Little Kids Rock

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Media Contact:

Lisa Melsted 415-503-1818


The Bateman Group for Little Kids Rock

littlekidsrock@bateman-group.com

 

 
Nashville’s Mount View Elementary School Students Join World-Renowned Musicians on Stage at Muriel Anderson’s All-Star Guitar Night on July 18

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 13, 2009 — Little Kids Rock (LKR), a national nonprofit music program that provides free instruments and instruction to underfunded public schools, today announced that for the second year in a row, students from Mount View Elementary School will perform at Muriel Anderson’s All-Star Guitar Night® during the Summer NAMM 2009 conference in Nashville. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. on July 18th at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

The show will feature James Burton, Nokie Edwards, Tommy Emmanuel, Duane Eddy, Greg Bennett, Rick Vito, Billy Sheehan, and other world-renowned musicians. The Little Kids Rock students will perform along with their teacher, Mark Hale, who teaches music to more than 60 students in the third through fifth grades at Mount View Elementary School in Nashville. Hale’s music program is supported by Little Kids Rock, which provides instruments, curriculum and teaching support to teachers like Hale both in the Nashville area and nationwide. Little Kids Rock has provided free music education and instruments to over 3,000 Nashville-area children since 2005.

“Muriel has been a supporter of Little Kids Rock since the beginning and by inviting Mount View Elementary School to perform, has helped our program grow and gain visibility in one of the most important cities for American music,” said Dave Wish, executive director of Little Kids Rock. “By meeting professional musicians and playing on stage with them, the kids can see impact that music can have on their lives in the long run, and this is a very powerful experience for them.”

Since 2002, Little Kids Rock has been dedicated to putting music back in schools by providing teachers with free musical instruments and training so that they can instruct students on their favorite music styles, including rock, blues, rap and hip-hop. At the close of the 2008-09 school year, more than 42,000 students in over 600 schools from 21 cities had benefited from the Little Kids Rock program.

“Little Kids Rock is a phenomenal program that has made a lasting impact on the kids, teachers and parents in the Nashville area, and I am proud to have them join us on our stage,” said Muriel Anderson, host and originator of All-Star Guitar Night. “The energy that the kids bring to the performance adds a special element to the program and is always a highlight of the night.”

Anderson is the founder of The Music for Life Alliance, which facilitates the efforts of individuals and organizations making music learning accessible to young people who may not otherwise be able to experience the educational, psychological, and social benefits of making music. Through awards, grants and recognition, and by creating and maintaining a national database, the Music for Life Alliance helps support and unify grassroots efforts across the country.

Press interested in attending the concert or speaking with representatives from Little Kids Rock should contact littlekidsrock@bateman-group.com.

About Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night®

Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night® originated in 1993 as an informal get-together after the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention and NAMM show, two simultaneous events which brought together some of the finest guitarists in the world. In an informal atmosphere, sitting around the pool playing music for each other and with each other, inevitably the best music happened. All Star Guitar Night has enjoyed resounding success in bringing that same magic in front of an audience.

Now in its 16th year, All Star Guitar Night concerts feature the world’s top guitar players. The list of past performers read like a who’s who of guitar, including Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Steve Morse, and many others. Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night is a benefit concert for the Music for Life Alliance, which supports music education for disadvantaged children. More information can be found at: www.allstarguitarnight.com

About Little Kids Rock
Little Kids Rock is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in underfunded public schools. LKR was founded in San Francisco in 2002 by David Wish, an elementary school teacher who had grown frustrated with the lack of music education funding at his school. Today, LKR is the leading music education nonprofit in the US, serving more than 42,000 students at over 1,000 schools in 21 cities nationwide. LKR Honorary Board Members include Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Ziggy Marley, Les Paul and other famous friends in the music industry. More information can be found at: www.littlekidsrock.org and www.littlekidsrock.tv.