Mt. Vernon, London music organizations band together to support grieving musicians

MOUNT VERNON, Ky.— Many people lost valuable possessions in the tornado, including musical instruments. Like all great bands, those passionate about music are working to make a difference.

Logan Powell is with Mountain Sound Guitar Works in London. He’s partnering up with the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Mt. Vernon to keep the music alive through instrument donations. What started as an idea to fix damaged instruments turned into a donation drive.

“You’re going to take care of your friends, family, and home first, but when the dust settles and you’re left to grieve, music is a coping mechanism that is healing,” Powell said.

Powell, a musician himself, knows how powerful music can be, and it’s a feeling shared by Jessica Blankenship, executive director of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

“I started hearing stories. Sunshine Hills Baptist Church lost everything, all their instruments. One by one, I started hearing friends that we grew up with who had lost their instruments,” Blankenship said.

The idea of the donation drive was music to the ears of many, and a lot of musicians came in right away to donate what they could, just as they had during rebuilding efforts. Donations can be anything from guitars, drums, and even instruments for schools like brass, woodwind, and marching percussion. If it makes music, they’ll take it.

“Every 10 minutes, someone stops saying, ‘Do you all need some food or help?’ This was no different. It was almost as soon as I mentioned taking donations, I started getting messages,” Powell said.

“In about 10 to 15 minutes, immediately, someone contacted Logan and wanted to donate a drum set. We’re going to be delivering that to the church, so that’s the first of many donations from people that have contacted us,” Blankenship said.

Anyone wanting to donate can drop off or ship instruments to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum at 2590 Richmond Street in Mt. Vernon, which is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day.