The National Music Foundation
The National Music Foundation made its home in Lenox, Massachusetts from 1992 to 2000, with the vision of creating a national music center on its 63-acre campus. Before its closing, the founders were planning to include a retirement community for musicians, a museum, a library and an archive of specifically American music.
FOUNDING, EXECUTIVE TEAM, NOTABLE APPEARANCES
The Foundation was founded by Joey Dee and Lois Lee of Joey Dee & The Starliters and their friends Judith and Allen Haimes. Dick Clark served as chairman of the board for most of its existence; board members included Johnny Cash, Jessye Norman and Hammer. Gloria Pennington worked as the Foundation’s president and CEO and Thomas Heany was the programming director.
After a nationwide search for a suitable property, the Foundation chose the campus of the former Lenox Boys School, which was located close to the center of town and included 14 buildings in varying states of repair, among them two theaters, a library, a Berkshire cottage, dormitories and private homes.
The Foundation’s mission embraced all types of American music and presented several seasons of concerts using both theaters. Performers included Kenny Rogers, Travis Tritt, Bela Fleck, Sonny Rollins, Bill Monroe, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, John Raitt, John Hall, The Paul Winter Consort, The Mavericks, The David Grisman Quintet, David Byrne, Emmylou Harris and Terrence Simien and The Mallet Playboys.
BERKSHIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL, SHARED HERITAGE PROGRAMS
In addition to the concert series, the Foundation created the Berkshire Music Festival, a county-wide celebration of music held each May for three years. For one weekend, musical performances happened all over Berkshire County in restaurants, libraries, coffee shops, churches, stores, theaters and homes. Music was available everywhere you went. The Festival showcased local musicians and marked the beginning of the Berkshires’ performance season.
The Foundation’s Shared Heritage programs presented musicians in intimate settings that often included opportunities for audience members to meet with the performers and ask them questions. The programs also provided various opportunities for young aspiring players to study with professional musicians. Performers in Shared Heritage programs ranged from the great soprano Licia Albanese to banjo masters Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick.
STATE HOUSE CONCERT, MUSIC EDUCATION INITIATIVE, CLOSING
The National Music Foundation even brought music to the State House in Boston, where they presented an afternoon concert – hosted by none other than Dick Clark –featuring an up-and-coming bluegrass phenomenon named Cody Kilby and jazz legend Randy Weston.
Another highlights of the Foundation’s programming was its America Music Education Initiative. Through the program, the Foundation gave cash awards to teachers who used American music in their lesson plans; lessons covered a wide range of subjects including music, history, geography and English. A panel of distinguished educators with expertise in a wide range of musical genres and educational settings evaluated the lesson plans, and those chosen by the judges were posted online to serve as a free resource for teachers everywhere. The initiative was spearheaded by Lee Berk of Berklee College of Music and Fred Bramante, founder of the Daddy’s Junky Music chain and long-serving member of the New Hampshire State Board of Education.
Ultimately, the broad scope of the mission and the cost and effort involved in maintaining and developing a 63-acre campus proved to be too much for the Foundation. The property was sold to Shakespeare & Co., another nonprofit, and the organization relocated to Orlando, Florida. The American Music Education Initiative continued for another two years, but the Foundation ceased operation in 2000.
(by Thomas Heany)
