CMA Foundation Celebrates New Orleans Music Initiatives

Pictured (L-R): Rod Hare, Notes for Notes Co-founder and Chairman of the Board; Philip Gilley, Notes for Notes Co-founder and CEO; Joe Galante, CMA Foundation Board Chairman; Eric Paslay; Tiffany Kerns, CMA Senior Manager of Community Outreach; Victoria Shaw, CMA Foundation Board member. Photo: Erika Goldring/CMA

Songwriter Rob Hatch, EMI Nashville’s Eric Paslay, CMA Foundation Board member Victoria Shaw, and pop artist Wrabel took over New Orleans on behalf of the CMA Foundation on Tuesday (Sept. 6) for a day full of music education celebration.

Pictured (L-R): Trell Thomas, VH1 Save The Music Press and Talent Relations Manager; Rob Hatch; Victoria Shaw; Eric Paslay; Kevin George, St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools Superintendent; Wrabel; Tiffany Kerns, CMA Senior Manager of Community Outreach.
Photo: Erika Goldring / CMA

Shaw paid a visit to ABC affiliate WGNO-TV for an interview and performance on local news program News With A Twist, where she spoke about the Foundation’s $325,000 in giving to the region. All four artists traveled to the new Notes for Notes recording studio, located at The NFL-YET Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana, to officially christen the space with help from community children.

A local music student strums a few chords for hit songwriter Rob Hatch. Photo: Erika Goldring/CMA

The day ended with a CMA Songwriters Series in the Parish at House of Blues, where 16-year-old Karen Antunez, a songwriting student with Foundation beneficiary program the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, performed her original song “Boys Like You.” Jonathan Scott also surprised the crowd by joining the group for an impromptu performance of The Scott Brothers’ “Hold On.”

Pictured (L-R): Eric Paslay, Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott. Photo: Erika Goldring/CMA

Hatch, Paslay, Shaw, and Wrabel also met with local music teachers from St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools, as well as the Parish’s Superintendent, Kevin George. Through VH1 Save The Music, the CMA Foundation is rebuilding music programs in Parish Public Schools.

Pictured (L-R): Eric Paslay, Victoria Shaw, Rob Hatch, Wrabel. Photo: Erika Goldring/CMA

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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