The lifesaving Keep the Beat tour sponsored by Neighborhood Heart Watch and AED manufacturer Medtronic is making its way across the country, educating thousands of fans of the legendary singer-songwriter James Taylor about sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of early defibrillation.

At each of 33 tour stops, concertgoers can visit the Neighborhood Heart Watch booth for AED demonstrations and information about launching a defibrillation program in their community.

NHW, the brainchild of world-renowned heart rhythm specialist Dr. Douglas Zipes, was launched in 2001 to save lives by bringing easy-to-use AEDs closer to where most sudden cardiac arrests occur--in the home. NHW promotes placement of an AED in every neighborhood in the country.

Special funding from the Keep the Beat tour will equip schools with the lifesaving devices. For more information about launching a Neighborhood Heart Watch program in your community, visit www.neighborhood-heart-watch.org.