HoB Music Forward Foundation Artist Ambassadors Council Launches With Carlos Santana, Khalid, Others

Each Music Forward Ambassador will contribute in a variety of ways like mentoring aspiring artists, speaking at educational youth workshops, donating funds from ticket sales and providing exclusive music memorabilia for auction. The Council will use their various platforms to call attention to the foundation’s work.  

The Music Forward Foundation is focused on providing young people from diverse communities interested in music industry careers with artist development, educational and mentoring programs.  

Said Santana: “I am honored to join together with the House of Blues Music Forward Foundation to inspire young people to channel their passion for music into a career and to use their voice to make a positive difference in the world.”

 

“It’s important to have foundations that involve music,” Khalid said in a statement. “There are so many kids who don’t have the resources or information to get started in the music business. There is this huge world of creative opportunities that you can pursue a career in, and there are so many amazing jobs in the music world that I imagine young people would be excited to pursue if they knew about them.” 

“I am thrilled to join Music Forward’s Ambassadors Council, which represents such a wide variety of musical genres,” added Martina McBride. “Breaking into the music business is challenging, and Music Forward’s free programs offer aspiring youth the tools and mentorship opportunities needed to help fulfill their career goals. I am honored to be part of an organization that is committed to offering pathways into the industry I love so much.” 

Music Forward provides free vocational training in the music industry to underserved youth, improving economic opportunity and building a more diverse pipeline of talent for the creative economy. It has impacted over 1 million young lives and invested $25 million in transformational music programs during the last 25 years. One hundred percent of the foundation’s alumni are employed or in school, and 94% regularly leverage skills and knowledge that they’ve gained from Music Forward.  

House of Blues Music Forward Foundation executive director Nurit Siegel Smith added, “The Music Forward Foundation is ecstatic to work with such a passionate and diverse group of artists on our inaugural Ambassadors Council. With their support, we can increase our impact on the communities we serve and empower more young people to use music as a conduit for success.”  

 

“It’s such an honor to work with a foundation whose mission it is to support the passion of kids and young adults trying to navigate their way through the music business,” added Lauren Daigle.  “For me, I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to do what I’ve always loved – so to be able to help others realize their own dreams, I’m not sure that there’s anything more fulfilling.”