NASHVILLE, TN (April 18, 2005) — When superstars like
Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart,
Josh Groban, Rob Thomas, Joss Stone and Mariah Carey took to the same stage it was for more than just a great concert. They performed for a great charity that benefits the future generations of soul legends, pop stars and rockers.
VH1 sponsored the Save the Music Concert featuring Yamaha artists like Keys, Stewart, Groban and newcomer
John Legend. Each artist comes from their own musical backgrounds, but they all came together to support the campaign of music education for America's public school systems. Whether the performances where soulful, operatic or more rock influenced was of little consequence as the nation's top artists showed the importance of musical styles and how music can improve every child's education.
Center stage of each performance was a Yamaha
MPC7 piano that delivered the lighter tones for some of the songs and the heart pumping beats for the others. America's piano princess, Alicia Keys, got the crowd stomping with her single, "Karma." Keys played on the MPC7 along with an orchestra comprised of young students who were also part of the VH1 Save the Music program.
Also using the MPC7 was Legend, who performed "Ordinary People." Legend also played piano and sang along with Joss Stone for their rendition of "Tell Me Something Good." However, Legend and Stone were not the only mega-star partnership in a night of music and great performances.
In one special performance, Yamaha artists, Stewart, Groban and Legend came onstage together and sang, "Stay with Me." The result was one of the show's highlights and an example of musical heavyweights and varying music genres coming together in support of
music education.
VH1 Save the Music is a non-profit organization that restores music programs by purchasing new instruments for music classes around the U.S. The program also raises awareness about the importance of music education and participation among children and holds fundraisers like the Save the Music Concert.
For more information on Yamaha Corporation of America's Artist Affairs division, please contact Tiffany Napper at
tnapper@yamaha.com or 615-599-0800. Yamaha's ever-growing list of artists can be viewed by going to
www.yamahaartists.com.
