UK Hot 100. “Love Always Wins” recently was named a Finalist in the Great American Song Contest and won the award for “Best Collaboration” at the World Songwriter Awards. Marks is a Finalist in five categories for the 2024 ISSA Awards, and is nominated for a 2024 Josie Music Award as well. Her newest song, written to heal the epidemic of antisemitism, was just selected as a semifinalist in the UK Songwriting Competition.
Building community through music has been a lifelong pursuit for Marks, who has written songs for numerous nonprofit organizations and community causes, such as Upstage Lung Cancer, the Buddy Dog Humane Society, the Cotta Blue Project, and Light Up the Love. She’s also collaborated with saxophonist Willie Sordillo and singer-songwriter Kemp Harris on Songs At The Heart Of Our Times, performing timely music at benefit concerts for local non-profits. Most recently, Marks is the curator of the “Sanctuary” project, tapping a global network of musicians to craft a song that supports – and includes the words of – domestic violence survivors.
Marks is the co-founder of Women In Music Gathering, the leader of the International Singer-Songwriter Association Boston/Northeast Chapter, and a Big Records artist. She also is a member of the Recording Academy, the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and Folk Alliance International.
September 14: Swampscott Porchfest, 1 p.m., 11 Hardy Rd., Swampscott ,MA
September 21: Melrose Porchest, 3 p.m., 158 Essex St., Melrose, MA
September 28: Brookline Porchfest, 1:10 p.m., 35 Eliot Crescent, Brookline, MA
October 1: Live-streamed performance of “Sanctuary,” 8 p.m.
October 5: Domestic Violence Awareness Month Fall Festival, REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, Inc., 12 p.m., Waltham Common, Waltham, MA
October 25: RESTORE event at One Broadway Collaborative in Lawrence, MA
Representatives from Casa Myrna and RESPOND Inc. join Marks onstage at The Burren for the “Sanctuary” music video release in June / Photo credit: Ellen Snyder
“Sanctuary” global recording artists:
Adina Feldman, Israel – Vocals Noshir Mody, India – Guitar
Amy McAllister, United States – Vocals Christian Fabian, Germany – Bass
Charu Suri, India – Piano Dimitris Nezis, Greece – Vocals
Linda Marks, United States – Vocals Willie Sordillo, United States – Saxophone
Mixed and mastered by Lonnie Park with Nate Horton at Barncastle Studio in Ithaca, New York.
Press assets
Website / Press photos / EPK
Streaming links
Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music
Social media
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube
For press inquiries please contact:
Linda Marks / lsmheart@aol.com / (617) 913-0683
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Boston Singer-Songwriter Creates a "Sanctuary" for Domestic Violence Survivors with New Project
Photo credit: Ellen Snyder“…[a] longtime fixture on the Greater Boston music scene”
- The Boston Globe
BOSTON - It’s a daunting task, crafting a refuge for domestic violence survivors that’s both close to home and far-reaching, but Linda Marks knows that music can work miracles when it comes from the heart. The Boston-area singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist unveils a vision for a safer and more tender world with her forthcoming “Sanctuary” project, a multifaceted release that blends live performances and global collaboration with the lived experiences of domestic violence survivors. The project – due out this summer – follows her award-winning
2024 album A Recipe For Hope with a testament to every individual’s inner strength and the healing power of vulnerability and understanding.
Stemming from Marks’ song “Sanctuary,” which interweaves firsthand accounts from domestic violence survivors with Marks’ gentle lyricism, the project spans multiple phases between June and October of 2024 for maximum impact across communities both near and far.
The rollout begins with a release show at The Burren in Somerville on June 23, where Marks will debut a collaborative music video including images from local nonprofits RESPOND Inc. and Casa Myrna. These visuals – gifted and used with permission – emphasize that the issue “transcends all boundaries: age, race, gender, socioeconomic background, and geography,” as Marks reflects. Both RESPOND, Inc and Casa Myrna contributed stories that led to the lyrics for “Sanctuary."
Marks will later unveil the global version of “Sanctuary” on August 23, releasing the song across all digital platforms and revealing the full breadth of contributing performers. In addition to Marks’ work as a singer and lyricist, the track features seven more performers from around the world, tapping peers from Greece, India, Israel, Germany, and the U.S. to provide instrumentals and vocals that deliver Marks’ global message. A full list of performers and their contributions can be found below.
To further bolster her support of domestic violence survivors, Marks will host a September 15 benefit show for Casa Myrna and RESPOND Inc. at One Broadway Collaborative in Lawrence. Joined by Americana act Randie O'Neil, the performance will raise money for both nonprofits to
aid in their mission of providing survivors with resources for safety and recovery. In addition to the in-person show, fans will also be able to tune in online.
