This benefit concert is the brainchild of Nashville music phenom Melvin “Maestro” Lightford who is a graduate of Nashville School of the arts, and holds a degree in music education from Belmont University. Maestro is an outspoken proponent of music education and through his company Lightworks Muzik, founded the annual benefit concert in 2009 as a means to bring the Nashville music community together in support of music education. Proceeds from tickets sales will go towards the continued work of the W.O. Smith Music School (
www.wosmith.org), which provides first-class music instruction to children from low-income families for the nominal cost of $0.50 per lesson.