We're making final preparations for a two-year RV tour that will take us to dozens of cities across the United States. Hungry for Music founder and executive director, Jeff Campbell, plans to spend enough time in each city to set up the infrastructure for a local, volunteer-driven Hungry for Music chapter that will collect, repair, and distribute musical instruments. New Orleans will be the first of these chapters, and a kick-off benefit concert (TBA) will happen at Chickie Wah Wah's.

After New Orleans, we'll be making stops in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. In May, we head back to Washington, DC for the annual Hungry for Crawfish Boil. Then, we'll be rolling into Cleveland, Ohio June 6-11 for an instrument drive sponsored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, culminating with a showcase concert on June 11th, featuring eight programs that we support.

If we're coming to your area and you'd like to join the local Hungry for Music team or drop off a donation, please email us at contact@hungryformusic.org.

Proof That Music Heals

As a teenager in 1964, Steve Mezico began collecting Rock ’n’ Roll Memorabilia before such a thing even existed. Duane Allman taught him to play guitar and he travelled with the Allman Brothers Band on tour. He became friendly with Rock ’n’ Roll royalty: the Beatles, especially John Lennon, David Crosby, and Neil Young.

He never stopped collecting ticket stubs, records, lots of posters, guitars; whatever he could get his hands on. Some of the items Steve obtained for under $100 are now worth tens of thousands of dollars. By any measure, Steve has done very, very well in the Rock ’n’ Roll Memorabilia business.

Now, Steve’s focus is on giving back and doing good. At his Melodymaker Music booth at the Leesport Flea Market, Steve would see children who wanted a guitar but whose parents couldn’t afford one. He would “lend” them a guitar, with the proviso that they bring it back if they aren’t playing it in six months. If they came back, he would teach them guitar technique, and the loan would become permanent; that is, the child would own the guitar.

Steve was also giving free lessons to children from his church. When a mom asked if he could teach guitar to her son who has Tourette’s syndrome, Steve said he was willing to try. The results were astounding. When he was playing, the involuntary muscle movements or tics that characterize the disease completely disappeared, a finding corroborated in a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

A Tourette’s syndrome support group got wind of this, and by June, Steve had 11 Tourette’s syndrome students, all facing their own challenges and all benefiting from the healing power of making music. He already has 13 students with Tourette’s syndrome signed up for lessons beginning next June.

The day after Christmas, Hungry for Music volunteer Jerry Schrepple delivered 12 acoustic guitars to Steve, in support of his efforts to spread the transforming power of music.

Below, a happy cello recipient at Liberty Christian School in Durham, NC.

Our last email featured a photo of Jaylen Branch of River City Drum Corps who received his very own drum set.

The director of River City Drum Corps, Ed White, tells us that Jaylen has been a member of the River City Drum Corps since he was four, and he really wanted to get him a drum set of his own because of his dedication.

Here's a snippet from the lovely thank you letter we received from Jaylen:

"Dear Hungry for Music,

First of all, thank you for the drum set. I really appreciate it.

When I first set it up I knew it was going to be a great set just because of the way it looked. This drum set is going to help us sound a lot better because when I hit the toms they will not ring as long as our old toms did also since the toms and snare are tuned the set will be crisp. Once again think you for this drum set."