As a mind-body psychotherapist – and a witness to violence at home herself – Marks understands the lasting, often-hidden impact of domestic violence. But she also has witnessed the awe-inspiring fortitude that survivors tap into when healing from even the most intense traumas. “Sanctuary” is the fusion of her experiences as a psychotherapist, a heartful musician, and a child who grew up in a family haunted by domestic violence, delivered in a way that’s relatable on a global scale yet deeply personal.
“Domestic violence cuts closer to home than most of us realize,” Marks notes. “As I worked on this project, I became more deeply aware of the impact of growing up in a home where domestic violence was a dark shadow. At that time there were not the resources we have today, and there was a huge shroud of shame associated with admitting things were not ‘all okay’ at home. My mother would always keep the shades down, so ‘the neighbors would not know.’ Drawn window shades could not drown out the sounds of yelling and screaming. When I was a child, there was nowhere to turn. Today there are many great organizations whose mission is to help domestic violence survivors and their families. I am glad there are places to turn to like Casa Myrna, RESPOND Inc. and the many other organizations like them around the U.S. and around the world.”
About Linda MarksLinda Marks is a multi-award-winning Boston singer-songwriter, a healer at heart, and emotional alchemist whose music gracefully uplifts the spirit and transforms sorrow into gold. Currently preparing her 15th album, Marks is as prolific as she is mindful, using her music to touch upon the current events and issues shaping our reality. Her past releases have been featured in The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and NPR, among other outlets.
Throughout her decades-spanning discography, Marks’ elegant voice and piano always tug at listeners’ heartstrings and inspire optimism. She released her 14th studio album A Recipe For Hope in January of 2024, which debuted at No.18 on the Roots Music Report Alternative Folk Chart. A Recipe For Hope also won the Clouzine International Music Award for “Best Folk Album,” and produced two charting songs: “September Morn,” which
Building community through music has been a lifelong pursuit for Marks, who has written songs for numerous nonprofit organizations and community causes, such as Upstage Lung Cancer, the Buddy Dog Humane Society, the Cotta Blue Project, and Light Up the Love. She’s also collaborated with saxophonist Willie Sordillo and singer-songwriter Kemp Harris on Songs At The Heart Of Our Times, performing timely music at benefit concerts for local non-profits. Most recently, Marks is the curator of the “Sanctuary” project, tapping a global network of musicians to craft a song that supports – and includes the words of – domestic violence survivors.
Marks is the co-founder of Women In Music Gathering, the leader of the International Singer-Songwriter Association Boston/Northeast Chapter, and a Big Records artist. She also is a member of the Recording Academy, the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and Folk Alliance International.
Upcoming performances
April 27: House concert with Mark Bishop Evans in Lincoln, MA
May 19: ISSA Songwriter Showcase with Tom Maynard, Peter L'Esperance and Michael Gutierrez-May at the Hotel Vernon in Worcester, MA
June 15: ISSA Songwriter Showcase with with Bernie Drury, Joanna Katzen and Tom Maynard at the the Winchendon Amphitheatre in Winchendon, MA
June 23: “Sanctuary” video release & A Recipe For Hope album release show at The Burren in Somerville, MA
September 15: Casa Myrna and RESPOND Inc. benefit show at One Broadway Collaborative in Lawrence, MA
Press assets
Website / Press photos / EPK
Streaming links
Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music
Social media
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube
For press inquiries please contact:
Linda Marks / lsmheart@aol.com / (617) 913-0683
“Sanctuary”Global Version Artists:
Adina Feldman–Vocals Amy McAllister–Vocals Charu Suri– Piano Christian Fabian–Bass
Dimitris Nezis– Vocals Linda Marks–Vocals Noshir Mody– Guitar Willie Sordillo–Saxophone
Mixed and mastered by Lonnie Park with Nate Horton
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Linda Marks serves “A Recipe For Hope” and support for domestic violence survivors June 23 at the Burren
Photo credit: Ellen Snyder“…[a] longtime fixture on the Greater Boston music scene”
- The Boston Globe
BOSTON – In a frenzied world with a dire shortage of optimism, Linda Marks is eager to share her recipe for hope. The concept of sparking optimism the world over is more than a platitude for the Boston-area singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, whose compassion and tenderness shines throughout her latest record, A Recipe For Hope. After debuting the award-winning album in January, Marks will celebrate the record’s release with a June 23 performance at The Burren in Somerville, Massachusetts. The show doubles as the premiere of her “Sanctuary” music video, which interweaves the firsthand accounts of domestic violence survivors with Marks’ gentle lyricism.
As a beacon of light for abuse survivors, “Sanctuary” presents a key component of Marks’ vision for a more tender and understanding world. But domestic violence is only one of the global issues that Marks confronts in her recent work; songs addressing the devastation caused by wars, the looming threat of gun violence, and the value of mental health are all key ingredients in Marks’ recipe.
