Super excited to announce that Portugal. The Man have invited me and Keep Oregon Well to join them on tour this summer! Huge thanks to John, Zoe, Zach, Eric, Jason, Kyle and the entire PTM team for making this happen. OMG.

Exclusive story today in Billboard Magazine HERE, or keep reading below for the transcript:

From Billboard: (11/12/18)

Portugal. The Man Advocate For Mental Health Awareness At Oregon Tour Stops: Exclusive

Portland-based indie rockers Portugal. The Man have been touring steadily since the release of last year’s Woodstock, which housed the record-breaking hit “Feel It Still.” But they have something special planned for its handful of homecoming shows in Oregon this summer: the band has partnered with public advocacy campaign Keep Oregon Well and its co-founder, musician Logan Lynn, to help raise awareness for mental health.

“Mental Health is personal for our whole band,” PTM frontman John Gourley said in a statement. “As touring musicians, self-care can quickly become make it or break it on the road.” Gourley added that the goal of partnering with Lynn and the Keep Oregon Well street team at their shows is to inspire their fans to make mental healthy a priority, too.

Lynn, who co-founded the campaign in 2014 along with Trillium Group CEO Kim Scott, agreed that mental health needs to be discussed more openly to help break the stigma surrounding it. “As a suicide survivor myself, I know how important not feeling isolated is,” he said in a statement. “Stigma exists because people have been made to feel like mental and behavioral health challenges are personal character flaws, versus being like any other medical condition. If you break your arm tomorrow, would you feel shame?”

Lynn made clear that in all he does, he has only one end point in mind: “I won’t stop doing this work until every last bit of the shame that prevents people like me from seeking help in the first place, is gone.”

Today (July 12), Lynn’s new album is available for pre-order; Portugal. The Man’s Oregon tour dates kick off Aug. 24. View the full list of shows below.

Aug. 24th — Portland, Oregon (McMenimans Edgefield)
Aug. 25th — Portland, Oregon (McMenimans Edgefield)
Aug. 30th — Jacksonville, Oregon (Britt Pavilion)
Aug. 31st — Bend, Oregon (Les Schwab Amphitheater)

From ABC News: (7/13/18)

Portugal. the Man teaming up with mental-health awareness campaign for home-state shows

Portugal. the Man will be raising awareness for mental health during the band’s four shows in Oregon next month.

According to Billboard, the “Feel It Still” rockers, who originated in Alaska but now are based in Portland, are teaming up with public-advocacy campaign Keep Oregon Well to continue its goal of fighting the stigma surrounding metal health.

“Mental health is personal for our whole band,” says frontman John Gourley. “As touring musicians, self-care can quickly become make it or break it on the road.”

The shows take place August 24 and 25 in Portland, and August 30 and 31 in Jacksonville and Bend, respectively.

Portugal. the Man is currently touring Europe behind their 2017 album Woodstock, and they’ll return to the U.S. later this month. If you catch the band on tour, you’ll get to see their intro video, which features none other than Beavis and Butthead reviewing “Feel It Still.”

Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

From Music Connection Magazine: (7/12/18)

Portland, Oregon-based chart-topping Grammy winners and previous Music Connection cover artist, Portugal. The Man have announced that they will be bringing the Keep Oregon Well: Mental Health Mattersmovement on tour this summer at all of their Oregon shows and events.

“Mental Health is personal for our whole band,” Portugal. The Man’s John Gourley continued, “We all have days where we feel happy and well, and days where we don’t – and, contrary to popular belief, this is actually a completely normal part of the human experience. As touring musicians, self-care can quickly become make it or break it on the road. By partnering with Logan Lynn and the Keep Oregon Well Street Team at these shows, our goal is to inspire everybody to make mental health a priority, too.”

Keep Oregon Well is a public advocacy campaign and social movement co-founded by fellow Portland-based musician Logan Lynn and Trillium Group CEO Kim Scott, designed to reduce stigma surrounding mental and behavioral health, build a trauma-informed community, and give people the opportunity to learn more about mental health while standing with those who may be struggling with theirs.

“We are thrilled that Portugal. The Man has adopted this cause as their own,” said Kim Scott, Trillium Group CEO and Keep Oregon Well Co-Founder. “Trillium is deeply committed to meeting community where they are at, and this partnership — the information, awareness, connection and hope it will bring to people across Oregon — is a critical component in building resilience and, ultimately, saving a life.

Nationwide, 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health crisis in their lifetime. In Oregon, that statistic is 1 in 4. Keep Oregon Well aims to change that! Now in its 4^th year, the movement has a long-running Concert Series that has featured bands and artists that range from Bleachers, Walk Off The Earth and Charli XCX, to Desiigner, Flo Rida, Graham Nash and Alice Cooper.

“As a suicide survivor myself, I know how important not feeling isolated is,” Portland musician and Keep Oregon Well Co-Founder Logan Lynn continued, “We all have trauma, and we all have the ability to bounce back – forward, even – from those experiences. Stigma exists because people have been made to feel like mental and behavioral health challenges are personal character flaws, versus being like any other medical condition. If you break your arm tomorrow, would you feel shame? Or would you just go to the doctor immediately and then have people sign your cast? I won’t stop doing this work until every last bit of the shame that prevents people like me from seeking help in the first place, is gone. I’m super excited about this tour and can’t wait to see you all at these shows!” 

Take the Keep Oregon Well Pledge to fight stigma and end discrimination now at KeepOregonWell.com or stop by the Mental Health Matters booth at any of Portugal. The Man’s Oregon shows this summer!

Catch Keep Oregon Well on tour with Portugal. The Man on the following dates, to start:

August 24^th – Portland, Oregon (McMenimans Edgefield) – SOLD OUT!

August 25^th – Portland, Oregon (McMenimans Edgefield) – SOLD OUT!

August 30^th – Jacksonville, Oregon (Britt Pavilion)

August 31^st – Bend, Oregon (Les Schwab Amphitheater)