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Shawn Gonzalez

KTBA Donates Tubano Drums to Elementary School Music Program

MOUNT OLIVE, MS – Thanks to your donations, KTBA purchased band new Tubano Hand Drum Sets for the young students at Mt. Olive Attendance Center in Mount Olive, Mississippi! Tubano drums are large drums with durable rawhide drum heads built to withstand the elements – or in this case – elementary kids! These drums are lightweight, storable, and come in a pack of 3-sizes for varying timbers and pitches. From a musical standpoint, drums provide a strong basis from which to build an understanding of rhythmic theory and notation. From a social point of view, drumming is very communal and collaborative – a critical component to a child’s growth at this tender age. Mrs. Jenkins, the school’s music teacher says, “The students at my school are inquisitive and always ready to learn. They are excited about all aspects of music class and constantly seek to be involved in both private and public music performances.” Since nearly all of the students in Mount Olive come from economically disadvantaged households, music class carries much more weight. Students are excited and eager to jump straight into new material; they embrace the opportunity for self-expression and creativity. “Many of my students come to class full of life – ready to dive into a high energy music lesson,” Mrs. Jenkins explains. “They bring such a positivity towards the music subject that I am encouraged to do more for them and supplement their learning with more hands-on activities. Their eagerness to “do,” and not merely observe, truly inspire me to be better for them everyday.” According to Mrs. Jenkins, drumming is an amazing way to teach students to compartmentalize as an individual as well as work together with a team. “Our kids literally cannot wait to get their hands on drums!” she adds. “[Currently], we only have 5-gallon paint buckets which are not efficient for hand drumming. They can be painful over the duration of class time due to the hard plastic material that is not intended for hands.” The incorporation of using real hand drums will provide opportunities for the students to measure rhythm through time mathematically and gain performance confidence as a true musician. Additionally, students will learn the importance and understanding of synergy and teamwork in a percussion ensemble. Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Mrs. Jenkins’ music project – outfitting the music classroom with new drums for the class to share. Mrs. Jenkins expresses her gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., Thank you so so much for your generosity and support for our music program. Our students here don’t have many opportunities to play on real instruments and they are THRILLED that we have been fully funded. I am extremely grateful for you and all who make Donors Choose possible. We can’t wait to share pictures and updates! With gratitude, Mrs. Jenkins Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. Without your support, we would not be able to reach as many students around the country. We are grateful for your generosity! To date, KTBA has reached over 60,000 students. If you would like to help us to continue to grow, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools!

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April 10, 2019

KTBA Donates Method Books and Supplies to Middle School Program

MARION, SC – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated lesson books, boxes of reeds for the woodwind instruments, and supplies to the music program at Johnakin Middle School! The town of Marion is located in the Northeastern region of the state, just twenty miles east of Florence. It’s concert and pep bands have been known to stir up the crowd, but those days are numbered. “My students were a great, driven, and fun group of kids who lacked the materials needed to pursue music further,” Ms. Tepedino explained. “When I first started at [Johnakin Middle School], I encountered the issue that the school did not have the funds to properly provide drum sticks, reeds, and method books for the students. My goal was to get a classroom set of method books for the students and a few extra pairs of drumsticks, and boxes of reeds for the students.” Band is considered to be a voluntary elective at Johnakin Middle. However, while the students were proud to be an active part of their local community, they were struggling to find the funds necessary to help provide for this program. It’s continuity was jeopardized. “To the community, the students, and myself, we found this program to be a vital part of [the school curriculum] however, the funding was just not there to help us grow,” Ms. Tepedino adds. Traditions of Excellence instrumental method books – like the ones chosen for this project – are some of the most widely used and time-tested curricula for modern band programs. Ranging from percussion, strings, brass, woodwinds, and everything in-between, Tradition of Excellence books cover the entire spectrum of band repertoire. “My personal project, since coming to this school, was to help build a music program that would make my students proud,” she adds. “My children have worked hard for the things they have already achieved. They really have been patient as I acquire the materials as I can, but it has been a long tedious process.” Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Ms. Tepedino’s music project. Ms. Tepedino expresses her gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., Words cannot even begin to describe how much I appreciate the generosity and the willingness to help the JMS Band Program. As a first year teacher, you never really realize how much you rely on the donations from people as well as yourself. Thank you for this selfless act of kindness. With gratitude, Ms. Tepedino Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. Without your support, we would not be able to reach as many students around the country. We are grateful for your generosity.” To date, KTBA has reached over 60,000 students. If you would like to help us to continue to grow, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools!

