Chart-topping singer-guitarist Frankie Ballard joined forces Wednesday with the CMA Foundation, Chevrolet — the Official Ride of Country Music, and Warner Music Nashville to officially open the Notes for Notes recording studio at the Sports Academics Youth (S.A.Y.) Detroit Play Center.
Chevrolet contributed additional funds to the CMA Foundation’s commitment to the building of the recording studio in Motor City. With construction now completed, the recording studio will be ready for use just in time for Detroit students returning to school.
Ballard, a native to nearby Battle Creek, Mich., arrived in a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, rolled out the red carpet, and with the help of a few Notes for Notes youth, delivered brand-new instruments, including guitars donated by Gibson and Reverend Guitars, to be used in the studio. The youth guided Ballard on a tour of the recording space before he performed “I’m Thinking Country” as the “opening song” to officially launch the creative music space.
“I have a lot of history here,” said Ballard. “I grew up in Battle Creek and graduated from Western Michigan University before moving to Nashville to pursue my dream. It’s an honor to be back home and play a role in helping these kids in this community discover their dreams.”
“Through our partnership with Notes for Notes and Chevrolet, we’re extremely thrilled to bring Music City to Motor City in the form of this state-of-the-art recording studio for the community’s youth,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.
“This marks our 11th studio location,” said Philip Gilley, Notes for Notes Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. “With the rich musical heritage of Detroit, this studio will provide resources for a new generation of Motown hitmakers, producers, and other music industry professionals.”
“We know how important music education is to a child’s school experience. Statistics show increased graduation rates for students who are involved in the arts,” said Steve Haener, Senior Manager, Chevrolet Marketing. “Chevrolet has a long history with music which made it natural to join CMA and the CMA Foundation in furthering this initiative with a national platform on last year’s CMA Awards. This studio, which will advance music education, is a great contribution to our hometown.”
Notes for Notes funds the construction of recording studios in Boys and Girls Clubs and other facilities across the U.S. The CMA Foundation made an initial donation to the Nashville Notes for Notes chapter and committed additional funds to expand the program in several markets including Atlanta, Austin, Brooklyn, Detroit, and San Francisco in 2015.
The CMA Foundation receives the bulk of the funding to support these and other programs from CMA Music Festival. To date, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $11 million to the worthy cause of music education on behalf of the artists who perform at CMA Music Festival each summer for free.
For more information, visit CMAfoundation.org.
About Frankie Ballard
Talented singer-guitarist Frankie Ballard, hailed by Rolling Stone as “required listening,” is on the rise with his current Warner Bros. Records album Sunshine & Whiskey. The album delivered consecutive No. 1, Gold-certified smashes “Helluva Life” and “Sunshine & Whiskey,” the current Top 5-and-rising hit “Young & Crazy” and debuted Top 5 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart. Moving to Nashville in 2009 from Battle Creek, Mich., to pursue music, Ballard drew on his working class values, performing every chance he could and honing his guitar and songwriting skills to create a unique blend of blues-infused Country rock. He steadily built a loyal fan base and took the time to grow as an artist and an individual, experiences that culminated in selling more than 1.7 million tracks to date and racking up over 72 million total streams. Playing over 400 shows across North America in the past two years, the “headliner in the making” (Rolling Stone) is currently on Florida Georgia Line’s 2015 Anything Goes Tour and previously opened for Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, and longtime idol Bob Seger. www.frankieballard.com
About CMA
Founded in 1958, the Country Music Association was the first trade organization formed to promote a type of music. In 1961, CMA created the Country Music Hall of Fame to recognize artists and industry professionals with Country Music’s highest honor. More than 7,400 music industry professionals and companies from around the globe are members of CMA. The organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry and advance the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s core initiatives: the CMA Awards, which annually recognize outstanding achievement in the industry; the CMA Music Festival, which benefits music education and is taped for a three-hour TV special; and “CMA Country Christmas,” featuring Country artists performing original music and Christmas classics. All of CMA’s television properties will air on the ABC Television network through 2021.
About Chevrolet
Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 140 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox, and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended gasoline range, according to EPA estimates. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
About Notes for Notes
Notes for Notes® is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that designs, equips, and staffs after-school recording studios inside Boys & Girls Clubs and community centers offering youth the opportunity to explore, create, and record music for FREE. Notes for Notes Studios are packed with professional instruments – guitars, basses, drums, keyboards/synths – and equipment – DJ gear, digital music workstations – and full recording facilities. Beyond providing access to equipment and resources, we educate youth about careers both on the stage and behind the scenes.
**Suggested Tweet**: Another great @NotesforNotes opening on behalf of the #CMAfoundation, this time with @FrankieBallard in Detroit! More