“We will get by. We will survive.” The lyrics to the Grateful Dead’s 1987 single, "Touch of Grey" ring true today for people around the world. The Rex Foundation teamed up with national nonprofit Little Kids Rock to produce a music video of the classic tune featuring public school students and a variety of notable musicians with the goal of raising funds to support music education programs in danger of being eliminated at an alarming rate as students and teachers head back to school amidst a global pandemic that has infected over 5.6 million Americans.

“Music is a powerful healing force – a lesson taught to us over and over again by the Grateful Dead, particularly in Touch Of Grey,” says Cameron Sears, Executive Director of Rex Foundation. “We are proud to once again support Little Kids Rock, who continues to lead the charge in helping build inclusive music programs in schools across the country.”

The funds raised from online donations will be split between the two organizations to support music teachers by providing professional development and other resources to help teachers learn to teach music virtually while many schools remain physically closed. Little Kids Rock has pioneered innovative, popular music education techniques in public schools across the country, serving over a million students in underserved communities since 2002.

“Rex Foundation was one of the first funders to support our work when I was a public school teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area just trying to get this free music program started for my students,” said David Wish, founder and CEO of Little Kids Rock, which has served over a million students since 2002. “This has been such a wonderful opportunity to work with them and a host of artists and students to promote a positive message through music at a time when kids need music education as much as ever.”

Rex Foundation has chosen to focus the majority of it’s 2020 grant giving efforts on all areas of the music industry – from professional musicians and crew members to music programs for kids. Since 1984 the Rex Foundation has granted $9 million to over 1,300 recipients including Little Kids Rock.

Contributing Artists

David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) – guitar, vocals

Trombone Shorty – trombone, trumpet

Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) – sax

Louie Perez (Los Lobos) – guitar

Lindsay Ell – guitar, vocals

Billy Strings – guitar, vocals

Don Was – bass

Jay Lane – drums, vocals

Jeff Chimenti – keys

Mark Rivers (Tedeschi Trucks Band) – vocals

Shira Elias (Turkuaz) – vocals

Making Movies (Enrique Chi, Juan Carlos Chaurand, Diego Chi, & Duncan Burnett) – vocals

About Little Kids Rock

Little Kids Rock is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that transforms lives by restoring, expanding, and innovating music education in our schools. Our network of thousands of K-12 teachers across 44 states lead a national movement that brings innovative and inclusive music education to students. Using genres including rock, pop, Latin, and rap, our program empowers teachers to build music programs as diverse as the kids they serve. Our students see themselves reflected in their classes, which strengthens their connection to their school, their peers, and their community. Little Kids Rock also donates necessary instruments, and curriculum, meeting a key need of many school music programs. The world of music expands through innovation, and we ensure that music education does as well. More than 550,000 kids currently participate in Little Kids Rock programs nationwide. Since 2002, the organization has reached more than 1,000,000 students with highly inclusive and culturally relevant music education. To learn more about Little Kids Rock, please contact Michelle Shen at [email protected]. Visit Little Kids Rock at www.littlekidsrock.org.

Rex Foundation is pleased to announce that its annual benefit concert is going virtual this year, being held on December 12, 2020 at 7pm EST, with a VIP pre-show hosted by Trixie Garcia & Garcia Hand Picked beginning at 6pm EST.

For over a decade, Rex Foundation has gathered at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA to celebrate the year’s grantees and the Rex community’s efforts to support organizations doing great work across the globe.

This year’s event, Ain’t No Time to Hate, will pay tribute to the 50-year anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead, featuring a selection of artists performing songs from the record, providing fans a completely new take on the album experience. Participating artists include Bob Weir & Wolf Bros. featuring Don Was, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti and Greg Leisz, as well as Margo Price, Lucius, Jackie Greene and Nikole Atkins backed by the rhythm section from Muscle Shoals Studios, the Swampers.