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April 5, 2019

KTBA Donates Percussion Mallets to Middle School Music Program!

KTBA Donates Percussion Mallets to Middle School Music Program School Name – Bessemer City Middle School Teacher Name: Ms. Cline BESSEMER CITY, NC – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated 32 pairs of percussion mallets to the music students at Bessemer City Middle School! Every percussion section is a treasure chest. From tambourines, to shakers, pitched instruments such as the xylophone, low end from bass drums – they all work together to being stability to the band. However, when pitched instruments are involved, players must choose which mallet produces the best attack for the musical moment. Up until this donation, the color palette for a Bessemer City Middle School percussion student was forcibly dark and cold. With only a few sad mallets to choose from, discouragement set in and painted a gloomy picture for their audience. “Each student at our school has to struggle in some way to get through their day,” Ms. Cline explains. Ms. Cline teaches band at Bessemer City Middle. “All students are provided free breakfast and lunch and many of them do not have the luxury of a stable home life. I have some kids that come to my classroom in clothes that don’t fit, without jackets, without backpacks, and without basic school supplies because they simply cannot afford it. Although they do not have these basic tools, each child still comes into my class with a desire to create something of their own. Much like us adults, my students want to make their mark on something whether that be in mechanics, medicine, art, engineering, or music. Each of them strive and work towards their own goals and it is my job to help facilitate that drive.” Ms. Cline started a fundraiser for her school to raise the funds needed to purchase new percussion mallets. However, according to Ms. Cline, the impact of this donation reaches much deeper than the surface repertoire and instrumentation. “Middle school is a place in students’ lives where they are exploring new and foreign things that they haven’t experienced before. They are branching out and trying new things through their classes and are being handed so many opportunities to learn exciting concepts. These students are yearning for [hands-on] activities that allow them to play and create their own music. So often, our students complain about how school is boring because they have to sit all day but it shouldn’t always be that way. Music should be a classroom where kids get to explore different sounds and styles in a way that they do not experience in their other courses. With the proper materials, students can learn through aural and kinesthetic avenues – branching out their minds and their musical experiences. They need to be able to feel music in their palms and see it come to life. Mallets give students a way to feel the difference between loud and soft by how hard they strike, to see that a ‘G’ is lower than an ‘A’, and encourages the strengthening of motor skills as their brains develop. They can experiment with improvisation activities on familiar songs and with different tempos but none of that is possible if they cannot hear what they are playing. Mallets are a necessity in the general music classroom and we are doing students a disservice if we cannot provide them with a way to experience music with their bodies as well as their minds.” We couldn’t agree with Ms. Cline more. Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Ms. Cline’s music project. Dozens of new percussion mallets will fill up the percussion section and give students the hands-on learning experience that they deserve. Ms. Cline expresses her gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., I wanted to express my great appreciation for your donations to this classroom. There is nothing more disappointing than handing students an instrument and them telling them that they have to use a pencil to try and play it. These mallets will give students the ability to really experience how instruments are supposed to sound and be played. We are in the process of composing short songs which will truly come to life when played with new mallets. I cannot wait to share pictures of the excitement and musicality that will come from these tools that you have provided for us! You have shown such generosity and support and it does not go unnoticed, thank you. With gratitude, Ms. Cline Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. Without your support, we would not be able to reach as many students around the country. We are grateful for your generosity. To date, KTBA has reached over 60,000 students. If you would like to help us to continue to grow, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools!  

