Two legendary rockers, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers, will be saluted at the Adopt the Arts foundation’s 2026 Sound and Vision Awards. The event will take place on March 2, 2026, at the historic Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs, California.
Videos by American Songwriter
The gala will feature performances by Rodgers, Butler, and an all-star band led by ex-Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum. Sorum co-founded Adopt the Arts. The charity’s mission is to provide and support music-education programs for thousands of elementary school students in Los Angeles and California’s Coachella Valley.
The fundraiser will celebrate Butler’s and Rodger’s music and influence and will showcase songs by their respective groups. Among the well-known musicians on the performance lineup are ex-Deep Purple bassist/singer Glenn Hughes, Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo, The Cult guitarist Billy Duffy, and Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X. More special guests will be added to the lineup.
The event will be hosted by Emmy Award-winning actress Jane Lynch.
Tickets for the 2026 Sound and Vision Awards are available now at PalmSpringsPlazaTheatre.com, priced from $100 to $1,500. Tickets priced at $1,500 include a pre-show meet-and-greet and a commemorative poster.
Limited VIP packages also are available for those who donate $5,000 or more to Adopt the Arts. The packages include two premium seats and an invite to an exclusive reception with the participating artists at a Palm Springs estate on Sunday, March 1.
More About Butler and Rodgers
Butler is a founding member of Black Sabbath. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2006. Rodgers co-founded supergroup Bad Company and will enter the Rock Hall with the band in November. Before forming Bad Company, Rodgers was the lead singer of the popular U.K. group Free.
About Rodgers’ Recent Adopt the Arts Collaboration
Earlier this year, Rodgers joined Sorum to collborate with eight children who are members of Adopt the Arts’ honor choir, The Changels. They recorded a version of the 1979 Bad Company hit “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy.”
The session took place at GoodNoise Studio in Palm Springs, California, and was co-produced by Sorum and multi-instrumentalist Bruce Witkin. Rodgers contributed vocals to the track along with the Changels members, while Sorum played drums.
A video of the “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” performance, featuring footage from the session, was posted on the Adopt the Arts foundation’s YouTube channel.
The session was filmed as part of an in-the-works documentary about The Changels. The movie looks at the impact music education has on children during their formative years.
The musical collaboration was part of an Adopt the Arts initiative offering students in underserved areas the chance to experience interactions with music-industry professionals outside of the classroom. The program includes mentoring sessions, recording opportunities, and concert performances.
The Changels are made up of a diverse group of elementary students who attend schools in the Palm Springs area. The musical collective records songs that focus on themes of hope and unity.
(Courtesy of Adopt the Arts)
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