Bonnie Raitt: Stratocaster https://web.archive.org/web/20000304121537/http://www.bonniera...

With school music and arts budgets dwindling, many of America's youth--especially in the inner
cities--are being denied the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. Because Bonnie
Raitt wanted to do something to help, she recently collaborated with Fender to develop The
Bonnie Raitt Guitar Project--a charity program which began in 1996 designed to encourage inner
city girls to play the guitar.

Fender has unveiled the Bonnie Raitt Signature Series Stratocaster®, which was created by
Fender to Raitt's specifications. All royalties are donated by Ms. Raitt to help fund the initative.
The project will be channeled through inner city charity organizations, such as Boys and Girls
Clubs across the country. Fender will supply instruments and work with its dealer network to
provide lessons and support for this project.

"Because I'm a musician I'd like to encourage people who can't afford guitars--and girls who
wouldn't even think about playing a guitar," Raitt said. "I had a guitar as a kid because my
parents and grandparents gave me one, and I was able to be in a school orchestra and take piano
lessons. But these days, I don't think it's an option for kids--and certainly not in the inner city. We
hope to offer access to music for people who otherwise wouldn't have access to it."

The Bonnie Raitt Series Stratocaster, which is the first Fender signature guitar honoring a female
artist, will be available through Fender retailers.

The Bonnie Raitt Signature Series Stratocaster, which resembles a vintage Strat® from the
  1960's, features a rosewood fretboard, special neck narrow shape, 22 American Standard frets, a
large 1960's headstock, Bi-flex truss rod, alder body, Vintage tremolo, three Texas Special single
coil pickups, white pearl pickguard, tweed case, strap and cable. It is available in two colors:
3-color Sunburst and Desert Sunset.

The Bonnie Raitt/Fender/Boys & Girls Clubs Music Education Program is now operating in 120
Boys & Girls Clubs, located in 35 states, Th Virgin Islands, and Germany. More than 3,800 Club
members have participated, with another 1,000 beginning instruction this year. In many clubs,
there is a waiting list for participation! About 60-65% of the participants are female. Thanks to
the efforts of Bonnie, her band, her many friends in the music business, and the people at Fender,
more than $275,000 has been raised since the inception of the program in 1996, allowing Fender
to make available some 1,600 acoustic guitars for instruction. All instruction books have been
donated by Hal-Leonard Corporation. Plans are underway to expand the program to more Boys
& Girls Clubs and children, and to broaden the initiative to involve other instruments, musicians
and musical instrument companies.

For more information, contact

Evan McElroy

The Boys & Girls Clubs Of America

(404) 815-5742
   

1 of 1 05/02/2021, 11:30