Kenny Wayne Shpeherd.

[Ryan Funch]

FW:

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Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Tipitina¹s Foundation to hold Joint Press
Conference

Wednesday, March 21, 1PM at 700 Texas Street, Shreveport


Tipitina¹s Foundation, Inc. and Shreveport blues/rock superstar Kenny Wayne
Shepherd will be conducting a joint press conference on Wednesday, March 21
at 1PM. The event will be held at the Tipitina¹s Music Office Co-Op
building, located at 700 Texas Street in downtown Shreveport (next to
Artspace). The Foundation will be unveiling a giant sized portrait of
Shepherd, completing the first phase of the Foundation¹s public tribute to
legendary Shreveport musicians. The Foundation will also announce the
launch of a school band instrument program in Shreveport, starting with a
grant of $10,000 to a local area school.

Guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd will be available for brief interviews
immediately following the dedication. Other honorees, including Brady Blade
and Buddy Flett, are also scheduled to attend, along with representatives of
Tipitina's Foundation.

Roland Von Kurnatowski, co-founder of the Tipitina¹s Foundation and co-owner
of Tipitina¹s music venue in New Orleans, says ³we¹ve been looking for the
opportunity to replicate what we do to support school marching bands and
music programs. Because of this remarkable connection that has popped up
between the Tipitina¹s Foundation and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, we¹re very
excited to begin planning in Shreveport.²

Tipitina's Music Office Co-Op, operated by the Tipitina¹s Foundation, is a
workforce development and job skills training program for musicians,
filmmakers and other creative professionals, which has been training
Shreveport musicians since 2005. The Co-Op provides technology access,
training, technical support, business mentoring and a host of other services
to thousands of Louisiana musicians statewide. Those Co-Op members report
annual earning increases ranging from 13% to 35%, year after year, which is
directly attributed to Co-Op participation. Tipitina¹s Foundation has
Co-Ops in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Shreveport.
Tipitina's "Instruments A Comin'" (IAC) is an annual benefit concert, silent
auction and outdoor cultural fair, now in its eleventh year, that has
provided more than $2 million worth of musical instruments to more than 70
school marching bands and after-school music programs, benefitting thousands
of young musicians. IAC 2012 is scheduled for Monday, April 30 at Tipitina's
uptown music venue in New Orleans. The first Shreveport IAC fundraiser will
be held at a date and venue to be determined.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
http://www.kennywayneshepherd.net http://tipitinasfoundation.org

CONTACT
Todd Souvignier, Tipitina¹s Foundation, (504)669-4406 todd@tipitinas.com