The Guitar Center Music Foundation is proud to announce its 4th Annual Gala and Benefit Concert, which will take place on September 11, 2025, at The Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. The Gala will honor legendary sound mixer John McBride with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his significant contributions to the music industry, and American R&B/Pop songwriting and record producing duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will be honored with the Vanguard Award for their unwavering support of music education. In addition to recognizing these musical legends, the evening will honor firefighters and first responders who bravely battled the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year. The gala aims to raise awareness and funds for the Foundation’s mission to support musicians, music education and give everyone the power to create and express themselves through music across the United States. Thousands of individuals nationwide benefit yearly from GCMF’s grants and other efforts aiding veterans, hospital patients, the unhoused, and those affected by natural disasters, as well as youth in both schools and after-school programs.
Additional efforts will be made to fund the Guitar Center Music Foundation Disaster Relief Program which aids musicians impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires to assist in replacing instruments, gear, and offering resources. The Foundation announced its disaster relief program earlier this year and has helped over 600 individual musicians to date. In addition, the foundation has replaced instruments in over ten schools including the replacement of all instruments for two schools burned in the Altadena fire.
Remarking on the Foundation’s excitement regarding the Gala, Board Chair David A. Helfant says, “We are so excited this year to be honoring Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis with the Vanguard Award for their iconic success, impact and contributions to the Music Industry, as well as John McBride with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his incredible efforts in sound engineering and founding one of the most important and successful Music Academies in Nashville with numerous programs featuring hands-on, experiential training for students eager to learn. It is this level of accomplishments and passion that compelled our Foundation to honor these legends. Plus, we will honor the firefighters who helped protect the city earlier this year during the tragic wildfires. Our mission is to use music to heal and educate people by donating musical instruments and giving grants to students, educators, musicians, school districts and hospitals across the country and these honorees epitomizes the level of excellence and bravery that we strive to attain every day.”
The evening’s performances will be under the musical supervision of Emmy and GRAMMY® winning Adam Blackstone. Blackstone is known for his award-winning work music directing multiple Super Bowl Halftime Shows and his collaboration with artists like Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, and many more.
Tickets to the momentous occasion are on sale now: https://guitarcenterfoundation.kindful.com/e/2025-annual-gala
The 4th Annual Guitar Center Music Foundation Gala
Thursday, September 11th
6:00-10:00pm
The Maybourne Hotel
225 N Canon Dr. Beverly Hills, CA 90210
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