R&B Cover by Lori Jenaire to Benefit Those with Autoimmune Diseases

Singer Lori Jenaire is on a mission beyond sales and charting. With the release of her single — which listed in the Top Five Billboard Hot Singles Sales —  “As You Are,” a remake of the 1978 Pharaoah Sander’s R&B classic, Jenaire is pledging a portion of all proceeds from its sale to benefit people with autoimmune diseases, including herself.

Specifically, Jenaire is pledging 0.25 cents of every sale of “As You Are” to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), now celebrating its 25^th anniversary. To mark the occasion,  AARDA launched an initiative called the #25for25 Campaign,  inviting individuals and organizations worldwide to recognize and support its work on behalf of people with autoimmune diseases, of which over 100 types are known to exist, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease.

Cover art for Lori Jenaire’s “As You Are.” (Credit: imagizer.imageshack.us/PRNewswire)

“I am just so empowered by AARDA and the work that they have done and continue to do with regard to autoimmune related diseases,” Jenaire said in a press release, which did not specify her illness. “I’m truly humbled to be able to partake in their #25for25 campaign as we raise awareness and money for the remarkable services they provide.”

Jenaire hopes that her remake, which also features Patrice Rushen, helps to uplift others struggling with health problems, while encouraging compassion and global healing.

“‘As You Are’ holds a special significance for me now,” Jenaire said. “Coming face to face with my own recent diagnosis has brought me to terms with so many different things. When I listen to the lyrics of  ‘As You Are,’ they resonate with me so deeply. We all are in need of a quiet, safe space that is deep and internal. That is where the healing begins. ‘As You Are’ is that gentle reminder that we can all go there and be accepted as we are.”

Jenaire, a Chicago native, is known for her vocal stylings, and claims as her musical influences Sarah Vaughan, Anita Baker, and Angela Bofill.  Her hits have consistently placed at the top of the R&R Jazz Indicator charts, or on the Smoot Jazz.com indie charts.

According to the AARDA, autoimmune diseases like lupus disproportionately affect women, who account for about 75% of the more than 50 million Americans known to be living with them.