Tom Curtain and Sara Storer Speak Up for Bullying Victims

GOLDEN Guitar winner Tom Curtain was inspired to raise awareness of bullying after victim Amy “Dolly” Everett ended her young life earlier this year.

Before she took her life, Dolly wrote the words, “Speak even if your voice shakes”, inspiring Tom’s duet with Sara Storer, Speak Up.

“The incident inspired me to write the song and then try and raise more awareness about bullying in any form,” he said.

“The more we’ve become involved, the more we’re learning how prolific bullying is in society. There’s no quick fix to bullying, we all have to do our bit to raise awareness, set an example and hopefully save a young life.”

Dolly was from a property outside Tom’s hometown of Katherine NT, so the singer-songwriter wanted to raise awareness of the devasting impacts that bullying leaves behind. He wrote the song with Garth Porter, who donated his studio and time to produce the track in Sydney with fellow award-winning country music artist, Sara Storer.

“Being a father of two kids living out in the bush, it really hit home for me,” he said.

“Living out here, you think you are quite removed from anything like this, so to have a beautiful young girl that you’ve seen grow up, take her life and then a family ripped apart, is just devastating.”

Tom organised two schools in Western Australia (where he was touring at the time) – Pinjarra Primary School and Pinjarra Senior High School – to be involved in the film clip and audio recording of the track.

“Pinjarra Primary School students can be heard on the recording of Speak Up and I think you would agree, they did an amazing job,” Tom said.

Tom and Sara, as well as other artists, were involved in Dreaming Under the Stars in Katherine on June 1, where they raised $173,000 for Dolly’s Dream and gave attendees a sneak peek of the Speak Up film clip.

All proceeds from the single will go directly to Dolly’s Dream, an organisation established by her family and friends in her memory that will work to create positive change and help prevent the lives of other children being lost, and act as a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Speak Up is released on June 18 and can be purchased from iTunes and Google Play or, for a physical CD, at www.katherineoutbackexperience.com.au.

Tom is available to chat about the single.

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Media contact: Rebecca Belt
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