Burbank Arts For All proudly announces the generous donation of 40 brand new guitars and 40 brand new cables from the Traveling Guitar Foundation, ESP Guitars and Mogami Cable. The donation going to four instrumental programs at Burbank High School, John Burroughs High School, John Muir Middle School and Jordan Middle School will impact over 900 students. Traveling Guitar Foundation founder and renowned musician Damon Marks will present the guitars. Appearing with Marks will be Soul/rocksta “Derek McKeith” (TGF Director, West Coast Programs), pop rockers “Time Will Tell”, pop singer/guitarist “Tiffany Araya” and special celebrity guests. The presentations will take place during school assemblies the week of November 7-11, 2011.
In making the announcement, Craig Murray and Alexandra Helfrich, co-chairpersons of Burbank Arts For All, jointly stated, “We are extremely grateful to the Traveling Guitar Foundation’s founder Damon Marks along with ESP Guitars and Mogami Cable for this generous gift that will enrich so many of our students’ lives. Donations such as this will help to ensure that our students continue to receive a quality arts education as part of their core curriculum.”
Acclaimed guitarist/songwriter and Traveling Guitar Foundation founder Damon Marks said, “When the country faces budgetary restraints the arts programs are always the first to vanish from schools. Our mission is to foster creativity and intellectual growth through the arts programs. Burbank Arts for All and the Burbank Unified schools work hard to keep these programs alive and we are proud to help them in their mission by presenting them with ESP Guitars along with musical performances.”
“The Burbank Unified School District is not only sustaining arts programming through this challenging budget crisis, but also expanding their arts education programs through unique donations like this one,” added Peggy Flynn, Arts Coordinator for the Burbank Unified School District. “To have the opportunity for our students to not only receive the ESP Guitars, but to perform with such a talented and compassionate human being as Damon Marks, along with the other renowned artists, will truly leave an indelible mark on their young lives.”
ESP Guitars director of marketing and artist relations Allen Steelgrave says, “From the moment we heard about what Damon Marks is doing with the Traveling Guitar Foundation, we admired his commitment to enriching the lives of children with music. The series of events for the Burbank School District will give hundreds of kids an opportunity that they would have never had without Damon’s efforts. We’re proud to be a small part of it.”
About Damon Marks
Influenced by his father, Tony Marks, an original member of Frankie Valli’s first group, The Four Lovers, Damon Marks began playing the guitar passionately when he was ten years old. Since then, Damon has utilized his musical abilities in tandem with his impressive business acumen to achieve tremendous success in the music industry.
Best-known for his inspired guitar chops and generous philanthropic work, Damon Marks has collaborated with a diverse range of notable rock musicians over the course of his career including Bret Michaels, Tommy Aldridge, Bruce Kulick, Marco Mendoza and Chris Caffery. As a performer, Damon has also garnered national recognition for his work as a touring guitarist on Alicia Keys’ Freedom Tour. During the tour, Damon played in numerous world-renowned arenas such as Madison Square Garden, The Prudential Center, Trump Taj Mahal and Washington D.C.’s Verizon Center.
Damon also helmed and played lead guitar for the female-fronted rock band, Lipstick Magazine. Notably, Damon co-produced Lipstick Magazine’s 2008 debut album, Skin Deep, alongside Grammy Award winning engineer Mark Plotnikoff. He also orchestrated the album’s national distribution into Best Buy and Walmart store locations. In support of Skin Deep, Lipstick Magazine toured extensively across the United States and opened for heavy metal icons such as Bret Michaels, Winger, Sebastian Bach, Extreme, and Ratt. As a part of the tour, Lipstick Magazine also performed at the Rocklahoma Festival.
Outside of his career as a songwriter and performer, Damon maintains a steadfast commitment to music related philanthropic causes. Specifically, in 2009, Damon founded the Traveling Guitar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides musical equipment and support for school systems that are struggling to finance their music education programs. With Damon’s leadership and business acumen, the Foundation has worked diligently to ensure that school children have access to high-quality musical instruments and instruction during a time when school systems across the country are facing budgetary restraints.
The year 2011 promises to be a busy and productive period in Damon’s career. In addition to his ongoing work with the Traveling Guitar Foundation, Damon plans on releasing his first solo record, an all instrumental album highlighted by an exciting and unique amalgamation of rock fusion, smooth jazz and heavy metal grooves. Additionally, before the end of the year, Damon will release a Traveling Guitar Foundation charity compilation album which will feature various nationally-known recording artists as well as younger musicians and students who have benefited from the Foundation. http://www.travelingguitarfoundation.org
About Derek McKeith
Derek McKeith is a progressive artist who fuses his own blend of rock and soul into a sound uniquely his own. His latest project, The Signature, was recorded on Electric Life/DIOS Music. McKeith has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” and his music can be heard on New Line Cinema’s soundtrack “The Son of the Mask” and the Speedracer video game soundtrack. His video “Can’t Get Enough’ was a #1 hit on BET’s “Soul Sessions Top Ten Countdown.”
About Traveling Guitar Foundation
Founded in 2009 by guitarist/songwriter Damon Marks, the Traveling Guitar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides musical equipment and supportfor school systems across the United States that are struggling to finance their music education programs. Through their efforts, they work to ensure that the equipment they donate is used regularly and properly for the betterment of students’ educational,artistic, and social development. In so doing, they hope to catalyze students’
creativity, foster their intellectual growth, and expose them to the joys that music can bring.
For more information, visit www.travelingguitarfoundation.org
About Burbank Arts for All Foundation
Since its 2006 founding, Burbank Arts for All’s mission has been to ensure every student in
Burbank public schools has access to a quality visual and performing arts education as part
of their core curriculum. Guided by this purpose, the non‐profit Burbank Arts for All
Foundation built a communitywide alliance of business leaders, municipal partners,
educators, parents and arts supporters to tirelessly advocate for quality arts education as well as provide grants to support the Burbank Unified School District’s Arts for All plan. As of 2011, the Foundation has awarded over $120,000 to visual and performing arts programs in Burbank public schools. The purpose of the endowment is to provide a sustainable monetary source for arts education grants while also supporting the Foundation’s stability and growth.
www.BurbankArtsForAll.org
For More Information Contact:
Heidi Trotta
Board of Directors
Burbank Arts For All
818 590-7280
Heidi@htrotta.com
Sandra Trim-DaCosta
Executive Director
Traveling Guitar Foundation
917 833-2693
strimdacosta@gmail.com.
