AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (April 6, 2009) – The Guitar Center Music Foundation announced today that it will change its name to The Fender Music Foundation. The independent public nonprofit will continue to award grants to music education programs across the United States and will still be headed by chairman and founder Larry Thomas. There are no plans to change the mission of the foundation, and most of the leadership will remain the same.
The foundation will become an authorized, official licensee of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC). It will remain a separate entity, serving as a platform for the music industry, and the public alike, to come together to support music education.
The name change came about when FMIC invited Thomas to join their corporate Board of Directors. As part of the invitation, FMIC expressed support for the foundation and its migration to becoming The Fender Music Foundation.
Thomas commented, “Im thrilled to be appointed to the FMIC board and honored with the opportunity to continue my lifelong passion for music. Im especially grateful for the support Fender has given my foundation, continuing our efforts to bring the music industry together for this cause that has been so important to me throughout my career.”
ABOUT THE FENDER MUSIC FOUNDATION
The Fender Music Foundation, formerly named The Guitar Center Music Foundation, is an independent 501c3 organization that awards grants in the form of musical instruments and equipment to music education programs across the country. Over the past few years, the foundation has awarded 124 grants to music classrooms, after-school music programs and music therapy programs. Through these organizations, the foundation has directly reached over 35,000 people, including thousands of at—risk youth, giving them the opportunity to make music. For more information, visit www.fendermusicfoundation.org.