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March 27, 2019

KTBA Donates Acoustic Guitars to Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts School!

KTBA Donates Acoustic Guitars to Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts School! School Name – Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts School Teacher Name: Mr. Hayashi TUCSON, AZ – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated three (3) new acoustic guitar packages to the music program at Gallego Intermediate Fine Arts School! “My students are in a district with low income demographics,” Mr. Hayashi explains. Although I teach fourth through eighth grade at this school, the class for which I am hoping to receive funding is comprised of the middle school grades, six through eight.” “Although my students are generally from economically disadvantaged homes, their attitudes are certainly not disadvantaged; they have a healthy desire for learning and creativity. We are a music class that is part of an outreach program through the local university. This outreach program has 28 other classes just in this city alone. (There are other classes in three other states.) Our class progress is far ahead of any other class in the program curriculum and the program supervisors are quite impressed. My students enjoy learning and enjoy being a part of a creative outlet,” Hayashi adds. Their success in the music classroom translates to success in other classes as well. This correlation is crucial when attempting to receive funding for music projects. “My students are AMAZING. They, in spite of our need for better equipment and in spite of them living in sometimes trying circumstances, are leaders in their program. In the 28 similar programs under the auspices of our local university, our talented classical guitar class is far ahead of any class in the curriculum progress. They have done this with some guitars that are damaged, and some students play with guitars that are too small for them. We have been the grateful recipients of the limited funds from our school district, and from donors in our community. Three more new full sized guitars and protective bags will finally fulfill our needs for this year.” By funding this project, KTBA has empowered students who needed the proper tools to express their creativity, develop patience, develop the ability to reach long-term goals, and foster collaborative team work. “The students come to class every day, they learn to tune their guitars, play exercises together that develop technique, and learn repertoire that encompasses traditional folk songs to Mozart and Bach to multicultural pieces. It is more difficult to accomplish these things when the instrument is too small. This highly affects technique, which in classical guitar, is coordinating a bass or melody line with the thumb while playing the melody line or the harmony with the other fingers of the hand. Size of the guitars affects the detailed distances that affect coordination, posture, and arm and hand placement. A properly sized guitar would enhance their learning and progress.” Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Mr. Hayashi’s music project. Mr. Hayashi expresses his gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!! Wow! We so appreciate your generous contribution that funded the whole project! I cannot wait to inform my students tomorrow. They will be so excited that the whole class will have proper instruments of the correct size on which to learn. There will no longer be a friendly competition race to the classroom to get a full size guitar! With gratitude, Mr. Hayashi Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. Without your support, we would not be able to reach as many students around the country. We are grateful for your generosity. To date, KTBA has reached over 60,000 students. If you would like to help us to continue to grow, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools!

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March 22, 2019

Ukuleles Donated to Middle School Students

 KTBA Donates Ukuleles to Middle School Students School Name – ILEAD Spring Meadows Teacher Name: Mr. Baumgartner HOLLAND, OH – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated a classroom set of ukuleles to students at ILEAD Spring Meadows School! Much to the pleasure of local administration, parents, and staff, 2019 is the inaugural year for a dedicated music program to be implemented in this active, creative learning school. “My students have an eager thirst to learn and I want to give them an opportunity to learn music in new ways and leave a lasting impression on my students,” Music Teacher, Mr. Baumgartner explains. “I live for the days I get to see my students smiling and filled with joy as they get to continue their exploration into music,” he adds. “Incorporating new ways for my students to enjoy learning is the reason I became a music teacher.” Before the ukulele class was created, some of the students have never had a music class at all. “We’ve been working hard to learn kinesthetically, but it can be difficult without the use of musical instruments. Being able to introduce some instruments into their musical learning will help with my students excitement, and would also be good preparation for future endeavors. Since my school has never had a music program in the past, it has been pretty difficult to get and hold student interest. Much of this is due to a lack of resources available. There are very few instruments in the school but having a whole section on ukuleles would help peak the interest of the students.” The benefits of taking ukulele lessons are extremely beneficial. Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Mr. Baumgartner’s music project. Mr. Baumgartner expresses his gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., Thank you so much for your generous donation! The students will definitely benefit from these instruments. One of the biggest issues I’ve had this year has been keeping the interest and excitement in the students, but bringing in a new instrument will definitely help with this. Thank you so much and I can’t wait to see how the students connect with the new ukuleles. With gratitude, Mr. Baumgartner Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. Without your support, we would not be able to reach as many students around the country. We are grateful for your generosity. If you would like to help us fund next week’s project, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools! Shawn Hagood for Keeping the Blues Alive

