Welcome – MaryL’s NAMM blog

Greetings. Welcome to the debut of MaryL's NAMM blog. My blog focuses on news and info about music education advocacy, music research, federal and state education legislation that impacts arts education and legislative activities that impact the music products industry. Along the way, I'll provide links to news sources and in general, describe the “view from here” as I work, along with many others, to advance access to music education and music making for people of all ages.

If you've been following news from NAMM and the NAMM Foundation, you may have noticed that we recently launched the Wanna Play Fund that is part of the Foundation. We have opened the Fund with one of the nation's great music and arts education advocates – Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. He helped us launch the Fund on Sept. 19 on his program Huckabee. We also hosted an online auction of an autographed guitar of signatures that Gov. Huckabee has been collecting from artists on his program; by the way, the Governor plays a killer bass. The winning bidder was Dennis and Elizabeth Danzik from Arizona. Dennis said of his contribution to the Wanna Play Fund, "Music is fundamental to learning, access to music education and a sincere effort in music by the student, at any age, increases abilities in math and science, as well as other academic subjects. The enjoyment of mastering even the basics of music opens social doors, improves grades, makes school more fun and can never be taken away."

A special thanks to Dennis and Elizabeth Danzik for this wonderful contribution that provided a great start for the Fund – a program we can all rally around to support even more opportunities to support access for more kids to learn music.

More soon – would love to hear from you.