Whilst in production for the "Growing Hope" episode, Emmy-Award-winning Dateline producer Mario Garcia was introduced to Michael Sackler-Berner's music and felt it would be the perfect complement to the moving story he was documenting.  As fate would have it,Sackler-Berner was also a proponent for the legalization of marijuana, making the association even more meaningful for both.  Garcia commented, "The families involved in this story are so inspirational.  As I was working on this piece, I came to know Michael Sackler-Berner's music and was  inspired by this impressive artist and wondered if there was a way to blend the two."

Michael Sackler-Berner stated, "The fact that families in need of lifesaving, natural, pediatric medicine risk federal jail time in order to obtain it is absurd.  There is nothing more patriotic than speaking out and demanding that leaders overturn an illogical law.  That is precisely how we improve this country.  This program will inspire people to demand legislative change, and I am proud to have been involved.

The documentary is filled with Republicans, Democrats, soldiers, doctors, upper, middle, and lower class Americans all coming to the same conclusion - federal legalization.  Logic is the cause of this change in public opinion, not lobbying.  Kudos to NBC and the producers at Dateline for shining an unbiased light on yet another part of the war on drugs that is doing more damage than good."

"Growing Hope" takes a rare look at the lives of children with intractable epilepsy, which is often fatal, and the extraordinary sacrifices these parents make to change state law to improve their children's lives. Over a six month period, NBC News correspondent Harry Smith interviews these Virginia-based families as they embark on a united mission to legalize CBD and THCA oils, compounds that come from the marijuana and hemp plants. This non-psychoactive strain of medicinal marijuana has shown promise in reducing chronic seizures.

Smith shares their heartbreaking stories and the tremendous obstacles they face while navigating state law and a complicated medical system that provides limited options for those suffering with these extreme forms of epilepsy.  Dateline documents the debate over legalization in Virginia and the stigma attached to marijuana with the Colorado-based Stanley Brothers, the creators of the CBD oil known as "Charlotte's Web", as well as Dr. Amy Brooks-Kayal, President of the American Epilepsy Society and Governor Terry McAuliffe of Virginia.

Michael Sackler-Berner was recently featured on People's Music Lounge on People.com.  His music has been lauded as "haunting, intense" by Guitar World's Acoustic Nation. Michael Sackler-Berner's double EP release, BEGINNING, END AND IN-BETWEEN and FRAGILE MAGIC, respectively, is available now via all digital service providers.  The double EP features production contributions by esteemed musician Marshall Crenshaw, Grammy-winning producer Stewart Lerman (Elvis Costello, David Byrne, Sufjan Stevens) and Oscar-winning producer Leo Sidran ("The Motorcycle Diaries"), as well as musical contributions from David Mansfield (Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Bruce Hornsby And The Range) and Andy Burton (John Mayer).

New York singer/songwriter/guitarist Michael Sackler-Berner has had music featured in such hit television shows as "Sons Of Anarchy," "Nurse Jackie" and Amazon Studios' "Cocked." Michael Sackler-Berner is also the frontman and rhythm guitarist for the popular, not-so-side project, The Slim Kings, featuring Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel).  He has played and recorded with such musical greats as Jim Keltner (George Harrison, John Lennon, Traveling Wilburys), Reggie McBride (Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Rod Stewart) and Val McCallum (Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt).

For more information, please visit:

www.msbrecords.com

photo credit: Marc Millman