Save The Music’s 2024 ‘Hometown To Hometown’ Event Raises $300K For Music Education

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Pictured (L-R): Maren Morris, Ali Harnell, Brittney Spencer attend Save The Music fifth annual “Hometown to Hometown” event at City Winery Nashville. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Save The Music

Save The Music’s fifth annual “Hometown to Hometown” event wrapped Tuesday night (Oct. 15) in Nashville, raising over $300k in funds for music education programs in under-resourced public high schools.

Ali Harnell and Leslie Fram speak onstage at the Save The Music fifth annual “Hometown to Hometown” event. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Save The Music

Co-hosted by Leslie Fram and Angie K, the evening honored female powerhouses Maren Morris, Brittney Spencer and Live Nation Women’s Ali Harnell as the 2024 Champions of the Year for their contributions to the music industry and their passion for music education.

Throughout the event, honorees, performers and speakers, including musical artists Angie K, Brandy Clark, Abbey Cone, Allison Russell with Ruby Amanfu, Joy Oladokun, Dean of MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment Beverly Keel and Maren’s mother Kellie Morris spoke passionately about the bonds shared by women throughout all career stages, and the importance of lifting up and supporting each other’s careers.

Event highlights include Cone performing “If You Were A Song,” and Spencer delivering the evening’s first standing ovation with her song “Bigger Than The Song.” Keel later presented Spencer with the Champion of the Year award. Harnell and Fram shared a thoughtful conversation around Harnell’s career trajectory, and Russell and Amanfu delivered a soul-stirring rendition of “A Beautiful Noise.” Clark presented Harnell with her award, reflecting on her companionship and collaboration during her trailblazing career.

Pictured (L-R): Maren Morris, Ali Harnell and Brittney Spencer attend Save The Music fifth annual “Hometown to Hometown” event at City Winery Nashville. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Save The Music

Oladokun resumed performances with “What Would This World Do,” bringing the audience to their feet and teeing up the final performance of the evening by honoree Morris. Following her performance of “The Bones,” Maren’s mother Kellie took the stage to present her daughter with her 2024 Champion of The Year award.

Save The Music grant recipient school James Lawson High School in Nashville brought home the night when educator Tyler Meredith and his two star students Jay J Roberts and Jailynn Boone recounted the impact the music technology grant has had on their school with Jay J inspiring the audience with her career aspirations inspired by the Save The Music Music Technology grant.

Funds raised from the event will go towards developing music technology programs in Nashville as well as the honoree’s respective hometowns in Dallas (Morris) and Baltimore (Spencer). Since its inception in 2019, “Hometown to Hometown,” hosted by Save The Music and SongFarm.org, has raised a million dollars, empowering 15 high schools with essential music technology equipment and valuable resources.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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