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March 15, 2019

KTBA Funds Music Production Lab in the Steel City!

KTBA Funds Music Production Lab in Pittsburgh School Name – Pittsburgh Brashear High School Teacher Name: Mr. Lindey PITTSBURGH, PA – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated music production equipment to the music program at Brashear High School! This included a Shure SM58-LC Cardiod Vocal Mic, stands, cables, and acoustic foam that are certain to take their music production courses to the next level! At Brashear High School, more than half of students come from low-income households. This makes it increasingly difficult for teachers to expect parents to pay for instrument rentals, repairs, or to contribute to classroom fundraisers. However, from a cultural standpoint, the melting pot of cultures and religions has been a huge motivator for classrooms to explore musical concepts that identify with the students’ heritages. Mr. Lindey, the music teacher at Brashear explains, “Our school is a high needs, inner city, public high school with a large immigrant and refugee population, many of whom speak little to no English. It is a dynamic, racially diverse school that boasts multiple opportunities for innovative creation, including digital photography, STEAM track, spring musical, fall play, band, African drumming, CTE programs, ceramics and now, music technology and TV production!” The combination of Music Technology and TV Production is a great way to expose students to modern trades, vocational opportunities, and creative outlets of expression. Thanks to the interactive and engaging programming at Brashear, students have become more and more excited to enroll. “The current electives classes were busting at the seams (thirty plus students per class), which is why music technology and TV production were recently added,” Lindey adds. “[However,] our traditional music technology lab has left students feeling a bit deflated and underwhelmed. Many of my students have been looking for increased opportunities to record their own music, and a recording studio in the classroom will do just that.” Now that the process of recording music has become easier, it made sense to help Brashear find its way “to the booth” and provide useful tools to let students record their own material. The microphone package and the sound dampening foam will provide opportunities for the students to practice, record, and engineer their own original songs. Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Mr. Lindey’s project. The equipment will be delivered to the school within a week. Mr. Lindey expresses his gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., Thanks so much for funding this project! You’ll see how much this is appreciated when I send you some photos and thank you letters from my students. This is my first funding request and I’m still a bit in shock over your generosity. My students will be shocked, too! With gratitude, Mr. Lindey Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. Without your support, we would not be able to reach as many students around the country. We are grateful for your generosity. If you would like to help us fund next week’s project, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools! Shawn Hagood for Keeping the Blues Alive

