John Mayer To Headline VH1 Save The Music Foundation's 10th Anniversary Celebration Honoring Foundation Founder John Sykes and NAMM: The International Music Products Association

    NEW YORK, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 20th, the VH1 Save The
 Music Foundation will mark ten years of restoring music education programs
 in more than 1,400 of our nation's public schools with a gala celebration
 at Lincoln Center in New York City. The event will honor VH1 Save The Music
 founder John Sykes as well as NAMM, The International Music Products
 Association, and will feature a performance by John Mayer along with a live
 auction emceed by Project Runway's Tim Gunn. In addition, a group of
 students from VH1 Save The Music grant recipient schools across the country
 will play together for the first time as a 50-student orchestra,
 demonstrating the impact of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Event
 co-chairs include Tom Calderone, Christina Norman, Ray Chambers and Ron
 Perelman.
     During the elaborate 10th anniversary celebration, the organization
 will pay tribute to John Sykes, founder of the VH1 Save The Music
 Foundation and current Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, in
 recognition of his hard work and continued dedication to the cause. The VH1
 Save The Music Foundation will also recognize NAMM, an organization that
 has supported the work of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation since The
 Foundation's inception in 1997 by encouraging their members to work closely
 with The Foundation to deliver new instruments in local communities.
 Recently, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation paired with NAMM to donate
 $200,000 worth of new musical instruments to public schools that were
 affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
     "I am delighted to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of The VH1 Save The
 Music Foundation, honoring our founder John Sykes and NAMM and featuring a
 performance from our good friend and longtime supporter John Mayer. Over
 the past ten years, The Foundation has taken the lead in restoring and
 maintaining instrumental music education in America's public schools and
 raising awareness about the importance of music as a part of a child's
 complete education," says Paul Cothran, Executive Director of The VH1 Save
 The Music Foundation.
     The evening's highlights will include a headlining performance by
 Grammy Award winner John Mayer, who can also be seen in one of The
 Foundation's newest public service announcements. Tim Gunn of Project
 Runway will be on hand to emcee a live auction, which will feature
 one-of-a-kind items and experiences from VH1 Save The Music Foundation
 partners. Additional honorees, participants and attendees will be announced
 in the coming months.
     About VH1 Save The Music Foundation
     Since 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has successfully restored
 and sustained instrumental music programs in 1,400 public schools in 80
 communities across the country, including Memphis, Houston, Chicago, New
 York, Denver, Baltimore and Milwaukee. Over the past ten years, various
 artists and celebrities have shown their devotion to the VH1 Save The Music
 Foundation by partnering with the organization as they've reached out to
 struggling school districts across the country. Celebrities including
 Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Sting, Billy Joel, Kiefer Sutherland, John Legend,
 Rob Thomas, Alicia Keys, and Jewel have donated their time and efforts to
 the organization in attempts to raise awareness about the importance of
 music in a child's education.
     To date, The Foundation has provided more than $34 million in new
 musical instruments, affecting the lives of more than 800,000 children. For
 more information on the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, please visit
 http://www.vh1.com/partners/save_the_music/ .
     CONTACT:
 
     Elizabeth Rosenthal
     Susan Blond, Inc.
     Phone: (212) 333-7728 x105
     erosenthal@susanblondinc.com
 
     Maura Wozniak
     VH1
     Phone: (212) 846-7325
 
 

SOURCE VH1 Save The Music Foundation