Cinema Music Group channels old-school recording spirit to honor Neil Young and support The Bridge School.

Cinema Music Group’s Heart of Gold Vol. 1 is more than just a tribute album — it’s a heartfelt, analog-driven love letter to Neil Young, delivered by some of the biggest voices in music today. Featuring performances from Fiona Apple, Brandi Carlile, The Doobie Brothers, Eddie Vedder, Mumford & Sons, and others, the collection is raising funds for The Bridge School, the nonprofit founded by Neil and Pegi Young to support children with severe speech and physical impairments.

The album was released with Young’s full support, and true to his spirit, each track was recorded almost entirely live — usually in just one or two takes — capturing the raw emotional immediacy that defines both his work and Cinema Music Group’s production style.

Cinema Music Group (CMG) was founded in 2021 by longtime friends and collaborators Dave Resnik and Niko Bolas, both veterans of the music industry. Bolas is a legendary producer and engineer whose credits span James Taylor, Sting, Billy Joel, KISS, and a decades-long working relationship with Neil Young. Resnik has composed for networks like ABC and CBS, performed with artists including Ricky Martin, Donna Summer, and Sonia Dada, and spent years in A&R, where he signed bands like Kyuss and worked closely with Lucinda Williams.

The idea for Heart of Gold Vol. 1 began as a one-off session with soul artist Chris Pierce. But when Young gave his blessing, the project expanded into a full-scale benefit album. Each artist personally selected the Neil Young song they wanted to cover, leading to an eclectic and deeply personal tracklist that stays true to the emotional resonance of the originals while offering new interpretations.

Thanks to a distribution partnership with Killphonic Rights, CMG has already raised over $100,000 for The Bridge School, with Volumes 2 and 3 currently in the works.

Outside of the Heart of Gold series, CMG is continuing to build its reputation for meaningful, purpose-driven music. The team is currently producing a new album from Chris Pierce and developing a protest-song compilation featuring artists like Draco Rosa.

For Resnik and Bolas, who reconnected at a friend's memorial just a few years ago, CMG has become a home for the kind of music that moves people — rooted in emotion, recorded with authenticity, and guided by a belief that the best takes are the ones that feel the most human.

https://www.cinemamusicgroup.com

Author: Adam Bailey

Adam is a regular contributor for established press release distribution website Release-News.com. He writes on a wide range of topics including music.