Gibson and the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) have joined forces to bring the healing power of music to children facing cancer and other serious illnesses, offering virtual guitar lessons and mentorships with members of the Gibson Generation Group (G3) program. Guitar phenom Marcus King kicks the program off today with a performance of “Where I’m Headed” which you can watch exclusively here.
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Gibson and CCA will release multiple performances from King on MyMusicRx’s and Gibson’s channels between June 8 and June 19. A guitar giveaway is also running in tandem with the virtual guitar lessons and serves as a fundraiser for MyMusicRx.
The members of the Gibson Generation Group (G3) program will be sharing guitar lessons and giving hospitalized kids the chance to learn how to play an instrument. All performances and clips can be viewed by the public at MyMusicRx.org for free, starting today, June 8.
Watch the first performance and interview with Marcus King, only available at MyMusicRx, featuring the song “Where I’m Headed” at this link here.
“I love spreading the idea of music being a healing factor and I love getting kids involved in music,” King said. “King, who recently released his debut Dan Auerbach-produced solo album El Dorado, grew up surrounded by a family that played and performed music, from his father to grandfather and uncle. “Playing the guitar was the main thing that got me through my adolescence. It wasn’t viewed as a dicey career move. It was an honest living.”
From June 8-26, participants can donate for the chance to win one of six Gibson, Epiphone and Kramer guitars. Each winner will receive interactive guitar lessons through a year-long subscription to the Amped Guitar audio augmented reality learning APP and a swag bag of Gibson merch. Proceeds from guitar giveaway will directly support MyMusicRx’s efforts to engage hospitalized kids and teens bedside and online with a “Self-Prescribed Music Experience” – tailored, one-on-one music experiences designed to relieve their stress, anxiety and the perception of pain. Donate to win the MyMusicRx Gibson Guitar Giveaway here. https://joyrx.rallyup.com/gibson.
For more than 24 years, MyMusicRx’s trained music specialists have been engaging hospitalized kids of all ages and diagnoses, playing music for and with them and their families. State-of-the-art music carts are stocked with high-quality instruments for kids to explore and tablets loaded with musical games and apps. The program extends online at MyMusicRx.org with exclusive artist performances and music lessons – available to kids and teens free-of-charge 24/7. Live, in-hospital concerts complete the MyMusicRx experience. Learn how you can help MyMusicRx support the shift in program delivery by donating to the Joy Response Fund at joyrx.org/donate.
“The children and families we serve are even more deeply impacted during this time of quarantine and social distancing – which is why we’re rapidly innovating ways to create and share Joy,” said Danielle York, President and General Manager, CCA. “We are so grateful to Gibson and Marcus King for helping us find new and exciting ways to virtually connect these kids with the healing power of music.”
“We established the G3 Gibson Generation Group less than a year ago to provide support and inspiration to the next generation of musicians,” says James ‘JC’ Curleigh, President and CEO of Gibson. “Now the G3 musicians and Marcus King are providing creative support and vital inspiration to kids in need through our partnership with MyMusicRX. It’s simply awesome to see the next generation taking care of each other during these challenging times.”
