The Playing for Change organization was set up by Mark Johnson in Santa Monica, California five years ago.  Mark recorded street musicians playing the famous Ben E.King song "Stand By Me" and was touched by the power of the songs message. Inspired, Mark took his camera's around America and later around the world, recording and interviewing street musicians  and sharing it through You Tube and later his web site: www.playforchange.com.

The movement uses the power of music to transcend cultural, political, economic, ideological  and language barriers in order to build a more peaceful and harmonious future for the worlds citizens.  The movement is backed by the Concord Music Group and Timeless Music.

We encourage you to visit the Play for Change website for more information and enjoy the "Stand By Me" rendition by world musicians below:

If the above video clip inspired you, you may also like the movie "The Solist" - a movie based on the true story of a Journalist for the New York times who stumbles upon a homeless man playing Beethoven on a two stringed violin in the street. The story is a touching, though provoking and mostly celebratory account of the lives of the homeless. Well worth making time for.