Back on June 24th, Widespread Panic hosted its 11th annual Tunes For Tots benefit at Denver, CO’s Mission Ballroom. The collaboration with Conscious Alliance raised money to provide underserved communities with musical instruments for schoolchildren. This past week saw Widespread Panic and Conscious Alliance donate over 900 musical instruments to schools throughout Pine Ridge Reservation, SD.
Home to over 40,000 members of the Oglala Lakota Nation, the Pine Ridge Reservation received 910 various musical instruments including percussion cymbals, flutes, guitars, and keyboards across its four high schools, Pine Ridge High School, Crazy Horse High School, Little Wound High School, and Red Cloud High School. In addition to supporting the schools, the donations from Widespread Panic and Conscious Alliance benefit the Lakota Flute Society and Rock The Rez youth music program.
“While earning their flutes, the young people also learn to become powerful spokespeople for their generation as effective spiritual healers through music,” Will Peters, an instructor in the Lakota Flute Society and teacher at Pine Ridge High School, said.
Related: Billy Strings Returns Home To Give Away 200 Guitars At His Old Elementary School [Video]
June’s benefit concert raised over $215,000 for the Pine Ridge Reservation’s music programs, adding to the nearly $2,000,000 Widespread Panic has raised since Tunes For Tots began in 2005. The show marked Panic’s first time onstage since March 2nd, 2020 prior to the pandemic and kicked off summer tour, immediately preceding a three-night run at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
Head over to Conscious Alliance’s Instagram page to see the delivery of the instruments to Pine Ridge Reservation and scroll down to watch Widespread Panic discuss the importance of the Tunes For Tots benefits.
Widespread Panic – Tunes For Tots