On Sunday, June 23, The Burren will be a place for musical miracles and inspiration as a team of talented local musicians joins Marks for her A Recipe For Hope album release show. Marks’ band includes virtuosic Memphis-based violinist Alice Hasen (who will open the show with Will Gatlin on guitar), and Doug Hammer, who will alternate with Marks on piano, Doug Rich on bass, David Jackson on guitar, and Willie Sordillo on saxophone.
During the performance, Marks will debut a collaborative music video for “Sanctuary” that features images from local nonprofits Casa Myrna and RESPOND Inc. These visuals – gifted and used with permission – emphasize that domestic violence “transcends all boundaries: age, race, gender, socioeconomic background, and geography,” as Marks reflects. Both RESPOND, Inc and Casa Myrna contributed stories from survivors that led to the lyrics for “Sanctuary.” The video premiere is the first in a series of events between June and October comprising Marks’ “Sanctuary” project.
“Kicking off the ‘Sanctuary’ project at the album release concert for A Recipe For Hope is a natural fit, since the song itself, the global recording of ‘Sanctuary’ and the video all bring a message of hope and possibility,” reflects Marks. “Speaking to the experience of domestic violence survivors and their families and inviting the larger community to help create a safer world for all are important ingredients in a recipe for hope.”
As a mind-body psychotherapist – and a witness to violence at home herself – Marks understands the lasting, often-hidden impact of domestic violence. But she also has witnessed the awe-inspiring fortitude that survivors tap into when healing from even the most intense traumas. “Sanctuary” is the fusion of her experiences as a psychotherapist, a heartful musician, and a child who grew up in a family haunted by domestic violence, delivered in a way that’s relatable on a global scale yet deeply personal.
The “Sanctuary” project rollout begins with the June 23 release show at The Burren, followed by the release of a global version of “Sanctuary” on August 23. In addition to Marks’ work as a singer and lyricist, the global version of the track features seven more performers from around the world, tapping peers from Greece, India, Israel, Germany, and the U.S. to provide instrumentals and vocals that deliver Marks’ far-reaching message. The rollout continues in the fall, when Marks will host a September 15 benefit show for Casa Myrna and RESPOND Inc. at One Broadway Collaborative in Lawrence. The project culminates with a live streamed performance of “Sanctuary” on October 1 in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
About Linda MarksLinda Marks is a multi-award-winning Boston singer-songwriter, a healer at heart, and emotional alchemist whose music gracefully uplifts the spirit and transforms sorrow into gold. Currently preparing her 15th album, Marks is as prolific as she is mindful, using her music to touch upon the current events and issues shaping our reality. Her past releases have been featured in The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, and NPR, among other outlets.
Throughout her decades-spanning discography, Marks’ elegant voice and piano always tug at listeners’ heartstrings and inspire optimism. She released her 14th studio album A Recipe For Hope in January of 2024, which debuted at No.18 on the Roots Music Report Alternative Folk Chart. A Recipe For Hope also won the Clouzine International Music Award for “Best Folk Album,” and produced two charting songs: “September Morn,” which appeared on the Cashbox Top 100, and “Love Always Wins,” which reached No. 1 on the UK Hot 100. “Love Always Wins” recently was named a Finalist in the Great American Song Contest and won the award for “Best Collaboration” at the World Songwriter Awards. Marks is currently nominated in eight categories for the 2024 ISSA Awards as well.
Building community through music has been a lifelong pursuit for Marks, who has written songs for numerous nonprofit organizations and community causes, such as Upstage Lung Cancer, the Buddy Dog Humane Society, the Cotta Blue Project, and Light Up the Love. She’s also
Most recently, Marks is the curator of the “Sanctuary” project, tapping a global network of musicians to craft a song that supports – and includes the words of – domestic violence survivors.
Marks is the co-founder of Women In Music Gathering, the leader of the International Singer-Songwriter Association Boston/Northeast Chapter, and a Big Records artist. She also is a member of the Recording Academy, the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and Folk Alliance International.
Upcoming Performances:
June 15: ISSA Songwriter Showcase with with Bernie Drury, Joanna Katzen and Tom Maynard at the the Winchendon Amphitheatre in Winchendon, MA
June 23: “Sanctuary” video release & A Recipe For Hope album release show at The Burren in Somerville, MA
September 15: Casa Myrna and RESPOND Inc. benefit show at One Broadway Collaborative in Lawrence, MA
Press assets
Website / Press photos / EPK
Streaming links
Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music
Social media
Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube
For press inquiries please contact:
Linda Marks / lsmheart@aol.com / (617) 913-0683
“Sanctuary”Global Version Artists:
Adina Feldman–Vocals Amy McAllister–Vocals Charu Suri– Piano Christian Fabian–Bass
Dimitris Nezis– Vocals Linda Marks–Vocals Noshir Mody– Guitar Willie Sordillo–Saxophone
Mixed and mastered by Lonnie Park with Nate Horton