Spain took the title for the 2010 World Cup today.  Although there were many disappointed players and fans in other countries, the title sure came at a time when Spain needed more than a little boost in morale.

Since I opened the world cup with a blog about the musical movement that accompanied the most popular spectator event in the world, I wanted to share one more video of KNAAN’S World Cup theme song – Wavin’ Flag.  This recording captures the story behind a version of the song Bob Ezrin produced with an myriad of great artists,  joined together to support victims of the Haiti earthquake.

However, before we completely leave our focus on South Africa , I wanted to share a little bit about a South African artist I was working with today for an upcoming film project of mine.  Her name is Dilana and the film, a story about an FBI agent who uses her cover as an amazing rock singer to uncover a child pornography ring, is called Silence. I’ll tell you more about Dilana and the film later, since we will be returning to South Africa in the near future.

For now – Check out the Wavin’ Flag video and the power of music for uniting and inspiring people from around the globe.

I just returned from Vancouver where, among many other things, I saw Sarah McLachan kick off the Lilith Fair Tour with other headliners Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and Erykah Badu.  It was a beautiful outdoor event on Canada Day with amazing performances by all four of these female superstars, culminating in an encore with all singing together and fading into firework festivities across the water on both sides of Ambleside Park. Lilith Fair, an important musical and social statement in addition to a highly entertaining and inspiring festival for all ages, comes to Los Angeles (well – Anaheim) today.  I highly recommend supporting the festival and enjoying a great afternoon of festivities and incredible music.  If you are not in the LA area, check out the schedule for other dates across the country through mid-August.

As much as the festival, the inspiring female performers and the important causes they are supporting, I want to bring your attention to a very special program in the Vancouver area founded by Sarah McLachlan.

Sarah had long dreamed to open a free music school for inner city youth.  Years ago, she started the Sarah McLachlan foundation in 1999, and her dream became a reality in 2002 with the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach-An Arts Umbrella Project.  I had the opportunity to meet with some of her wonderful staff that run the foundation, and hear some of their stories. The program works to bring music to young under-served Canadians and inspires a relationship with music that will have a lasting impact all aspects of their lives. The school has grown to more than 250 students, grades 3-12, and puts emphasis on public performance to reach out to the community.

What Sarah is doing, in addition to already deeply affecting millions of  lives through her own music, is showing the necessity that teaching our children to create and perform music has an impact on their personal and social development.

Growing up as a kid in Detroit during the end of the Motown Era and depending on music for my own sanity, I can truly identify with Sarah’s dream and her words when she describes what music meant to her as a child.

“I don’t know what I would have done without music in my life. Music was my refuge and solace. It was a friend that was always there for me. The one thing I knew I was really good at. It fed me and kept me going. That feeling hasn’t changed. Music is a gift. It connects us to each other and to ourselves. Through it we share our stories and our emotions, and we create a whole new way of communicating.” -Sarah McLachlan

You can learn more about why, to so many young people in Vancouver, “Music is Life” at http://www.sarahmclachlanmusicoutreach.com/

I had the pleasure of spending yesterday on an island off the coast of Vancouver yesterday with my dear friend Pete McCormack.

Hailed by the Vancouver Sun as a “modern day renaissance man, Pete is an award-winning filmmaker, novelist, screenwriter, musician, poet and producer. His most recent film, the award-winning and riveting FACING ALI, is an intimate, inspiring and must-see look at the human side of Muhammad Ali and the culture of boxing. The film tells the story of the inimitable Muhammad Ali and the story of ten legendary champions who fought him—in their own words: Smokin’ Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Ken Norton, George Chuvalo, Leon Spinks, Sir Henry Cooper, Ron Lyle, Earnie Shavers and Ernie Terrell. Pete’s prior film, the award-winning feature documentary Uganda Rising about the plight of the Acholi people in Northern Uganda, was narrated by Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and features interviews with Noam Chomsky, Betty Bigombe, Samantha Powers, Mahmood Mamdani and others.

Less known on the world stage is Pete’s inspiring work as a singer-songwriter. Not only does his music feed his soul and give him the strength and inspiration to create such powerful socially conscious work in his film and writing work (oh – did I tell you he has also published 2 full novels, successful screenplays, and countless articles and essays), but has deeply touched the hearts of the audiences who have heard Pete perform.

I wanted to share the following video (and original song) from this important voice and unsung hero.  Introducing Pete McCormack…