Musicians Unite to Support Fellow Artists After Devastating LA Wildfires
In a heartfelt response to the destruction caused by last year’s LA wildfires, composers Brandon Jay and Gwendolyn Sanford have launched a community initiative to support musicians who lost their instruments. The couple, known for their work on the popular TV show “Orange Is The New Black,” were among those affected by the fires in the Palisades and Eaton Canyon areas.
Brandon Jay shared, “We managed to save my wife’s acoustic guitar and one of my electric guitars.” However, the couple faced the heartbreaking loss of hundreds of other cherished instruments. Recognizing the emotional and sentimental value attached to these items, Jay and Sanford were inspired to help others in the musical community who faced similar losses.
Their efforts gave rise to Altadena Musicians, a platform created to assist artists in replacing lost gear and sharing their stories. “A week after the fire, I did a Facebook post talking about the value of instruments,” Jay said, emphasizing the sentimental importance over monetary value.
An impromptu community event in Pasadena shortly after the fires saw friends and strangers alike bringing instruments to the couple, some mirroring those they had lost. This support spurred Jay and Sanford to initiate several projects aimed at rebuilding the musical community.
Among these initiatives is an app designed to facilitate the donation of instruments. Additionally, they established a free record store to help music enthusiasts replace beloved collections lost to the flames. Jay remarked on the significance of such collections, stating, “It’s something that you collect over your whole lifetime… and so many people lost that.”
Altadena Musicians has also successfully fundraised to create a physical space dedicated to live performances, rehearsals, recordings, and instrument repairs. Jay hopes that these resources will continue to support artists as they navigate their recovery. “I just want it to be, like, an ongoing situation,” he expressed, acknowledging that the emotional readiness to replace lost items varies for each individual.
For more inspiring stories of community service, visit npr.org/heretohelp.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
