New York, NY (Top40 Charts) As devastation unfolds following the wildfires in greater Los Angeles, Jim Camacho mourns alongside a grieving nation who dreams of coming together to make California whole again. What is a love letter to the City of Angels, "California Calling" also becomes a heartfelt prayer - mourning the fragility of the city's magic while celebrating the resilience of the place where legends are born. The song and its official music video dropped on January 17.
In efforts to support those affected by the wildfires, proceeds from "California Calling" will go to the Recording Academy and MusiCares' Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals impacted by the crisis. For more information on how you can become a big part of uplifting the community, please check out: https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief.
"Jim's song 'California Calling' has been on the release schedule for January 17th since last year," shares Vicky Hamilton, President of Dark Spark Music. "It's a beautiful song about making dreams come true in California. In light of the devastating wildfires this past week, the new dream is to make California whole again."
"We have decided to give six months of royalties to MusiCares and encourage people to donate to MusiCares Wildfire Fund which will be giving $1,500 to fellow music business partners affected by the wildfires who have been in the industry for five years or more," Hamilton concludes.
Over perky guitar melodies and a dreamy hook, "California Calling" effortlessly captures the thrill of chasing stardom for artists and dreamers alike. But as the wildfires in Los Angeles rage, the song also arrives as a warm embrace and anthem of determination to mend the beautiful city that has inspired this song. "This is our home, this is LA / the City of Angels, the City of Dreams / California's still calling me" Camacho croons. "See the west, and Hollywood / Do all the things that you know you should / California here I come / It's the dream, the only one."
"California Calling holds a special place for me. It's about the dream of getting out to California, the city of dreams, and the quest that so many people endure to make those dreams come true. My first record deal was in California at Columbia, and nothing compares to the feeling of riding the wave of your dream when you know it can come true." - Jim Camacho
Directed by Juan Davila and produced by 2 Way Creative, "California Calling" is a lucid celebration of the California dream. Capturing the Hollywood sign and towering palm trees, the visual masterfully blends the song's vibrant energy with iconic imagery to bring the sun-soaked spirit of the Golden State to life. Shot through warm lens, "California Calling" follows Jim Camacho on a nostalgic cruise through Los Angeles in a classic 1968 Buick LeSabre, while the band performs against stunning California backdrops.
"California Calling" is now available on all digital platforms.
As co-founder (with his brother John) of the iconic Miami band The Goods, Camacho first attracted national attention through a series of albums that allowed the band to record with legendary producer Tom Dowd, as well as sharing stages with the likes of Pearl Jam, The Smithereens, Cracker and Matthew Sweet. The band reaped many accolades along the way.
Since then, Camacho has enjoyed a prolific solo career, including several memorable albums and EPs. In addition, his music has been featured in films, documentaries, and television soundtracks. His high-profile live performances have taken him to a number of prestigious musical venues, such as the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, New York's Radio City Music Hall, and the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. He has played the U.S. West Coast and the U.K. and also has had the distinction of touring with Alicia Keys, John Legend, Linda Perhacs, and Zascha Moktan.
Camacho has also made his mark in the theatrical world highlighted by well-received original productions as "Fools' Paradise," "Mouse King," "The Cavie Islanders and the Troll," "The Guru of Gir," and, most recently, "Digging for Bones," all acclaimed musicals that found him either producing, directing, writing the book and composing the songs, or all of the above.
Camacho's prolific prowess extends to spotlighting other artists, as well. His YouTube series Adventures in Songwriting found him working with a series of special guests and then writing a song in tandem with them during the program's 30-minute timeframe. In 2019, the songs were released as an EP that sported collaborations between Camacho and seminal South Florida talents Fernando Perdomo, Charlie Pickett, Elsten Torres, Rob Elba, and the bands Ex-Norwegian and Deaf Poets. Howard Cohen of the Miami Herald hailed the EP as "good fun and a testament to the power of inspired songwriting."