Prior to the Workingman’s Dead tribute, viewers will have a chance to learn firsthand about Rex’s impact in 2020, including grantee stories and a curated selection of music from Daze Between, this summer’s 9-day virtual live stream celebrating the life and legacy of Jerry Garcia. The show will close out with a late-night performance from the Arrows of Neon, featuring music by Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz, Reed Mathis, Jay Lane and Mookie Siegel and special guests,  broadcasted from Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA,

Additionally, viewers will have the option to dive into an intimate VIP pre-show in Trixie Garcia’s Lounge hosted by Garcia Hand Picked, the new cannabis line created in collaboration by the Garcia family and Holistic Industries, a private multi-state cannabis operator in the U.S.

“The Rex Foundation is pleased to welcome the support of Garcia’s Hand Picked as a sponsor for Ain’t No Time to Hate. Jerry was a founder of the Rex Foundation and his family remains integral part of what the Rex Foundation mission is all about. I know he is smiling down on all of us with a sense of pride and amusement at all we have been able to accomplish together,” says Rex Foundation’s Executive Director Cameron Sears

As a kickoff for the event and in honor of Giving Tuesday, Rex Foundation is hosting a live Grateful Dead trivia event tonight, hosted by famed Grateful Dead archivist, David Lemieux. Tonight’s trivia will start at 5:00 PM PT, and will be made available free to view and participate on Rex Foundation’s Facebook page. Prizes will be awarded to the top 5 winners, and include tickets to the Ain’t No Time to Hate stream on December 12, Grateful Dead licensed merchandise from Section 119, and 3-CD sets of Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty.

Tickets and more information on VIP experiences can be found at https://www.rexbenefit.org

The event, named Bound to Cover Just a Little More Ground, will speak to the community’s collective resilience and focus to remain steadfast in bringing about positive social change. This spirit has been present in each grant Rex has given out to recognize the inherent value of the powerful work that Rex Foundation has given out since its inception in 1984.

Melvin Seals and JGB will headline the show, which takes place in the intimate surroundings of The Fillmore. A powerful presence in the music industry for over 30 years as a performer, recording artist and producer, Melvin is most revered for his powerful, high-spirited, Hammond B-3 organ, and keyboards in the Jerry Garcia Band, where he spun his magic for 18 years.  Melvin and JGB will feature John Kadlecik on guitar and vocals, John-Paul McLean on bass, and Jeremy Hoenig on drums. Their chemistry is the focus from which they will create a spontaneous, exciting, and psychedelic musical journey for attendees.

Long-time Rex Foundation supporters Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz and Scott Law, are also set to perform alongside special guest Vicki Randle. Vicki is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer, best known as the first permanent female member of The Tonight Show Band.

The evening’s performances will be  supported by students from Trombone Shorty Academy in New Orleans! The Academy is one of the main projects of this year's Ralph J. Gleason Award, Trombone Shorty Foundation, whose mission is to inspire the next generation of talented youth through music education, instruction, mentorship, and performance. By honoring the New Orleans tradition of “playing it forward‚” Rex Foundation seeks to join the Trombone Shorty Foundation and Trombone Shorty Academy in their efforts to preserve and perpetuate the musical heritage of New Orleans.

Cameron Sears, Rex Foundation’s Executive Director says, 

“We are thrilled to be making our return to the Fillmore Auditorium for our first in-person Annual Benefit Concert since 2019! Each year that we've been able to do this, we've revelled in live music's ability to elevate our spirits and bring us together in support of small-but-mighty local non-profits. Together we are trying to create a vision of the future that is full of possibility. Come join us for another joyous celebration of all things Rex Foundation!"

All tickets include access to the pre-show reception with gourmet food, wine from Silver Oak, Twomey and 1600 Wineries, as well as a selection of locally brewed beer.

The City of San Francisco has eliminated any Covid-related requirements for live events.The event will have limited capacity to tables to ensure comfortable distancing.

This has been a night we have thought of often over the past three years, and the combination of music, community and celebration will give us all the medicine that we have really been wanting. We look forward to sharing the magic of the night with you!

Come join us for another joyous celebration of all things Rex Foundation!