The Epilepsy Foundation is proud to announce a partnership with the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys.
The young trio of brothers: 17 year-old Tommy Mizzone on guitar, 15 year-old Robbie Mizzone on fiddle and lead vocals, and 12 year-old Jonny Mizzone on banjo have made quite an entrance onto the music scene in a short period of time. Their latest critically acclaimed EP By My Side (released in June) features a song called “Man In Your Corner” that for the boys, hits very close to home. The song was written by them as a tribute for their younger brother Sam who has epilepsy.
Robbie Mizzone shared, “We wrote ‘Man in Your Corner’ to let Sam know we will always be here for him and to hopefully inspire others to get involved in the fight against epilepsy. We are really excited to be working with the Epilepsy Foundation in support of our brother and others impacted by seizures.”
Sam Mizzone lives with epilepsy, but after trying numerous kinds of treatment found control for his seizures through a form of the ketogenic diet. This special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, prescribed and monitored by a physician and nutritionist, can help control seizures in some people. The Mizzone family will be working with the Epilepsy Foundation to help promote how families should pursue new therapies and treatments if seizure control is not optimal.
“The Epilepsy Foundation is a family and an unwavering ally for people living with seizures,” said Philip M. Gattone, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation and the father of a child with epilepsy. “The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, with their creativity, strength and passion, will be warmly embraced by our community. We are excited that they are willing to lend their musical talents to help raise awareness and make a difference for millions of people.”
The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys will be donating the proceeds from the digital sales of “Man in Your Corner” to the Epilepsy Foundation. The band will also be involved in a national public awareness campaign this fall and plans to participate in the National Walk for Epilepsy in Washington, DC, on April 11, 2015.
About Epilepsy
When a person has two or more unprovoked seizures, they have epilepsy, which affects more than 2 million people in the United States and 65 million people worldwide. This year, another 150,000 people in our country will be diagnosed with epilepsy. Despite all available treatments, four out of 10 people with epilepsy continue to experience uncontrolled seizures while many more experience less than optimal seizure control.
About the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys
You can try calling the music the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys records roots, bluegrass, pop, folk, etc. – but the bottom line is they make great music. The young trio of brothers (17 year-old Tommy Mizzone on guitar, 15 year-old Robbie Mizzone on fiddle and lead vocals, and 12 year-old Jonny Mizzone on banjo) have been promoting their new EP By My Side with performances atStagecoach, The New Orleans Jazz Festival, The Grand Old Opry and on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to name a few.
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys have previously released two albums, America’s Music and The Farthest Horizon, independently, both of which charted on the Billboard Bluegrass Album Charts at No. 8 and No. 3, respectively. Their YouTube videos have now eclipsed over 25 million views. (YouTube.com/sleepymanbanjoboys)
About the Epilepsy Foundation
The Epilepsy Foundation, a national non-profit with 48 affiliated organizations throughout the United States, has led the fight against seizures since 1968. The Foundation is an unwavering ally for individuals and families impacted by epilepsy and seizures. The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to stop seizures and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), find a cure and overcome the challenges created by epilepsy through efforts including education, advocacy and research to accelerate ideas into therapies. The Foundation works to ensure that people with seizures have the opportunity to live their lives to their fullest potential. For additional information, please visit www.epilepsy.com.
“Like” the Epilepsy Foundation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/epilepsyfoundationofamerica and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/epilepsyfdn.
http://sleepymanbanjoboys.com/
