John Michael Montgomery Pinned to Music Education

John Michael Montogmery on the CMA Awards Red Carpet at "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards," on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville on the ABC Television Network. Photo courtesy of the Country Music Association.

June 10, 2009 — John Michael Montgomery joined the Country Music Association and the Hard Rock Café Tuesday to unveil two commemorative pins that will be sold at the restaurant’s Nashville chain to benefit music education in Music City.

The $12 pins, which observe the 2009 CMA Music Festival and the Keep The Music Playing music-ed program, incorporate hats and guitars in the design as the CMA builds on a charitable effort that’s already provided $2.2 million in aid to bring music instruction to Nashville’s kids.

Both John Michael and Tammy Genovese, the CMA’s executive director, acknowledged the "power of music" in altering lives.

"It can pick you up when you’re down," Tammy said. "Translate that to kids ... there are statistics in place saying graduation rates are higher when kids have music in their lives and have that creativity and that outlet. It’s an emotional support, the power of music, and it’s a statistical support."

High-school junior Sam Hunter, a bass player and guitarist who attends the Nashville School of the Arts and has his eyes on an eventual music career, was grateful for the guitar lab that was built in part with previous donations from the CMA.

"It’s where I spend most of my time when I’m not doing anything academic," he said.

John Michael, who has a 12-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son, can see the importance of music in shaping their experiences. His daughter is playing Bach pieces after three years of piano lessons, and his son heads straight to his bedroom after school to pull out the guitar and run through his favorite riffs, including the chords from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s "Sweet Home Alabama."

"Who knows what they’ll turn into?" John Michael said. "But I know as long as they have music in their life, they have somethin' to turn to, especially when things aren’t always goin’ great. Music was always there for me. I hope it’s that way for them, too."

"Between music and sports," he added, "it kept me out of trouble, there’s no doubt about it."

The Hard Rock is an ideal partner in the charity pin program. The restaurant’s Nashville outlet is located just steps away from Riverfront Park, in the heart of the CMA Music Festival district. Artists such as Gretchen Wilson, Diamond Rio, Jason Michael Carroll and the Lost Trailers will keep a steady stream of songs coming from the Cumberland River bank during free daytime shows Thursday through Sunday. On the other side of the river, artists such as Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney will pump out music during nightly concerts at LP Field, the home stadium of the Tennessee Titans.

All of the artists perform for free, with half of the festival’s net proceeds targeted for the Keep The Music Playing outreach.

"At the end of the day, you walk home and you think that you’re helping a kid, you’re giving him an instrument and an opportunity to have a creative outlet in their school and in their lives," Tammy said. "It’s amazing."