Tournesol (French for Sunflower) was conceived late last summer at a friend's home in southern France. There were fields of sunflowers all around just past their prime and I was in awe. It speaks to the hope that feeling the sun brings us and how we all reach for that light every day even in the darkest places. It speaks to nature and the way that it humbles us.


Months later just after the war in Ukraine had begun. I learned from my dear friend Therese that the sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine and is a symbol of peace there. She told me a story of the Ukrainian woman, who in a stand off with Russian soldiers, gave them sunflower seeds and said,"Take these seeds and put them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here." That story broke my heart. She was so courageous and proud to be Ukrainian. I often wonder what war would feel like in our own cities and homes and wonder if I could be that courageous. As ugly and terrible as war is, it seems to always exist as part of human nature. I would say most of us long for peace and true understanding, but where there are humans greedy for power, there will be war and destruction.


As this war rages on, I'm so far away from it and yet confronted and humbled by it daily. We can feel so helpless just sitting here in our comfortable homes as others fear for their lives. With that, I just want to bring a bit of good into the world and try to help in whatever small way I can. I will be donating all proceeds from the download of this song to World Central Kitchen who are helping feed Ukrainians in need right now. Today is Bandcamp Friday so that means they're waiving their revenue share. 100% of what you pay today for Tournesol will go to the World Central Kitchen.


Before signing off, I want to send thanks to the good friends who helped make this recording so striking and in just a week's time. Lawson White reached out to me and asked if I wanted to record this song after I shared it online and we jumped right to it. He engineered and mixed the track as well as played some pedal steel and bass. At the end of the song, you'll hear him playing the melody of the Ukrainian National Anthem. I then enlisted the friends who were in France with me when I first wrote the song. James Paul Mitchell added some shimmery Nashville tuned guitar and snapped the cover photo. Jess Martins added backing vocals remotely from Portugal as did Joy Askew from her apartment in Brooklyn. They volunteered their time and talents. Thank you! It's such a joy to make music with friends.