On 9/18/04, legendary Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart to break the Guinness Book of World Records' Statistic for the Largest-Ever Drumming Circle

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. (Earthdance Foundation) - Breaking records is second nature to Earthdance: The Global Festival For Peace which, since its planetary groove kicked off in 1997, has become the largest synchronized music & dance festival in the world. This year's 8th annual Earthdance on September 18 will unite over 200,000 people at events in 120 cities and 50 countries. And, at the Festival's 'Mother Ship' location at Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, CA, Grateful Dead drummer/world music master Mickey Hart will help Earthdance set another record with "Drums Of Peace," the largest drumming circle in history.

This historic rhythmic convergence is part of Earthdance 2004's United Beats Of Peace Festival, September 17-19, a 3-day conscious music/culture event anchored by the global event on 9/18. With drum maker Remo donating 3,500 drums - and far more attendees than that expected - Hart is destined to lead a record-breaking beat session to easily top the current Guinness Book Of World Records drum circle statistic, 3,140.
In addition to those convened at Black Oak Ranch - site of '60s icon Wavy Gravy and the Hog Farm's Pignic festival - Drums Of Peace will link up via Internet to Earthdance happenings worldwide.

Drums Of Peace also marks a reunion, after almost a decade, of many of the stellar percussionists from Hart's famed Planet Drum ensemble, including Airto Moreira, Zakir Hussain, the Santana Band's Karl Perazzo, and fellow Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. Hart is also renowned as a global ethnomusicologist and world music drummer. His '91 album Planet Drum hit No 1 on Billboard's World Music chart, and won the first-ever GRAMMY for Best World Music Album.

In addition to Drums Of Peace, United Beats Of Peace features a diverse roster of artists including Ozomatli and Blackalicious and Michael Franti. Earthdance's alliance with Black Oak Ranch was forged with the help of Bob Barsotti, former longtime producer for Bill Graham Presents (and current Bill Graham Foundation Advisory Board member), with hopes that a festival there will coincide annually with the Earthdance global event.

Earthdance Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The annual Earthdance event is the primary funding source for Earthdance Foundation and the many charities it supports. For more information, log on to www.earthdance.org, which registered over 1,200,000 page views in 2003 alone.