State Radio Rocks Service Projects

The rock reggae trio is getting involved with environmental- or hunger-focused community service projects on each stop of its current tour, which has dates on the books through Feb. 21 at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, R.I.

There will also be food drives at the remaining gigs through the band’s association with Rock For A Remedy.

State Radio has also partnered with Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) to create an online public service announcement about death-row inmate Troy Davis, who has been on death row for 19 years and came within 24 hours of execution twice. Davis has a strong claim of innocence but it has not yet been heard in court, according to a statement from the band’s publicist.

State Radio frontman Chad Stokes Urmston penned the song “State of Georgia” in honor of Davis and donated it to AIUSA to make the online PSA. The band also plans to hold a “Justice For Troy Davis” rally prior to the Feb. 13 show at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta.

Urmston and tour manager Sybil Gallagher recently launched the human rights organization Calling All Crows (a nod to the band’s 2007 album Year of the Crow). The organization’s goal is to inspire artists and their fans to get involved with public service and provide humanitarian aid.

Calling All Crows hopes to raise $100,000 in 2009 to protect women against violence in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Urmston is opening seven March dates for Ani DiFranco with a solo acoustic set. The proceeds from these shows will go to Calling All Crows. The dates include 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. (March 7); Jefferson Center in Roanaoke, Va. (March 9); Carolina Theatre in Durham, N.C. (March 10); Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, N.C. (March 11); and The Orange Peel in Asheville, N.C. (March 13).

For more information about Calling All Crows events and a full list of State Radio’s service projects, check out the calendar on the band’s Web site.