ADOPT THE ARTS: Concert And Live Auction Raises Over $106,000 In One Night To Fund Music Programs In LAUSD Elementary Schools

Duff McKagan, Billy Gibbons and Slash at ADOPT THE ARTS. Credit: Tiffany Rose.

This past Monday evening (Jan. 12), ADOPT THE ARTS (adoptthearts.org)–the Los Angeles-based charity that preserves and creates arts programs in U.S. public schools–gathered their industry friends for an epic night of music and a live auction at The Roxy in West Hollywood. The event—honoring music legends BILLY GIBBONS (ZZ Top) and BUTCH TRUCKS (Allman Brothers Band)–was a smashing success, raising over $106,000 in one night for ADOPT THE ARTS which funds music programs in LAUSD elementary schools.

Artists thrilled the crowd performing with a rare set including classic hits from ZZ Top and the Allman Brothers Band at the concert which included honorees BILLY GIBBONS and BUTCH TRUCKS along with SLASH, DUFF MCKAGAN (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), RICHIE SAMBORA (Bon Jovi), STEVE LUKATHER (Toto), ORIANTHI (ex-Alice Cooper), EDGAR WINTER, JIMMY VIVINO (Conan O’Brien), BILLY DUFFY (The Cult), vocalist FRANKIE PEREZ, ADOPT THE ARTS founder MATT SORUM (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver) and THE DISREPUTABLE FEW, a group of surprise killer musicians, served as the backing band for the night (see the full set list below).

Here is the ADOPT THE ARTS set list at The Roxy concert and live auction:

ZZ Top set:
1. “Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers” (ZZ Top) (w/Billy Gibbons, Damon Fox, Billy Duffy)
2. “Tush” (ZZ Top) (w/ Billy Gibbons, Steve Lukather, Jimmy Vivino, Edgar Winter on organ)
3. “Cheap Sunglasses” (ZZ Top) (w/Billy Gibbons, Edgar Winter on sax/ lead vocals with Gibbons)
4. “Rough Boy” (ZZ Top) (w/Billy Gibbons, Richie Sambora, Orianthi, Matt Sorum)
5. “Waitin’ For The Bus” (ZZ Top) (w/Billy Gibbons, Matt Sorum, Duff McKagan)
5. “Jesus Just Left Chicago” (ZZ Top) (w/Matt Sorum, Slash, Duff McKagan, Billy Gibbons)
6. “La Grange” (ZZ Top) (w/Billy Gibbons, Matt Sorum, Slash, Duff McKagan, Steve Lukather, Richie Sambora, Edgar Winter on organ)

Allman Brothers Band set:
1. “Trouble No More” (Allman Brothers Band) (w/Jimmy Vivino, Butch Trucks)
2. “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’’ (Allman Brothers Band) (w/Franky Perez)
3. “Midnight Rider” (Allman Brothers Band) (w/Richie Sambora, Orianthi)
4. “Stormy Monday” (Allman Brothers Band) (w/Edgar Winter on vocals/sax, Jimmy Vivino, Slash)
5. “One Way Out” (Allman Brothers Band) (w/Steve Lukather, Jimmy Vivino)
6. “Statesboro Blues” (Allman Brothers Band) (w/Butch Trucks, Billy Gibbons, Richie Sambora, Matt Sorum)
7. “Whipping Post” (Allman Brothers Band) (w/Butch Trucks, Matt Sorum, Slash, Richie Sambora and Billy Gibbons)

In between live performances guests enjoyed a live and silent auction featuring generous donations and vacation packages from ADOPT THE ARTS supporters including: Sofitel Hotel Los Angeles, Villa del Palmar Resorts, John Varvatos, Billy Gibbons (guitar from Fender), Slash and Steve Lukather (guitars from Gibson), Matt Sorum (signed Guns N’ Roses bass drumheads), America (signed lyrics to “Ventura Highway”), artwork from Shepard Fairey, Tommy Hollenstein and Mathieu Jean, photography from Gene Kirkland and gift certificates from Dr. Garth Fisher MD, FACS Beverly Hills and Real Food Daily.

Matt Sorum, Billy Gibbons and Richie Sambora. Credit: Tiffany Rose.

Richie Sambora and Orianthi. Photo credit: Tiffany Rose.

The night was made possible by the Carter Lay Charitable Fund which builds schools and provides education to children in local communities and worldwide. The Carter Lay Charitable Fund recently adopted Westminster Elementary school in Venice, CA through the ADOPT THE ARTS program. Co-Founded by Carter Lay and Crystal Fambrini in 2010, the Carter Lay Charitable Fund is dedicated to helping individuals and non profits whose focus is to make the world a more peaceful and happy place. “Matt’s dedication and connection to the kids is inspirational, he treats them how I treat my own kids–with nothing less than pure love and support,” explains Carter Lay. “The energy created by Adopt The Arts has provided me an opportunity to invest in my neighbors and focus on a worthy cause in my own backyard. Venice, CA is my home and it is a must for me to give back to the community on a local level by adopting Westminster Elementary.”

ADOPT THE ARTS honorees Billy Gibbons and Butch Trucks with Co-Founder Matt Sorum. Photo credit: Charlie Steffens.

