A sold-out fundraising concert at the Franklin Theatre raised $9,800 for Music for Seniors. This nonprofit organization connects area musicians with older adults through live and interactive music programs designed to promote health and well-being while reducing isolation.
The inaugural fundraising event featured local Franklin band Poor Lisa, who donated their time and talent to kick off the concert planning. Jeff Ledbetter, lead guitarist in the band, and his wife Jaclyn attended a small Music for Seniors event last summer and reached out to the organization earlier this year with the offer of a concert fundraiser. The Franklin Theatre offered the space, as the organization was already planning to host its November concert there for this year’s series. Organizers made it all happen with just about two months of planning. The Franklin Theatre also contributed by donating their venue space, helping to keep costs minimal with only staffing and audio-visual expenses.
“This is the first time we’ve held this fundraising concert,” said a Music for Seniors representative. “Everyone was wonderful to work with and participated in making it a success. The concert just about sold out, with only a handful of individual seats remaining throughout the auditorium.”
Music for Seniors operates throughout Middle and East Tennessee, serving a population where more than 50% of participants experience age-related neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. The organization offers three main types of programming: free daytime public concerts, learning labs, and outreach programs.
Their annual concert series features 20 performances across the region at venues including the Looby Theater, Cheekwood, Frist Art Museum, and Tennessee State Museum, with acts like the WannaBeatles and Soul Vibes Global.
They also offer learning labs that provide hands-on instruction in instruments, including ukulele, harmonica, and percussion, as well as songwriting workshops. These programs combine the cognitive benefits of music with ongoing learning to support healthy aging while helping participants develop new friendships.
The organization’s outreach programming, which accounts for more than 80% of its annual activities, takes place in community centers, senior centers, and residential communities, ranging from independent living facilities to memory care centers.
During their most recent fiscal year, Music for Seniors delivered 1,924 programs to over 51,000 older adult participants. In Williamson County alone, they provided 439 programs in partnership with 23 different senior residential communities and day programs.
Both the Franklin Theatre and Poor Lisa have expressed interest in making the fundraising concert an annual event. The organization plans to continue using such events to increase public awareness of their programs and services throughout the region. The success of this inaugural concert demonstrates strong community support for programs that address senior isolation and promote healthy aging through music engagement.
Learn more about Music for Seniors here.
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