Joshua Radin Talks About the Importance of Giving Back

Joshua Radin picked up his first guitar at the age of 29, and within 9 years has quickly risen up the indie music ranks, even scoring a coveted gig playing at Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's nuptials. But the low key musician says his life isn't all tours and backstage passes, instead he likes to dedicate much of his time to charity. We caught up with the "Paperweight" troubadour to talk about his latest charity gig with Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue and why he encourages his fans to get involved.

Radin will be heading out on tour to promote his next album, "Underwater" which hits shelves July 31, and said it was a perfect time to get involved with Barefoot Wine and their beach cleanup efforts. "Most of the year I'll be in the States touring, so I figured wherever I could be to help clean up the beaches and get people having a little more fun with the cleanups would be cool."

The current California resident says he likes to kick back at Malibu beaches like Zuma Beach, but hates to see litter and cigarette butts on the sand. "It is strange that everyone sees bottles and cans on beaches and it is easy to just pick something up and not litter. It is the golden rule."

"With cigarette butts…growing up with the mentality that your ashtray was the sand and people just think, oh it is just one big ashtray," he said. "[People] just bury it in the sand, and then our dogs dig them up and eat them on the beach, or they go out into the water and sea life eats them, and they're not biodegradable."

But you won't find the 38-year-old getting too preachy. "I am not one of those guys who spends all of his life with environmental causes - I am not perfect by any means." Instead he says he just thinks it is important for everyone to do their part.

This is the first time the Ohio native has gotten involved with an environmental project. He usually enjoys volunteering with kids. "I think it is so important to work with kids… there are a lot of things you can do in the short term, charity-wise, but if you fix the kids - all those problems get fixed in the long run."

Radin likes to dedicate time to "Little Kids Rock" where he heads to inner city schools to teach kids how to play one of his songs, and then invites them to a concert to play alongside him. "In a recession when public schools have those [arts] programs cut, it is such a shame. " This program is incredibly inspiring to both Radin and the kids. "You see their smiles and they just walk off stage. They get so excited, and it leads them to think that maybe they could do something artistic or creative," he shared.

He also volunteers his time by playing benefit concerts for charities like the World Childhood Foundation and Operation Smile. "It is all the little things," he says when it comes to volunteering. "If everyone just does little things."

We couldn't agree more, Josh. You can catch up with Josh by grabbing his new album, "Underwater" July 31, or head to one of these beach cleanups sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation and Barefoot Wine for a free concert after volunteering.