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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Guitar Center Music Foundation Expands Philanthropic Reach with Nationwide Initiatives and Wildfire Relief Efforts
— A variety of activities further the Foundation’s goals of supporting music education and music therapy programs in need, with a special emphasis on relief efforts surrounding the Southern California wildfire crisis —
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., August 20, 2025 — The Guitar Center Music Foundation (GCMF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting music education and therapy programs through instrument donations, has significantly expanded its outreach in the first half of 2025. With a mission to ensure access to music regardless of financial or geographic barriers, GCMF continues to empower schools, community centers, and therapy programs across the U.S.
Early this year, GCMF led a coordinated industry response to the Southern California wildfires, partnering with major companies including Sony Music Group, Music & Arts, Gibson, Sennheiser, Universal Audio, Ibanez, Martin and many others. Together, they provided urgently needed instruments, funding, and support to over 600 musicians and 15 community-based orgs and schools affected across the greater Los Angeles area.
At the 2025 NAMM Show in Anaheim, GCMF co-sponsored the Ultimate Jam Night in partnership with the David Z Foundation, raising funds for wildfire recovery. The Foundation also supported the NAMM Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Centers and onsite donation efforts to aid families and first responders.
On February 1, GCMF was the featured nonprofit partner of the Hollywood Independent Music Awards (HIMA), with a portion of submission fees directed toward wildfire relief. The event gathered artists, songwriters, and producers in support of the cause.
In honor of Women’s History Month, GCMF supported two major events on March 25. The Foundation served as title sponsor for Women :Amplified, a cultural celebration at The Recording Club in Santa Monica spotlighting women leaders in music, including Alicia Keys; Amazon Music’s Phylicia Fant; former Recording Academy Co-President Valeisha Butterfield; entertainment executive Gwen Bethel Riley; Disney Imagineer Emily Van Belleghem; GRAMMY®-winning songwriter-producer DIXSON; and GRAMMY-winning vocalist and songwriter Joelle James. The event was created by GRAMMY-winning producer and music equity advocate Jae Deal. That same day, GCMF co-sponsored Women on Record, a special panel at Guitar Center’s Hollywood flagship featuring Ann Mincieli, TOKiMONSTA, and Nova Wav, in partnership with She Is The Music.
GCMF also appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show, presenting $5,000 grants to three programs in need: Urban Youth Harp Ensemble (Atlanta), Jazz Power Initiative (NYC), and Greene Central High School (NC). Additional wildfire relief funding included a “Music Matters” grant from Law Rocks and $16,500 raised by the Get Together Foundation’s benefit concert at the Canyon Club.
In June, the Guitar Center Music Foundation partnered with Custom House for two sold-out Behind the Lyrics shows at The Listening Room in Nashville, closing out CMA Fest weekend with a powerful celebration of songwriting and community. Hosted by ACM Song of the Year winner Josh Phillips and hit songwriter Brock Berryhill, the events featured standout performances by Michael Ray, Rotundo, Andy Albert, and Graham Barham, with guest appearances from Tyler Hubbard, Tyler Farr, Ray Fulcher, and others. A silent auction, featuring exclusive items like signed guitars and handwritten lyrics donated by Taylor Guitars, raised $6,600 to support GCMF’s mission of empowering music creation and expression. Additionally, in partnership with Ryan Seacrest Studios and country artist Drew Baldridge, the GCMF presented ukuleles to patients at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, supporting music’s role in healing and creative expression.
“These are just a few examples of the ways in which GCMF has expanded the scope of our efforts in the first half of 2025,” stated Myka Miller. “Our ongoing goal is to continue to grow, and we have been fortunate to get lots of help from others in the industry. We thank everyone who has supported our efforts this year, and we look forward to much more activity in the back half of 2025.”
Contact info@guitarcenterfoundation.org to get involved.
To learn more, visit http://www.GuitarCenterFoundation.org, or follow GCMF on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram for more news or to discover ways to support The Guitar Center Music Foundation.
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Photo file 1: BehindTheLyrics_June2025.JPG
Photo caption 1: Pictured L-R: singer-songwriters Ben Williams, Beau Bailey, Josh Phillips, Graham Barham and Andy Albert, performing at The Listening Room in Nashville, closing out CMA Fest weekend 2025 with a powerful celebration of songwriting and community hosted by the Guitar Center Music Foundation in partnership with Custom House at Guitar Center™. Photo credit: Jacob Powers.Photo file 2: UltimateJamNight2025_GCMF.JPG
Photo caption 2: At the 2025 NAMM Show in Anaheim, GCMF co-sponsored the Ultimate Jam Night in partnership with the David Z Foundation, raising funds for wildfire recovery.Photo file 3: UltimateJamNight2025_PaulieZ.JPG
Photo caption 3: Paulie Z, the host and performer at the 2025 Ultimate Jam Night at the NAMM Show in Anaheim. Paulie Z is the founder of the David Z Foundation (named in honor of Paulie’s late brother), which partnered with GCMF to present the show.ABOUT THE GUITAR CENTER MUSIC FOUNDATION
For some, music may be just a hobby. But for others, music serves as a crucial lifeline – a path to healing, an opportunity to nurture untapped talent, an escape from the grim realities of everyday life, a break from generational trauma, or the start of a social revolution. The Guitar Center Music Foundation (GCMF) is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to the healing, transformative power of music. Thousands of individuals nationwide benefit yearly from GCMF’s grants and other efforts aiding veterans, hospital patients, the unhoused, and those affected by natural disasters, as well as youth in both schools and after-school programs. By providing these programs with all types of instruments and advocating for the benefits of music education and music therapy, GCMF furthers its mission of giving people the chance to create and express themselves through music. For more information about The Guitar Center Music Foundation, please visit http://guitarcenterfoundation.org/.ABOUT GUITAR CENTER INC
Guitar Center is the leading retailer of musical instruments, lessons, repairs and rentals in the U.S. With more than 300 stores across the U.S. and one of the top direct sales websites in the industry, Guitar Center has helped people make music for more than 60 years. Guitar Center also provides customers with various musician-based services, including Guitar Center Lessons, where musicians of all ages and skill levels can learn to play a variety of instruments in many music genres, GC Repairs, an on-site maintenance and repairs service, and GC Rentals, a program offering easy rentals of instruments and other sound reinforcement gear. Additionally, Guitar Center’s sister brands include Music & Arts, which operates more than 250 stores specializing in band & orchestral instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors, parents and students, and Musician’s Friend, a leading direct marketer of musical instruments in the United States. For more information about Guitar Center, please visit guitarcenter.com.CONTACT
The Guitar Center Music Foundation | info@GuitarCenterFoundation.org
323-573-0568
All Rights Reserved.