The John Lennon Bus Appears on Fox's Huckabee to Support the Wanna Play Fund and Demonstrate the Power of Music Education

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The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus made an appearance at Fox’s Huckabee show this weekend in support of the NAMM Foundation’s Wanna Play Fund, a program that the former Governor of Arkansas advocates as part of his ongoing dedication to music education for all children. The Lennon Bus tours and partners with schools and colleges nationwide to provide students free access to the bus and the opportunity to participate in the production of music, video and digital photography projects. Appearing on the show with Brian Rothchild, executive director and founder of the bus, were six students from New York’s La Guardia High School who wrote, recorded and performed an original song live on the show. Huckabee also played on bass guitar along with the students later in the broadcast. According to Rothchild, the bus visits more than 250,000 students at over 60 schools and colleges per year, providing young people free hands-on music-making opportunities. “There are too many schools and communities that don’t have arts and music education programs today,” Rothchild said. Also featured on the show, was an Online auction of a signed guitar by the Oakridge Boys, from which proceeds will benefit the Wanna Play Fund and programs such as the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. The Wanna Play Fund seeks public donations to support programs and activities that strengthen music education in schools and provide opportunities for people of all ages to learn to play music. As an avid supporter of the vital role music education has for all children and of the benefits playing music has for people of all ages, Gov. Huckabee serves as the national spokesperson for the NAMM Foundation's Wanna Play Fund. Specifically, donations to the Wanna Play Fund will: 1. Support community-based programs that provide new and innovative ways for people to learn and play music. Donations support the NAMM Foundation's competitive program grants given to non-profit service organizations that offer high-quality, innovative music learning opportunities as well as to those programs that expand opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to learn and play music. 2. Provide musical instruments to schools that are expanding or reinstating music education programs. Instruments will be provided to schools that demonstrate commitment to expanding opportunities for all children to learn music as part of the core curriculum and to schools that employ quality music teachers. The NAMM Foundation will also provide instruments to individuals whose circumstances inhibit their ability to meet their full musical potential. Instrument donations will also be considered for non-professional music makers in community-based music programs and people pursuing professional music careers. The Wanna Play Fund stems from a national public awareness campaign called Wanna Play? created by NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry, to educate people of all ages about the many social and wellness benefits of making music. More than 85 celebrities currently support the campaign, including Gov. Huckabee, Isaac Slade, Sara Bareilles, Robert Downey Jr., and John Legend. Wanna Play? celebrities include actors, authors, musicians, sports figures, executives, politicians and personalities who play a musical instrument. For more information about the Wanna Play? campaign and how to get started playing an instrument, visit www.wannaplaymusic.com. Gov. Huckabee, an avid guitarist and bass player since childhood, is a national advocate for the powerful role music plays in learning and his program regularly features celebrity musical guests. He can also be heard providing insightful commentary on more than 500 radio stations daily delivering "The Huckabee Report." As Governor of Arkansas, Huckabee led state legislation that expanded access to music and arts education for children in the state. Arts education was Gov. Huckabee's signature initiative when he chaired the Education Commission on the States, a state-level policy development organization. In every aspect of his career, Gov. Huckabee emphasizes the vital role of music in education for all children and promotes the benefits of life-long music making. As a national spokesperson for the NAMM Foundation's Wanna Play Fund, Gov. Huckabee encourages donations and participation in Fund activities—including online auctions of celebrity-signed guitars featuring artists who have appeared on his program.