Grammy Award winning songwriter Sarah McLachlan has prided herself over the years of being at the forefront when it comes to women's issues.
So it's no surprise to learn that more than 75 musical acts have agreed to be part of the Lilith Fair revival, with 36 confirmed North American dates beginning June 27 in Calgary and ending August 16 in Dallas.
The original Lilith Fair ran from 1997 to 1999 and grew out of McLachlan's disappointment in radio stations and concert promoters refusal to air female musicians in succession. Its all-female lineup was a commercial success, and raised over $10 million for various women's charities.
McLachlan will be joined on this tour by top female recording artists: Colbie Caillat, Emmylou Harris, Erykah Badu, Heart, Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Mary J. Blige, Janelle Monae, Norah Jones, Sarah Bareilles, Sugarland and Sheryl Crow.
Three to four organizations will be named by the i4c Campaign, working in partnership with the Lilith Impact Fund, as recipients of proceeds from the upcoming tour. Terry McBride is one of the co-founders of Lilith Fair, and recently explained the reasoning behind the festivals' revival.
"By contributing a portion of Lilith's profits to a for-profit campaign now, we are creating a sustainable way to fund Lilith's non-profits in the future," McBride admitted.
McLachlan plans on appearing at every stop on the summer tour, and will be playing some new music from her forthcoming album "The Laws of Illusion," currently with a June 15 release date. But her appearances at the Lilith Fair this summer, as well as her upcoming appearance on "Good Morning America" on June 11, isn't just about giving fans a chance to enjoy new music.
McLachlan has pledged a minimum commitment of $3 million to the Lilith i4c Campaign. By backing up her desire to see this renewal of the tour be as successful philanthropically as it aims to be commercially, McLachlan is putting her money where her always vocal chords are: in tune, to the point, and always on key.
Jon Moncrief currently serves as the beat writer covering the Kings and Dodgers in Los Angeles for Examiner.com. Follow him on Twitter @Crief.