Down Payments On Music’s Future

Bennett was Santa Claus for an April Christmas in New Orleans, handing out dozens of new tubas, trumpets, trombones and other instruments in an effort to keep the Big Easy’s musical tradition on a perfect note in the years to come.

Bennett’s philanthropy took place at KIPP Believe College Prep; a charter school established after Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city in 2005.

The donation came about in a rather roundabout fashion when New York City resident Barry Jaffin won a “Big Give” contest hosted by Oprah Winfrey’s magazine and decided to donate the $5,000 in prize money to acquiring instruments for New Orleans schoolchildren.

Jaffin’s good deed did not go unnoticed. Bennett and several charity organizations joined in the cause.

“This means instruments will be available to these students for years to come, to continue making music history in New Orleans,” said Bennett, who performs at the annual Jazz & Heritage Festival today, adding, “These kids are amazing. What I heard today was real music. They played with feeling, with such heart.”

“We were all very excited,” said 13-year-old Deon Butler, a 7th-grade trumpet player who performed in both the symphonic and jazz bands for Bennett. “Out of all the schools in the U.S., he came to hear us.”

Bennett wasn’t the only music star to give something back this week. On Tuesday Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts came through with a piano for Nashville’s McGavock High School.

Before presenting the gift, DeMarcus held a Q&A with students, reports The Tennessean.

Responding to a question about how often musicians “mess up on stage,” DeMarcus laughed and answered, “If you’re talking about me, it doesn’t happen,” adding, “There are errors that occur every night. … You can’t let it hinder you. The show must go on.”

DeMarcus christened the new piano with two renditions of “Bless the Broken Road,” playing it solo then joined by the kids for the second run-through.

Said DeMarcus:

“Music education was a really big part of my life. I was not a very good student, but was very interested in music. I had a couple of teachers that saw that in me and encouraged me to follow my dreams. They took an interest in my music and knew there was something inside me that needed to get out. By and large, that kept me involved in school.”

DeMarcus had some help bringing the new piano to the school. The Nashville Alliance for Public Education and the Country Music Association’s Keep The Music Playing program helped make the donation possible.

“We have the next Kenny Chesney sitting in these classrooms,” DeMarcus said. “They need to be encouraged and have instruments to play on, and they need teachers that take an interest in them and encourage them to follow their dreams.”

To read more about Jay DeMarcus’ donation to McGavock High School, please click here for The Tennessean’s coverage.

To read more about Tony Bennett in New Orleans, please click here for the Associated Press’ coverage.