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'Little Kids Rock' - A Real Life School of Rock

Rock stars are coming out in numbers to support a "real-life" School of Rock. Little Kids Rock, an innovative non-profit that teaches low-income kids how to play and compose their own, original rock songs announced today that it will be kicking off a unique recording project this Thursday, November 20 at the fabled Plant Recording studio in Sausalito, Ca. from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The CD project, entitled "Little Kids, Big Fans: Stars United For Music Education", will feature high profile artists doing cover versions of songs written by Little Kids Rock students.

To launch the project, Tom Johnson (Doobie Brothers), JASON NEWSTED (Metallica, Ozzy Osborne), blues guitarist Roy Rogers and singer Austin Willacy will join Little Kids Rock's student songwriters for a kick-off recording session this Thursday. Other musicians on board for the project include Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel) and Kerry Livgren (Kansas).

In the coming weeks, The Manhattan Center Studios in New York City will be the site of similar sessions featuring artists from the East coast. Both The Plant and The Manhattan Center Studios are donating their time and services to the project.

"Our program is restoring music education in our public schools," says David Wish, Little Kids Rock' Executive Director and Founder. "We do this by providing children with free instruments and dedicated teachers. We also teach our kids how to write their own music. This is resonating with professional musicians and other folks in the music industry." Last month Bonnie Raitt and Tom Waits paid a visit to some Little Kids Rock classes in San Francisco last month.

ABOUT LITTLE KIDS ROCK
Little Kids Rock believes that music is a critical component of first-rate education. Many elementary schools have been stripped of their music programs. These cuts have had a disproportionately large impact on children from low-income backgrounds. Little Kids Rock restores music to its rightful place in the academic lives of kids in our public schools by providing a rich music education program including instrument instruction, free instruments and trained mentors. Founded by a single elementary school teacher in 1996, Little Kids Rock is now serving 2,000 students in CA, NY, NJ and TN. Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, BB King and Les Paul sit on our Honorary Board of Directors and we are supported by friends Carlos Santana, Phish, Bob Weir and others.

Source: Electric Basement