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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Montclair, NJ, United States, 08/03/2009 - Stefan Lessard joins Other Rock Legends as an Honorary Board Member for National non-profit Music program, Little Kids Rock.
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Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit music program that provides free instruments and instruction to underfunded public schools, today announced that Stefan Lessard, bass player for the Dave Matthews Band, has accepted a role as an honorary board member for the organization. Lessard joins a number of prominent music industry legends on the Board including B.B. King, Ziggy Marley, Les Paul, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Slash and fellow bassist Jason Newsted (formerly of Metallica).
“Having access to music education programs was a critical part of my own development as a musician, so I’m excited to help Little Kids Rock provide instruments and music lessons to kids that wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to be musicians,” said Lessard. “With more and more music and arts programs being cut in public schools nationwide, it’s imperative that kids be given the chance to express themselves creatively through programs like Little Kids Rock.”
A child of musicians himself, Lessard credits his own early music teachers with instilling him with a belief in expression through music. Prior to picking up both the string and electric bass as a high school student, Lessard learned to play violin, piano and guitar in his early years. Lessard regularly played local coffee shops and bars in alongside local jazz greats LeRoi Moore and Carter Beauford, both of whom later became founding members of the Dave Matthews Band. At the age of 16, Lessard became the youngest member of the Dave Matthews Band and the only member to play an electric instrument. In addition to his work with the Dave Matthews Band, Lessard also maintains a lifestyle, music and clothing website at IZSTYLE.com and is involved with a musical side project called Yukon Kornelius with fellow musicians Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies, Adam Gardner of Guster and drummer Eric Fawcett of N*E*R*D and Spymob.
“Adding someone of Stefan’s caliber to the Little Kids Rock Board is a really a thrill for us,” said Dave Wish, executive director of Little Kids Rock. “People like Stefan are living proof of the power that music education has to change kids’ lives. Stefan’s support will help Little Kids Rock continue to reach the kids who are most in need of music education. We’re extremely grateful to him and know the program will benefit immensely from his involvement.”
About Little Kids Rock
Little Kids Rock is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that transforms children’s lives by restoring and revitalizing music education in underfunded public schools. Little Kids Rock was founded in San Francisco in 2002 by David Wish, an elementary school teacher who had grown frustrated with the lack of music education funding at his school. Today, Little Kids Rock is one of the leading nonprofit providers of free lessons and instruments to low-income children in US public schools, and has served more than 85,000 students at over 1,000 schools in 20 cities nationwide. Little Kids Rock Honorary Board Members include Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Ziggy Marley, Les Paul and other famous friends in the music industry. More information can be found at littlekidsrock.org and littlekidsrock.tv/.
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keith[.]littlekidsrock.org 
