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Gibson Brands Gives the Gift of Music to Veterans in Nashville
by Rich and Laura Lynch
In advance of Veterans Day this year Gibson Brands held a special press conference together with Guitars For Vets on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 in the Wood Library Room at the Gibson Custom Shop In Nashville.
Gibson Brands CEO James Curleigh and one of the military green custom guitars built for G4V.
The gathering included U.S. Veterans Henry Thomas, Pete Nugris and Brandon Branham as well as Gibson artist Sully Erna of the multiplatinum rock group Godsmack, James "JC" Curleigh (Gibson, President and CEO), Dendy Jarrett (Gibson Foundation, Executive Director), Cesar Gueikian (Gibson, Chief Merchant Officer) and Patrick Nettesheim (Guitars For Vets, Co-Founder) and Eric Weinstein (Guitars For Vets, Executive Director).
"You wouldn't know it by the hair maybe or the clothes, but my father was General Curleigh. I grew up in a military environment and I couldn't be more proud of this Guitars for Vets combination with Gibson," said Gibson Guitar's new general and CEO James Curleigh who has been widely hailed for his battle plan that has brought the celebrated brand back from bankruptcy in triumphant fashion. Gibson donated 50 guitars and 19,000 sets of strings to the organization as a way of helping our returning soldiers combat depression and PTSD. "That's what this guitar does. It gives you that moment where the world kind of goes away for a little bit and all you have is just you and the music."
Guitars For Vets, Executive Director Eric Weinstein presented a sobering yet hopeful message in Music City.
Thousands of our war Veterans are afflicted with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In fact, more soldiers have committed suicide since the Vietnam War than have died in actual battle. But many are finding hope in an unlikely place: behind the wood and strings of an acoustic guitar. The healing power of music helps soldiers cope and Guitars For Vets (501(c)3) provides veterans with guitars and a forum to learn how to play. With over 80,000 guitar lessons and 3,000 guitars gifted so far, Guitars for Vets has refined a guitar instruction program aimed at providing Veterans struggling with physical injuries, PTSD and more a unique supportive program.
G4V pursues its mission to share the healing power of music by providing free guitar instruction, a new acoustic guitar and a guitar accessory kit in a structured program run by volunteers, primarily through the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities and community-based medical centers. G4V's mission is to help those who served rediscover their joy through the power of music.
Godsmack frontman Sully Erna addresses the media as "JC" looks on.
Related Links:
For more information on GIBSON BRANDS and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links --
Gibson Brands |
Guitars For Vets | Gibson Brands Are Back in Nashville
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