(l to r), Phil Gilley (Notes for Notes), Mitch Albom (author of the bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie and founder of S.A.Y. Foundation) and Nina Miller (Music Rising)
On August 12th Music Rising (www.musicrising.org) supported Notes for Notes in Detroit, a non profit organization that designs, equips and staffs after-school recording studios offering youth the opportunity to explore, create and record music for free. Music Rising was honored with a Diamond Record. Music Rising’s support will provide professional instruments and full recording facility opportunities for Detroit youth, a city which had declared bankruptcy. Photo credit: Mitch Albom Charities. Hi res image available upon request.
Richwood High School and Richwood Middle School in Nicholas County, West Virginia to Benefit from Donation
Charleston, West Virginia – (August 9, 2016) – Music Rising, the organization founded in 2005 after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina which has since gone on to become the music industry’s disaster relief fund, announced its generous support of $108,000 worth of instruments to help restore the music programs at schools that were destroyed by the recent floods in West Virginia. The support will help rebuild the music programs at Richwood High School and Richwood Middle School in Nicholas County, West Virginia. These schools lost everything in the floods that devastated the area on June 23 and 24, 2016. Music Rising partnered with the West Virginia Division of Culture and History to provide assistance. The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, which administers Music Rising, was contacted as one of the national organizations the commission had originally reached out to for help. The foundation immediately partnered with Music Rising and received a very positive response from the organization.“This is another remarkable milestone for Music Rising,” said U2’s the Edge, co-founder of Music Rising. “We hope that through our support we are able to foster future generations of students who will have the chance to experience the remarkable benefits which come from a vibrant music education program within their school. Keeping instruments in the hands of our youth plays a pivotal role in their futures on many levels.”“West Virginia public schools have strong music programs, supported by certified music teachers and school administrations who understand the value of arts education in schools” said Randall Reid-Smith, West Virginia Division of Culture and History commissioner. “As soon as I heard about the damage, I began hearing from music teachers and band directors who knew, even without seeing their schools, that the loss of music instruments was serious.”
In 2006, New Orleanians were ready for the Superdome to reopen, and on Sept. 14, the excitement multiplied exponentially when U2 and Green Day announced that they would perform as part of the pre-game festivities Monday, Sept. 25 before the Saints played the first game back against the Falcons on Monday Night Football.
“The Saints are Coming” has been part of the team’s game day since Green Day and U2 debuted it that night, but it was a risky choice. The song wasn’t well known, and when Scottish punk band The Skids released the song in 1979, it was about a friend of singer Richard Jobson, who joined the British Army and was killed in Northern Ireland.
U2 and GreenDay The Saints Are Coming – LIVE – New Orleans Then-Saints executive vice president Rita Benson LeBlanc told NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune in 2011, “Listening to the original, I had to cringe.” All she heard was “an extremely harsh and barely understandable punk song.”
All of us at Music Rising send our condolences and prayers to the U2 family on the loss of their longtime tour manager Dennis Sheehan. To Edge, Bono, Adam, Larry and the entire U2 family we send our thoughts at this difficult time. Dennis’ brilliant spirit and smile will be missed by all.
Lincoln Middle School Recipient of Instrument Grant Giving Low-Income Students Chance to Succeed
Legendary Music Producer Bob Ezrin to Appear Fender to Make Special Presentation Thursday, December 11, 2014 – 1pm
Detroit, Michigan – (December 2, 2014) – The holidays have arrived early to the students and faculty of Lincoln Middle School located in Macomb County, Michigan just north of Detroit. The school, which is indicative of Detroit’s current socioeconomic status, received a full grant of instruments from Music Rising (musicrising.org) in collaboration with The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (mhopus.org). Fender has also stepped in to support the initiative.
Once the wealthiest city in America, Detroit filed Chapter 9 bankruptcy in July of 2013. The city was once known as the “arsenal of democracy.” It was the fourth largest city in the U.S. but now it has become an example of urban decay and rapidly decreasing population. The city has an unemployment rate which was as high as 29% at the height of the recession. Almost a third of Detroit has been abandoned and lines of empty apartment buildings, businesses and factories are all reminders of how the economy can turn a once-powerhouse of a city into dismal and less hopeful circumstances.
