From The Ground Up; Instrument Donation Program Takes Root in Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Nov. 19, 2013 - PRLog -- Since the summer of 2013 Washington DC based production company, Terra Rising Records has been able to collect over fifty instruments and form donation points in cities nationwide through the company's instrument donation drive titled, 'Beat Teams.' Beat Teams has helped form new music therapy programs while also increasing access to musc education for people of all ages.

South of Broad, a Knoxville, TN based music group, connected with Terra Rising's founder Michael Ricucci through social media and founded a donation chapter in Knoxville that has transformed into a monthly live-event, already collecting over fifteen instruments in just the first two shows, and providing exposure for a vareity of Knoxville musicians, including Laurel Wright and Terry Adams. A third Beat Teams event is schedule for Thursday Wednesday November 21, 2013, 7pm EST, at Vic's Beer and Cigar Shoppe featuring Dave Kennedy of Kelsey's Woods along with Shimmy and the Burns.

Crystal and Scott, co-founders of South of Broad, talked about their experience with the program: "The benefits to everyone involved are countless- from the local musicians who get the opportunity to play for a great crowd of potential new fans, to the businesses that gain new customers from each event that they host, to the individual recipients of instruments, music lessons and accessories that they might otherwise have gone without - it's a win-win-win for everyone,"

South of Broad then brought the idea of Beat Teams Knoxville to the co-owners of Vic's Beer and Cigar Shoppe Tim England and Garrett Jernigan who embraced the formation of Beat Team's Knoxille and agreed to let South of Broad host a live Beat Teams event at their venue.  Skuffeltown Productions, a Knoxville based promotion/production company, then signed on to set up a live webcast and stream the event on the internet, allowing the event to reach beyond it's local borders.

Tim has seen positive results right from the start:  "The Beat Teams event doubled our business for the night and gave us tons of free advertising. It's hard to even put a number on the value of new customers that are brought in on these events. So happy to be a part of Beat Teams," said the Vic's co-owner.

Tim's business partner, Garret Jernigan, agreed: "It's been an awesome experience to be a part of Beat Teams! It has been wonderful for our business and name recognition around town. Can't wait for the next one! It is also such a great opportunity to be a part of the Beat Teams mission and helping to raise instruments and awareness for such a worthy cause."

Beat Teams is a nationwide instrument donation program created by Terra Rising Records' founder Michael Ricucci. Beat Teams chapters have been established in cities across the US that will serve as instrument depots for Terra Rising Recrords' US Tour, The Terra Tour, from November 2013 - April 2014 which includes finishing the company's feature length documentary, Universal MusiCARE: The Music Therapy Experience. The documentary provides an in depth look into the healing and connecting powers of Music Therapy.  The Beat Teams mission is to provide more access to music therapy and music education for people of all ages.

For all PR and instrument donation inquiries please contact:
Michael Ricucci
Michael@Terra-Rising.com
Terra-Rising.com

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