The group was formed in a refugee camp in the Republic of Guinea by six musicians from Sierra Leone, who were forced to leave their country due to the brutal civil war that took place from 1991 to 2002.

San Francisco Bay Area directors Zach Niles and Banker White filmed the band’s story and turned it into a documentary – “The Refugee All Stars” – detailing the group’s journey through horrific trauma to the recording of its album.

The film has won seven awards at festivals around the world and has gathered a long list of high-profile fans, including Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Angelina Jolie, John Cusack and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, all of whom have contributed financial support to the project.

The Refugee All Stars Of Sierra Leone visited the U.S. this spring for South by Southwest, followed by Bonnaroo, the Montreal Jazz Festival and more in June. Upcoming dates include a series of West Coast theatre shows, Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival and the Foundation Festival in the U.K.

A full national tour is in the works for this fall, after the band’s debut album is released in September.

Mike Kappus of The Rosebud Agency got involved with the band as a liaison to help find a record deal, and ended up as the group’s booking agent and manager. He said the band’s rise has been a much faster process than usual.

“It was 0 to 100 in a matter of a couple of months: Publishing deal, record deal, equipment, road manager, bus, and visas to get out of Africa – which was a very crazy, last-minute thing,” Kappus told Pollstar. “The day after they left Guinea – where they had to go to get visas – a general strike broke out and some fighting began.

“Getting them out required [Sen.] Nancy Pelosi’s assistance talking to higher officials in Africa to try to finalize the visa work. Every level has been unique and intense.”