The spark started with one session. A single day in the studio with singer-songwriter Chris Pierce, three songs laid down—quick, live, no frills. And then something shifted.

Cinema Music Group didn’t plan for Heart Of Gold Volume 1 to become a full-length tribute album. But, like many of the great records they admire, it just started to take shape—organically, intuitively and always with purpose.

“The Bridge School benefit concerts ran for 30 or so years,” CMG told Entertainment Flair. “Loads of artists played those concerts, and I don’t think it could’ve run for so many years if there wasn’t this infectious energy that carried through those events, year to year.”

That energy is at the heart of Heart Of Gold Volume 1, a Neil Young tribute album produced by CMG in collaboration with an all-star cast of artists. Fiona Apple. Eddie Vedder. Sharon Van Etten. Chris Pierce. And more still to come.

“There’s something special about the Bridge School. It feels like family,” CMG said. “We tried to hold on to that with this project. Everyone who worked on this record is connected in some way or another. It ended up having that same family feeling the concerts had.”

The result is a 12-track compilation that leans on intimacy, not polish. Each artist selected a Neil Young song to cover, creating a tracklist rooted in personal connection rather than commercial strategy.

“By letting the artists pick their own songs, they ended up recording songs they really connected with,” CMG said. “I think it’s made the record feel really intimate.”

The performances were mostly captured live, in one or two takes. Not because it was faster, but because it felt truer to the material—and to Young’s own style.

“There’s a certain energy that’s captured in the first few takes,” they said. “It’s very much an ‘in the moment’ thing, and it’s really hard to replicate that after multiple takes. Music’s quite a primal thing. If it ends up sounding too perfect, it sounds less human.”

That philosophy has deep roots. CMG’s Niko Bolas has worked with Neil Young for over three decades and knows how the artist approaches the studio.

“Neil’s very much a one-take guy too,” CMG said. “I think when you’re making a record of Neil’s songs, you kind of have to respect his own process and record everything the same way. It’s what has made his records and songs stand the test of time.”

The journey to Volume 1 began in earnest during a 2023 studio session. Pierce was there. So was Draco Rosa, a longtime friend. Dave Palmer, CMG’s musical director, reached out to Sharon Van Etten. By the end of the day, three tracks were in the can.

From there, the project snowballed.

“We actually reached out to Brandi Carlile too, but her schedule was very busy,” CMG said. “It took us 15 months before she was able to record ‘Philadelphia.’”

Young gave his blessing to the project early on. When asked what it meant to have his support, CMG didn’t hesitate: “Everything.”

The album’s purpose extends beyond tribute. All proceeds support The Bridge School, the nonprofit founded by Neil and Pegi Young to serve children with severe speech and physical impairments.

“Music has the ability to do powerful things,” CMG said. “We wanted to use it to do something good.”

So far, Heart Of Gold Volume 1 has raised $100,000 for the school. But for CMG, the numbers only tell part of the story. They visited The Bridge School themselves, meeting with students, parents and staff.

“It was such an inspiring thing to see,” CMG said. “We’d like to raise awareness for the school and its students, and we’re hoping that through Neil’s music and the artists on this record, we can reach as many people as possible.”

And the work isn’t done. Volume 2 is set to arrive this fall, with a third installment to follow.

“There’s so many artists we worked with across this project, we couldn’t fit them all on one vinyl,” CMG said. “We’re really excited to be able to share them with the world soon.”

CMG has built a reputation for giving familiar songs a fresh identity, blending soul, simplicity and sincerity. The key, they say, is not overthinking it.

“It’s important to let the artist pick the song,” they said. “It ensures that there’s a strong connection between the singer and the lyric, which is so important. That keeps the cover respectful to the original. We’re not trying to force anything that doesn’t come naturally.”

Their next project brings them back to a familiar face—Chris Pierce. His new record is already underway at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles.

“We’re really excited to be working with him again,” CMG said. “The songs are really good. He’s writing some incredible music at the moment.”

From a handful of raw takes to a full-fledged benefit project, Heart Of Gold Volume 1 is more than a tribute. It’s a gathering of artists, of values, of voices raised in solidarity.

“It’s almost like this record wanted to be made,” CMG said. “All the pieces fell into place.”