FAIRMONT, NC – Thanks to your donations, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation donated brand new woodwind instruments including two (2) saxophones, one (1) clarinet, and one (1) flute to the music program at Fairmont Middle School!

***UPDATE 2/4/2020

Ms. Foxworth, music director at Fairmont Middle School has a wonderful update for us regarding the new instruments we donated back in September 2019!

Dear Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Inc.,

This school year has been amazing so far. Thanks to your generous contribution, there are enough instruments for all the students that are in the program. These instruments are being shared among the students and will continue to be used by future students for years to come. Music is a means of expression for a number of my students. Your donation has given them an opportunity to be a part of an organization that can open so many doors and serve them in immeasurable ways as they advance in life. These students will be able to compete with other musicians for once in a life time opportunities and performers at various locations. The students have done two parades this semester and a winter concert. Next semester the students in the program will put on a Black History Month concert, spring concert, parade and they are also going to play at a professional hockey game. This would not be possible without your help. On behalf of myself and my students I would like to say thank you. We are grateful and it has truly been a blessing to see them grow in the last few months. They appreciate music class even more now that they know that there are people out there who will invest in their interest. You have changed lives and again thank you.

With gratitude,
Ms. Foxworth

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“[Currently,] my students enter the world of music each time they enter our music room,” states Ms. Cherelle Foxworth. She is a first-year band director from Fayetteville State University.

“The students in my class are resilient and nothing short of amazing having gone through two natural disasters in two years. They continue to amaze me in their ability to spread joy, pride, and camaraderie throughout the community when they perform. I am proud of each and every one of them. They have taught me that music is an outlet that is far more powerful then I could have ever imagined. Despite the hardships that they have faced in the recent years, these students continue to push and give me their all in the classroom. I am thankful that I am their teacher because they are all true inspirations.”

Nearly all of the students attending Fairmont Middle School come from low-income households. For them, music is not only an elective in their class schedules, it is a gateway of opportunity and an outlet for expression and creativity. By helping the band program to expand its instrumentation, the students will enjoy more variety and diversity within the repertoire. The woodwinds are an essential component of band literature.

“The students in the music program are phenomenal at making music and these instruments will [also] boost their confidence. This year, the students will have the opportunity to play out of state and these instruments would help improve the overall sound.”

Thanks to the generosity of Joe Bonamassa fans and music lovers like you, Ms. Foxworth will receive new instruments for her band program. At least 50 students will benefit from these school-owned instruments and they will be encouraged to keep music as a part of their daily lives forever!

Keeping the Blues Alive 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 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 66,000 students by sponsoring over 400 various music projects! 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 supporting music education for the next generation!