JASON NEWSTED ACCEPTS HONORARY SEAT ON LITTLE KIDS ROCK'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Heavy Metal Bass Man Pledges Continued Support for Music Education

January 15th, 2004 - Anaheim, CA (Winter NAMM – Booth 2002 outside of Hall D) - Little Kids Rock (LKR) an innovative non-profit program that provides free instruments and music curriculum to children, announced today that bass player, Jason Newsted (Voivod and formerly of Metallica), would be joining Little Kids Rock as an Honorary Board Member. Mr. Newsted’s post on the LKR Board of Directors will begin immediately and will help the organization gain visibility as it provides free music education to children across the country. Mr. Newsted has donated time, instruments and funding to Little Kids Rock. Jason and his band, Voivod, were the first artists to lend their creative talents to the programs next large scale fundraising effort, "Little Kids, Big Fans: Stars United for Music Education."

Mr. Newsted will accept his honorary board seat and award recognition from Little Kids Rock executive director, Dave Wish at the NAMM Show in Anaheim on Saturday, January 17th at 1:45pm at the Dean Markley booth, #5710.

"It has been proven that children who create relationships with musical instruments do better in school and in life,” said Jason Newsted. “In times like these, when the arts are being forced out of our schools, encouraging self-confidence in kids through music, or in any way we can, is absolutely essential. I'm honored to give my support to this incredible organization."

"We at Little Kids Rock are absolutely thrilled to have Jason accept a seat on our Board," said David Wish, founder and executive director of Little Kids Rock. "He has been heavily involved in many of our projects since his introduction to our program." Wish added.

"Little Kids, Big Fans: Stars United for Music Education"
Since its inception, Little Kids Rock has received support and encouragement from a number of music industry luminaries. Performers like Bonnie Raitt, BB King, Carlos Santana, Bob Weir, Paul Simon and John Lee Hooker have all backed our efforts to bring free and dynamic music classes to disadvantaged kids. Jason Newsted and his band Voivod are some of the most recent stars to get involved and they have done so in a very special way.

Newsted and Voivod are big fans of the music that our students produce. In April 2003, they invited a group of Little Kids Rock students to come as their guests to a rehearsal session at famed recording studio The Plant in Sausalito, CA.

After treating the kids to what was, for many, their first live viewing of a rock and roll performance, Newsted and his band mates recorded a song called "Yoda." The band had heard the song on the latest Little Kids Rock CD. It was written by a fifth grade LKR student named Tristan Troupe. Like the kid-original that inspired it, the Voivod version rocks! It has also helped us launch a new recording project called "Little Kids, Big Fans: Stars United for Music Education."

The new CD will feature Newsted and Voivod along with other well-known musicians recording their own versions of songs written by Little Kids Rock students. Proceeds from sales of the new CD will help Little Kids Rock expand its program into several new urban areas.

Jason Newsted is the latest name on LKR's growing list of high profile supporters. Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon and BB King are honorary members of the Board of Directors. Carlos Santana's Milagro Foundation has purchased more than $10,000 worth of instruments for the program. Bob Weir and members of the Grateful Dead have funded classes. The String Cheese Incident has held silent auctions. John Lee Hooker was a founding Board Member and visited some classes before his passing.

ABOUT LITTLE KIDS ROCK
Little Kids Rock believes that music is a critical component of first-rate education. Many elementary schools have been stripped of their music programs. These cuts have had a disproportionately large impact on children from low-income backgrounds. Little Kids Rock restores music to its rightful place in the academic lives of kids in our public schools by providing a rich music education program including instrument instruction, free instruments and trained mentors. Founded by a single elementary school teacher in 1996, Little Kids Rock is now serving 2,000 students in CA, NY, NJ and TN. Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, BB King and Les Paul sit on our Honorary Board of Directors and we are supported by friends Carlos Santana, Phish, Bob Weir and others. Little Kids Rock programs are scheduled to launch in the Los Angeles area in 2004.

Media Contact:
Allison Neves, PR Director
Little Kids Rock
415-948-1200
allison@littlekidsrock.org