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March 8, 2019

KTBA Donates 12 New Guitars to Jr. High School Program

KTBA Donates 12 New Guitars to Jr. High School Program School Name – Paideia Academy Teacher Name: Ms. Avella PHOENIX, AZ – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated 12 new guitars to students at Paideia Academy! ***UPDATE 6/12/19 Ms. Avella expresses her gratitude and wants to share some photos of the bright young musicians working on their new guitars! Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., Thank you very much for your help. My scholars are very excited to learn how to care for, tune, and play the guitar. Thanks to your genrousity we will sson have this wonderful oppertunity to share with others the gift of music and be able to cultivate their natural talents and abilities. With gratitude, Ms. Avella “My students are very energetic, creative, and full of curiosity,” Ms. Avella explains. “They love hands-on projects and want to be able to play instruments and learn more about tones, pitches, and sounds. They come to school every day, with inquiring minds – lots of questions. Being able to reach each one of them and encourage their musical aspirations brings great joy to my life!” Paideia Academy caters to all students in the neighboring community and quite a few of them do not have the means to own their own instruments or play them outside of school. Being able to bring music into their lives would make a huge impact in their educational growth. “The materials and supplies that I am requesting for my students will be put to great use for my middle and junior academy students who can share their love of music and inspiration to others. The 13 guitars will give the students the opportunity to experience hands-on learning and be used for the choir and drama club as well.” Many of the students taking music lessons come from Latin American homes where many of them have seen or been exposed to guitars and heard their music, but never had the opportunity to experience them for themselves. These instruments will also help to teach them discipline and the ethic of hard work and determination, through a fun outlet. Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Ms. Avella’s music project and donated twelve (12) new guitars to the band program! The guitars will be delivered to Paideia Academy, where they will be distributed amongst the different classrooms ahead of their end of year performances! Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is a 501c3 organization that makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more every week! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. Without your support, we would not be able to reach as many students around the country. We are grateful for your generosity. If you would like to help us fund next week’s project, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools! Shawn Hagood for Keeping the Blues Alive

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February 22, 2019

KTBA Donates New Trumpets to Junior High Music Program

KTBA Donates Three (3) New Trumpets to Junior High Music Program School Name – Monument Academy Public Charter School Teacher Name: Mr. Pearsall WASHINGOTN, D.C. – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated 3 new trumpets to the students at Monument Academy Public Charter School! The manufacturer, Etude, is known for producing quality student model instruments for beginners – including brass and woodwinds. The students are thrilled, eager, and ready to learn. “As an educator, there are several things that I love about the students of my school,” Mr. Pearsall explains. “The students at the school have a large amount of energy that they exude throughout the school day. I believe expressing themselves using music will help and give students another outlet to release any extra energy or emotions. Students weren’t always aware of instruments that are in the world and can be played. Once they were introduced to different videos and pictures of the instruments they could possibly play, the students started naming which instruments they’d play, if available. The students are special because they have created a tenacious bond among themselves that you don’t typically see in kids their age. The bond has been created between the students from their daily living; however, the bond can only get stronger as the young students learn to play different musical instruments together.” Many projects are sent to Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation and thousands more through DonorsChoose.org. Each music project presents its own challenges and fundraising goals to meet. Considering the fact that nearly all of the students enrolled at Monument Academy come from low-income households, it proved to be a daunting task to fundraise $1,000 from the local community. The benefits were obvious, but Mr. Pearsall sought some help. “The trumpets that can be gained from this project can help [these] students in many different ways,” Mr. Pearsall says. “Students will have the opportunity to work with different instruments that they have never even seen in person. Several students have heard instruments within a concert band, but never had the opportunity to put the sound of an instrument with the physical form of the instrument.” Sadly, the kids were very upset that there weren’t enough instruments for them to use for practice and performances. They didn’t see the value in studying music without the proper tools. We sure couldn’t blame them! “Many of the school’s students learn through hands-on activities. Instruments in the classroom will help keep students engaged,” Pearsall adds. “The students feel as though people outside of the school don’t believe in their abilities to be great. Instruments will give the students of this young generation something to believe in for themselves, as well as give them hope that people outside the school believe in them as well. In conclusion, students have expressed wanting to learn music. However, students feel as though with their lack of experience knowing instruments, they can’t apply themselves in the classroom. Instruments will heighten morale within the students to make them want to get more involved in the classroom. Along with the morale, students will have something to believe in as far as their education is concerned.” Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like YOU, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was able to fund Mr. Pearsall’s music project and donated three (3) new trumpets to the band program! Mr. Pearsall expresses his gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., I am extremely humbled by the generosity of the organization. Thank you very much for the time that was taken to deem the project worthy of being funded. I am beyond excited for the students of my school. The students are definitely looking forward to being able to produce music on the items gathered. Again, thank you very much. With gratitude, Mr. Pearsall Every week, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. If you would like to help us fund next week’s project, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools! Shawn Hagood for Keeping the Blues Alive

