Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s hitRECord Releases Songs and Campfire Stories Inspired by America’s National Parks
WASHINGTON – Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s collaborative platform, hitRECord, and the National Park Foundation continue to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial with the release of new songs and a book of campfire stories inspired by America’s national parks. As part of the ongoing #FindYourPark/#EncuentraTuParque movement, the hitRECord collaborative art includes:
- “Modern Major Park Ranger,” a sing-a-long music video that takes you through multiple national parks to the tune of Modern Major General at rapid-fire pace.
- “In the Outside,” an alternative ballad with music composed entirely of sounds found in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The ballad can be downloaded on iTunes, streamed on Spotify, and downloaded through other major digital music distributors.
- Campfire Stories Field Guide, a book of tales based on some of our nation’s spookiest landscapes. The book can be purchased exclusively at store.findyourpark.com.
This collection of #FindYourPark hitRECord projects showcases just how unique park experiences can be.
hitRECord Artists Celebrate the NPS Centennial
hitRECord invited its diverse community of artists to come together to honor the National Park Service Centennial through art, film, and music and to inspire the next generation of park visitors and supporters. In addition to today’s release of songs and the Campfire Stories book, earlier hitRECord projects included art-inspired apparel, an adult coloring book full of beautiful drawings of national parks, animated safety videos, and a documentary, all of which were launched earlier in the centennial summer.
“The hitRECord community went above and beyond with what they created in celebration of the National Park Service Centennial. It’s such a fun way to learn about national parks and inspire new audiences to discover the parks near them,” said Joseph Gordon-Levitt, founder of hitRECord.
“Art has played an important role throughout the National Park Service’s 100 year history, and the hitRECord products represent a fresh and modern take on the concept of art in parks,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “The hitRECord artists’ creations build awareness of the importance of national parks and make them relevant to a new generation. We feel fortunate to work with the hitRECord community to share the collaborative and creative spirit of national parks with new audiences. By inspiring a new generation of park lovers, we can ensure that these incredible places will be here for the next 100 years.”
The collaboration with hitRECord has helped us bring parks into people’s lives through a variety of artistic co-creations,” said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. “Each of our national parks is unique and through this collection, a new generation is discovering personal connections to these magnificent natural, cultural, and historical sites.”
“Modern Major Park Ranger” can be viewed on HITRECORD’s YouTube channel.
“In The Outside” can be downloaded on iTunes, streamed on Spotify, and downloaded through other major digital music distributors.
The Campfire Stories Field Guide can be purchased exclusively at store.findyourpark.com
hitRECord Projects Encourage People to #FindYourPark
The creative projects from the hitRECord community, a partnership the National Park Foundation developed with GREY NY, is a great example of the countless ways to find your park. Launched in March 2015, Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque is a public awareness and education movement to inspire people from all backgrounds to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks and community-based programs. #FindYourPark/#EncuentraTuParque invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation's natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.
As part of its commitment to the National Park Service Centennial and strengthening our national treasures for the next 100 years, the National Park Foundation offers many ways to support America’s national parks. From national park-inspired gear from the Find Your Park Corporate Partners, to commemorative coins, to its $350 million Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, there are a variety of unique ways to honor and protect the legacy of these special places.
ABOUT HITRECORD
HITRECORD is an online production company that makes art collaboratively with over half a million artists of all kinds. Under the direction of founder Joseph Gordon-Levitt, hitrecord.org provides a platform for anyone with an internet connection to participate in the creative process. HITRECORD has published books, released records, gone on tour, screened short films at Sundance and TIFF, and launched international campaigns with global brands. When hitrecord productions earn a profit the contributed artists are fairly paid. “Hit Record on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt” — a reimagining of the traditional variety show format — marks HITRECORD’s most ambitious project to date. The recently released second season of the show will soon be streaming on Netflix, joining the first season, which won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media. To join and learn more, visit hitrecord.org.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 413 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at: www.nps.gov.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a $350 million comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.