Little Kids Rock

In 1996, an elementary school teacher, David Wish, grew frustrated with the lack of funding for music education at his school. Realizing that he would have to take it upon himself to make sure his kids got a chance to explore music, David began offering an after-school guitar class to interested students. The classes became wildly popular, and as more kids sought to enroll, he decided to take the program national.

In 2002, with initial support from musical luminaries BB King and John Lee Hooker, Little Kids Rock was born. What began as an informal project led by a single school teacher and a handful of volunteers has since evolved into a nationally recognized not-for-profit organization that has served thousands of students across the country.

Little Kids Rock www.littlekidsrock.org provides music instruction for public school students who have been left behind due to budget cuts. We do this through the gracious support of our donors, as well as our Honorary Board Members, including Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, BB King and a host of other celebrated friends in the music industry.

Instructors involved in the program use the unique Little Kids Rock methodology to teach students to play musical instruments. The program focuses on popular music styles that most students already listen to, including rock, blues, rap and hip-hop. Heavy emphasis is put on composition, improvisation and recording, and kids regularly get to record their own music, create CDs – even make their own rock videos. One of the things that makes Little Kids Rock so successful is that schools can get the program up and running quickly and at a minimal cost. We build on the expertise and skills of music teachers and give schools the flexibility to offer classes within the core curriculum or as after-school enrichment. And because all instruments are donated free of cost, all kids have the chance to learn, play and rock out!