How LGBTQ+ Emerging Artists Can Get a Boost from Gibson and Music Forward

Gibson Guitars and their partner Music Forward believe in LGBTQ+ emerging performers and have set up a special grant program to help them.  Our guest is Danielle McDuffe of the Music Forward Foundation. Danielle comes from a professional music background that started at age 15 when she attended GRAMMY Camp for Music Journalism and got her articles published in magazines with the GRAMMY Museum. Since then, she has created and hosted her own podcast (MOODY), has written blog posts for artists like UMI, Bishop Briggs, and thuy, and has created showcases for local queer visual artists and musicians as part of Queer Arts and Crafts. 

We will be discussing the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards to be given out in October. The awards are ten US-based selected artists dedicated to their songwriting craft, and their vision for themselves through music. The ten awardees will each receive:

·     $3000 Grant

·     $1000 Gibson retail for an instrument.

·     Performance Opportunities that include the Gibson Garage Nashville and Gibson showrooms, as well as other venues.

·     Quarterly Mentorship with established musicians, as well as the Gibson and Music Forward teams.

With co-host Brody Levesque