ADOPT THE ARTS–a 501(c)(3) non-profit funding arts programs in public elementary schools–was founded by musician Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver) and activist Abby Berman and works to preserve arts programs in U.S. public schools. To raise awareness, ADOPT THE ARTS honors individuals who’ve had a long-lasting impact on music culture and who inspire young musicians to follow in their footsteps. Actress JANE LYNCH was the first celebrity to sign onto ADOPT THE ARTS and is on the Board of Directors; the advisory board also includes: SLASH, JOHN STAMOS, BILLY BOB THORTON, STEVE STEVENS, JULIETTE LEWIS, DANNY MASTERSON, SHEPARD FAIREY, ADRIAN YOUNG and GINA GERSHON.

According to Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), 50% of elementary school children in the district are not receiving arts education of any kind. As in many school districts around the country, LAUSD has been slowly eroding its commitment to arts education, reducing the budget incrementally. The LAUSD district also estimates that 80% of its student body is living at or below the poverty line, which means the vast majority of these elementary school children will not have access to the arts outside of school. “Adopt the Arts was born out of the frustration for my own children losing education in the arts,” explains ADOPT THE ARTS Co-Founder Abby Berman. “When the system is failing, we have to take action. With influential people like my Co-Founder Matt Sorum adopting schools, we can preserve this valuable component to childhood development, which is also known to boost test scores. Because Federal and State funding is falling short, the responsibility is upon us as concerned parents and citizens to ensure we’re raising a new generation of healthy and well-rounded individuals.” ADOPT THE ARTS Co-Executive Director and Co-Founder Matt Sorum adds, “We’re starting in our own backyard here in Los Angeles, and we’ll continue to adopt schools across the nation. We believe that art is a universal and necessary language that unites us all, regardless of our backgrounds.”

http://www.adoptthearts.org

Edgar Winter. Credit Tiffany Rose.

Watch ADOPT THE ARTS founder Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver) discuss ADOPT THE ARTS on FOX 11 TV’s “Studio 11A” interview: http://tinyurl.com/lvlplsj

Matt Sorum (middle) pictured with FOX 11 anchors Christine Devine and Jeff Michael.

About Adopt the Arts
Founded in 2010, Adopt the Arts Foundation brings together well-known artists, public figures, and the general public to save the arts in America’s public schools. Co-founders Abby Berman and Matt Sorum believe that it is morally and ethically incumbent upon the public-at-large to foster the creativity, dreams, hopes, and imaginations of our children. Adopt the Arts is dedicated to improving the academic performance of every child through the gift of making art and music available to public school students. In 2011, Adopt the Arts chose Rosewood Avenue Elementary (West Hollywood, CA) as its pilot school, working directly with the principal and the booster club to ensure that the students receive exposure to all the arts disciplines, including music, dance, theater, and visual arts. Adopt the Arts is paying the salary of the music teacher and has outfitted a music room with donated keyboards, guitars, and drums. With the help of the arts education branch of LAUSD, Adopt the Arts is identifying the most underserved schools in the district as it prepares for its next series of adoptions. In September 2012, Adopt the Arts donated 1,000 musical instruments (i.e. drum kits, keyboards, guitars, bass guitars) to LAUSD elementary schools. Each school site is available to be “adopted” by anyone that wants to help—whether a business, a working artist, celebrity or public figure—to underscore the importance of community involvement. As of December 2014, Adopt the Arts has now adopted Westminster Elementary School in Venice, CA and their music program will begin at the school in January 2015. (adoptthearts.org)

About Matt Sorum
Matt Sorum is an American drummer and percussionist. He is best known as both a former member of the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, with whom he recorded three studio albums, and as a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver. Sorum is currently a member of the touring project, Kings of Chaos, and is a former member of both The Cult and Y Kant Tori Read. Sorum was also a member of Guns N’ Roses side-projects, Slash’s Snakepit and Neurotic Outsiders, and released a solo album, Hollywood Zen, in 2004. In 2012, Sorum was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N’ Roses.

About Billy Gibbons
Billy Gibbons is an American musician, producer and actor, best known as the guitarist of the American rock band ZZ Top. Gibbons formed ZZ Top in late 1969 and released ZZ Top’s First Album in 1971. The albums that followed, Rio Grande Mud (1972) and Tres Hombres (1973), along with extensive touring, solidified the group’s reputation as a hard-rocking power trio. In the 1980s, ZZ Top released their three biggest-selling albums: Eliminator (1983), Afterburner (1985) and Recycler (1990). A wave of music videos for the hit singles “Legs“, “Gimme All Your Lovin’“, and “Sharp Dressed Man“, among others, became mainstays on MTV. Gibbons was ranked at number 32 on the 2011 Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

About Butch Trucks
Butch Trucks is an American drummer who is one of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band. Trucks helped form The Allman Brothers Band in 1969, along with Duane Allman (guitar), Gregg Allman (vocals and organ), Dickey Betts (guitar), Berry Oakley (bass), and fellow drummer Jai Johanny Johanson. Trucks continues to record and perform with the Allman Brothers Band today. As the principal architects of Southern rock, the Allman Brothers Band forged a new musical sound built on elements of blues, jazz, soul, R&B and rock and roll and help advance rock as a medium for improvisation. Their kind of jamming required a level of technical virtuosity and musical literacy that was relatively new to rock & roll, The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

http://adoptthearts.org

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