Fender launches non-profit Fender Play Foundation with artist ambassadors from Green Day, Fall Out Boy and more

Panic! At the Disco's Brendon Urie with student (Image credit: courtesy of Fender)

Fender has announced the Fender Play Foundation, a new non-profit initiative providing resources and music education opportunities to equip, educate and inspire young players.

The company also announced the first round of artist ambassadors to work alongside the foundation, which include Chris Stapleton, Avril Lavigne, Ashley McBryde, Panic! At the Disco’s Brendon Urie, Green Day’s Mike Dirnt and Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz; more will be added for 2020.

The artist ambassadors will donate their time to the foundation in a variety of ways, including through surprise instrument drops in their local communities, providing guidance and awareness and donating signed instruments and memorabilia for auction and more. 

Additionally, Fender says it will support artist ambassador charities that align with the foundation’s overall mission. 

Fender has pledged to raise $3 million, with an initial donation of $1 million, to educational institutions and organizations that provide youth with opportunities to learn how to play.

Support for music education programs will start near the company’s Los Angeles, Nashville and Scottsdale offices, with plans to expand to more cities in 2020. 

For more information on the rather cool initiative, head to Fender.

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Richard Bienstock

Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.