With arts programs getting axed left and right, three heavy hitters are stepping up to fill the silence. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Save The Music Foundation, and iHeartMedia are joining forces on a new multi-year campaign to put instruments—and inspiration—back in public schools.
The partnership starts with 25+ new music programs launching in cities including Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles/Compton, Miami, and New York City. The plan goes beyond just funding: Hall of Fame artists will visit classrooms to mentor students, while iHeartMedia rolls out a PSA campaign across its 860+ stations to rally support nationwide.
Kicking things off on Good Morning America, Sheryl Crow—former music teacher, Rock Hall inductee, and longtime Save The Music supporter—will perform her classic “Every Day Is a Winding Road.” She’ll be joined by John Sykes (Rock Hall) and Henry Donahue (Save The Music) to talk about how the partnership aims to rebuild access to arts education across the country.
“Since 2019, Nashville’s community of artists and industry leaders has funded 12 music-education programs in our past honorees’ hometowns—reaching thousands of students nationwide,” says Danielle Zalaznick, Chief Development Officer at Save The Music.
This new push builds on that work, scaling it to a national level at a time when public schools need it most.
The announcement comes on the heels of Save The Music’s next big event: its 6th annual “Hometown to Hometown” fundraiser, taking place November 11 at City Winery in Nashville. The night will celebrate mtheory’s Cameo Carlson, Lee Ann Womack, and Old Dominion—all honored for their contributions to music education—with acoustic performances from Womack, Mickey Guyton, and Old Dominion themselves.
Funds from the event will support new music technology programs in high schools across Nashville, D.C., and Texas—continuing a mission that’s already brought $75 million in instruments and tech to more than 2,800 schools nationwide.
Music programs might seem like a luxury, but for countless students, they’re the thing that keeps school worth showing up for. With this new alliance, Save The Music, the Rock Hall, and iHeart are making a pretty loud statement: creativity deserves a seat in the classroom.
Sheryl Crow picture by Raph_PH licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
