On Monday, May 20, Monte Pittman, lead guitarist for Madonna and current solo artist, jammed with students at Pio Pico Middle School in Los Angeles, who participating in the free Little Kids Rock music program. Moreover, Pittman arrived with free instruments for the students, courtesy of Moksha Yoga’s 30-day “Sweat For Change” fundraising Crowdrise challenge, which raised nearly $115,000 for Little Kids Rock to restore and revitalize music education in under-served public schools nationwide.
Little Kids Rock, the United States’ leading nonprofit provider of music education and free instruments to public school children, is currently reaching over 110,000 children with weekly music lessons amidst budget cuts that are eliminating music education from some of the nation’s most disadvantaged public schools. Nearly 3,000 current Little Kids Rock students receive free music education in Los Angeles/Pasadena schools.
Moksha Yoga LA, NYC and Minneapolis combined their efforts to raise nearly $115,000 as part of a 30-day fundraising challenge on Crowdrise, to help Little Kids Rock bring free musical instruments and lessons to disadvantaged schoolchildren. Pittman, who joined Little Kids Rock’s honorary board in 2009, is going to help them deliver some of the new instruments that the funds have purchased.
“One of the greatest gifts from being a musician is the ability to help others by what you have been blessed with,” Pittman said.
Pittman’s initial claim to fame was his role as the “Guitar Teacher to the Stars,” teaching British film director, Guy Ritchie and his then girlfriend - pop music legend Madonna, with whom he eventually toured and performed with at Super Bowl XLVI. Having just completed stints as the musical director and lead guitarist for Adam Lambert’s Glam Nation Tour, followed by recording his second studio album Pain, Love and Destiny, playing guitar on Madonna’s MDNA world tour which became the top grossing tour of 2012, and most recently completing a full length album produced by legendary Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen, Pittman is taking time out to teach tomorrow’s stars the art that he has taught to today’s stars.
Pittman engaged in a Q&A session with the students and discussed life as a professional recording artist and being on tour with Madonna, as well as a jam with the students. Then, he and representatives from Moksha Yoga LA unveiled the brand new instruments being donated to Pio Pico Middle School.
For more information, check out: http://montepittman.com
