While Boise fans are aching for a return from Concrete Blonde to the Treasure Valley, potential students of the Boise Rock School can rejoice. The recently reformed alt rockers made this an especially exciting Thanksgiving week for music fans and aspiring young musicians. The band made a rare, surprise appearance, billed as Johnette Napolitano, at Soundbite Studios in Los Angeles to help raise funds for the Rock School Scholarship Fund (www.rockschoolfund.org), a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides tuition and instruments to kids seven - 17 who want to attend any rock music school in the country, but whose parents do not have the financial means. Boise Rock School is just such entity.
Johnette played many of her hits including “Joey”, “Caroline”, “Ghost of a Texas Ladies’ Man” "God Is A Bullet" and "Everybody Knows." Rock school bands The Kingstons and Blacktop Saints also took to the stage for sets before and after Johnette.
Johnette also donated an original work of art that sold during a silent auction. Additional items included a drumhead from R.E.M. that was autographed in 1999 during their stay at Royaltone Studios in North Hollywood as they recorded the soundtrack for the motion picture "Man On The Moon" starring Jim Carrey (Visit eBay to bid on this item), a guitar signed by Jay Leno, Tom Morello and Ben Harper, a Danelectro Bass donated by Patrick Matera (Katy Perry) and a private guitar lesson with new music artist Erica Chase who also attended the event.
“I started the fund two years ago with Carl Restivo while we were running the School of Rock in Hollywood,” said Wendy Winks, Executive Director of the Rock School Scholarship Fund. “While we were there, we saw what a huge difference music makes in the lives of so many kids. Fundraisers like the one last night not only help the kids, but they help build a community spirit of giving among all the parents and the kids who participate. Instilling the value of collaboration and giving is one of the qualities that I love about the rock school music program.”
The scholarship fund is also planning another fundraiser for February.
In other Concrete Blonde news, the band will do a handful of Pacific Northwest concert dates in January. They will also head to Brazil and Argentina in May 2012.
http://www.concreteblondeofficialwebsite.com/
About the Rock School Scholarship Fund
The Rock School Scholarship Fund (RSSF) is the first 501(c)3 non-profit that provides scholarship funds and instruments for children ages 7 to 17 years of age who want to attend any rock music school in the USA. The Fund provides instruments and scholarship funding to cover tuition expenses based on a student’s financial need combined with their desire to actively and passionately participate in a rock school program. If a student wants to attend a rock school but his or her parents cannot afford full tuition, they may apply for a scholarship based on financial need.
Learn more at www.rockschoolfund.org
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