Clay County Free Press
CLAY, W.Va. — On Tuesday, Sept. 2, Clay County High School students gathered in the gymnasium for a special announcement. Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and his family have started a music foundation, The Chad Smith Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to bridge the gap in music access and opportunity.
“Music changed my life, and at the Chad Smith Foundation, we are making sure we are changing other people’s lives too,” said Chad Smith in a video describing the new foundation. “My path to becoming a drummer started with these things, early exposure to music, a solid music program, and, luckily, a family that supported my dreams. But not everyone gets those three chances. We’re going to change that. Our foundation has one mission: to make sure the next generation of musicians has the support they need to pursue their dreams.” He explained that the Foundation will have college scholarships for aspiring musicians and music educators, and want to put “instruments in the hands of kids who otherwise wouldn’t have access to them.”