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February 14, 2019

KTBA Donates New 3-Octave Xylophone to Music Program

KTBA Donates New 3-Octave Xylophone to Music Program School Name – Simpson Central School Teacher Name: Mr. John Wesley, Music Teacher PINOLA, MS – Thanks to your donations, KTBA donated a brand new 3-octave xylophone to the music program at Simpson Central School. The gift package includes an instrument stand and a travel bag! “My students are all part of a performing middle school band program. Students showcase their musical abilities and skills at pep rallies for multiple sports, community band concerts, and adjudicated contests and festivals. Many of my students excel outside of group performance on an individual level as well! They practice for auditions, take private lessons, and continually bug me for deeper, more advanced music.” “To whom much is given, much is required” – the old saying goes. For exceptional teachers like Mr. Wesley, his talent and passion for educating and providing appropriate learning tools has landed him with the difficult task of fulfilling the instrumental voids of the classroom with a meager budget. “[My] students’ individual learning as well as the band program’s growth is being stifled from a lack of quality equipment.” While several areas of the program do not have the necessary materials, the greatest area of need is the percussion section. “If you’ve ever been a part of a musical group, you know that the percussion section is the “heartbeat” of a group. Without the proper equipment, it is almost impossible to properly play advanced music. The lack of even the most standard equipment in our percussion section has severely limited the progression of the student’s growth and maturity as musicians. I take my students’ music education very seriously. The amount of time and effort I require of my students produces great results. However, we have reached a plateau. The lack of basic mallet percussion equipment is severely impeding the progression of my percussion students. Because my percussion students cannot progress, neither can the other musicians in the band program. My band director was fond of saying this: ‘A band program is, like a chain, only as strong as its weakest point.’ The learning of a small group of students is stifled, but it is affecting the entire program. With a 3-octave xylophone, a whole new range of techniques can be taught to these students: dampening, multiple mallets, and solo percussion literature to name just a few. As the percussion section learns to properly play the xylophone, all the students will positively be affected. A different level of music will be opened up to the entire band program that wasn’t available before because of the lack of proper instruments. The more difficult and challenging music I am able to put in front of my students, the more they grow as musicians. I am a firm believer that music education changes lives. As my students learn more music, the more they will be able to contribute to a well-rounded society.” Keeping the Blues Alive stands in unity with Mr. Wesley and his ambitions. That is why, thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like you, KTBA was able to donate the 3-octave xylophone for Mr. Wesley’s music program. By incorporating the music theory behind pitched percussion and the rhythmic virtuosity of a drummer, this band program will be able to attempt better musical selections and widen their music search through instrumentation. The percussion section can break out into smaller groups, or ensembles, to perform chamber literature as well as accompany the larger group as a whole. Mr. Wesley expresses his gratitude: Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc., Thank all of you so much for your very generous contributions to my middle school band! The percussion students are very grateful and incredibly excited to finally have a true mallet instrument in their classroom. It will make a huge impact on our ability to learn and play music properly. With gratitude, Mr. Wesley Every week, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation makes a donation to a school in need of music instruments, supplies, sheet music, and more! Your donation helps us to keep music in schools, while preserving blues heritage. If you would like to help us fund next week’s project, click here to make a donation! All donations are fully tax-deductible! Thank you for keeping music education in schools! Shawn Hagood for Keeping the Blues Alive

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February 6, 2019

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Our mission is to conserve the art of music in schools by funding projects, scholarships, and grants that preserve music education for the next generation. Every week, we donate to a school in need of instruments, sheet music, supplies and more in the effort to uphold the rich culture and history of the Blues as a true American art form.

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