As  you know, giving the ‘Gift Of Music’ for my Music Matters Campaign each year is near and dear to my heart. We’ve partnered with Flores Music in Peoria, and multiple students in need have received new guitars or drums in recent years. It’s truly staggering how many schools have cut music programs from their curriculum. That number is in the hundreds, actually. The fact that so many students don’t get the chance to learn and love music is truly heartbreaking. Enter Edward Van Halen, Rock and Roll Hall of Fam legend, and the main man in Van Halen.

Eddie Van Halen has donated over 75 guitars to schools in California, as he partnered with the ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus’ Foundation, where kids receive free instruments. In this case, the students received Eddie Van Halen’s guitars! Eddie became friends with Felice Mancini, the CEO of the foundation. Eddie’s guitars have been distributed, and he recently witnessed the guitars in use with the kids. So, yes, I’m thinking out loud, wouldn’t it be great to somehow merge our ‘Music Matters’ campaign with this Foundation? I’m going to send an e-mail to Eddie, and this Foundation. There simply should not be schools or kids not having the opportunity to learn the ‘Gift Of Music!’ Kudos to you, Ed!

-Matt