Little Kids Rock

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

Keith Hejna


Little Kids Rock

Work: (973) 746-8248

keith@littlekidsrock.org

Little Kids Rock programs in Nashville and Los Angeles will benefit from guitars autographed by Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Warren Haynes and others

Montclair, NJ, Sept. 23, 2009 — Little Kids Rock (LKR), a national nonprofit music program that provides free instruments and instruction to underfunded public schools, today announced that Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) raised $11,000 for the Nashville chapter of LKR at the annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival silent auction on June 12-14. In total, Fender donated 10 autographed guitars to be sold at the auction.

Fender also donated 14 guitars and basses, and seven amps to LKR, with a total list value of more than $13,000. Nine guitars and seven amps will go to Los Angeles schools with LKR programs, and the rest will be auctioned off at LKR’s Right to Rock fundraiser at the BB King Blues Club & Grill on October 22.

“Fender has been one of the biggest supporters of LKR throughout our history, allowing us to reach tens of thousands of kids across the country with first-class instruments and music education,” said David Wish, LKR executive director. “These contributions are the latest in Fender’s continuous displays of generosity.”

LKR has trained 55 teachers in 39 Nashville public schools since November 2005, bringing the gift of music to 5,230 students. In Los Angeles, 109 teachers in 74 public schools have been trained since November 2004, reaching more than 6,000 students.

These donations will help build upon the strengths of current LKR programs in Nashville and Los Angeles by providing additional instruments to existing LKR schools and advancing the training of LKR teachers in these cities.

The autographed guitars provided by Fender included:

- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band signed Fender Classic 70’s Stratocaster® Natural Maple

- Elvis Costello, Grace Potter, Scott Tournet (of the Nocturnals) and Jim Lauderdale signed Fender Classic 60’s Telecaster® Candy Apple Red

- Moe and Warren Haynes signed Fender Classic ‘72 Telecaster Thinline Natural

- Wilco signed Fender Telecaster Two-Color

- Citizen Cope, Booker T and the Drive-By Truckers signed Fender Classic 70’s Stratocaster, Olympic White

- Nine Inch Nails signed Schecter Ultra III, Mahogany/Rosewood

- Peter Buck (of R.E.M.), Ilo Ferreira (of the Coral Reefer Allstars), Brett Dennen, The Del McCoury Band, Robyn Hitchcock, and Rodrigo y Gabriela signed Fender Telecaster

- Nick Zinner (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) signed Fender Classic 60’s Stratocaster Lake Placid Blue

- Catherine Popper (of the Nocturnals) and Rob Derhak of Moe signed Fender 50’s Precision Bass® Fiesta Red

- Unsigned Fender Classic Series ‘65 Mustang Daphne Blue

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. Little Kids Rock 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, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and instruments to low-income children in US public schools, and has served more than 85,000 students at over 1,100 schools in 20 cities nationwide. Little Kids Rock Honorary Board Members include Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Ziggy Marley and other famous friends in the music industry. More information can be found at: www.littlekidsrock.org.