Cigar Box Guitar Workshop Music Compound, July 10, 2011

On Saturday July 10^th Suncoast Blues Society (SBS) and Music Compound hosted a workshop to educate youth on cigar box guitars.

10 young members of our community received free guitar kits which they put together and took home as theirs to keep.

During the last Giving Challenge donors to Suncoast Blues Society had the option to direct their funding for specific purposes. One was to purchase cigar box guitar kits and provide them along with  instruction to youth in the community. With the generosity of our donors Suncoast Blues Society worked with CB Gitty, who provided pricing that allowed SBS to include additional students in the workshop.

Judging by the smiles on the faces of the youth and the parents and volunteers in attendance, the event was a success. Each student completed their guitar and after fine tuning by instructor Steve Arvey, joined in on a guitar and drum jam that was led by local bassist Joe Bruno, who brought and demonstrated his custom-built cigar box bass guitar.

Suncoast Blues society extends thanks to Jenny Townsend, founder of Music Compound. Jenny generously provided the space to host the workshop and without her this event might not have been possible. Assisting Steve at the workshop were Bill Hubbard – whose long hours of prepping the kits for Saturday will forever be remembered and appreciated; Edward Eannarino staffed one of the tables and brought completed cigar box guitars for the youth to play. Coordinating and assisting from Suncoast Blues Society was Scott Morris.

Thanks again to the donors that made this possible. As Music Compound is fond of saying – you rock!