**MEDIA ALERT FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 22**

GRAMMY FOUNDATION^®, GIBSON GUITAR AND BALDWIN PIANO PRESENT GRAMMY^® PRO SESSIONS MASTER CLASS WITH

BLUES SINGER/GUITARIST JOE BONAMASSA

WHO:             Joe Bonamassa, and a select group of guitar students from the greater Los Angeles area and surrounding communities.

WHAT:                  The guitar students will perform their repertoire for Bonamassa and will be critiqued on style, technique and musicality. Then, after a performance by Bonamassa, a Q & A session will be held in which the students will get insight into the educational background and daily regimen of a blues musician.

GRAMMY Pro Sessions provides unique opportunities for high school and college students with an interest in music to learn about behind the scenes music-related career options and preparation. GRAMMY Pro Sessions are an extension of the GRAMMY Career Day program. Industry professionals (Pros) provide entrée into their professional music environment for students and introduce them to the men and women who work in that field. They provide information about job content and preparation, what it takes to succeed in the field, and how others have achieved success. Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano have generously supports the program in their continued effort to bring music education to everyone.

WHEN:           April 22, 2005

                        10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

WHERE:         Gibson Showroom

9350 Civic Center Drive

Suite 130

Beverly Hills CA  90210

310-300-2369

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music on American culture — from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of the future generations of music professionals. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with The Recording Academy^® to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit www.GRAMMYintheSchools.com.

Gibson Guitar is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos.  Gibson’s digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years.  Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corporation’s family of brands now included Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton and Wurlitzer.

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Press RSVP MANDATORY

Media Contact:           Mike Shekoyan/The Recording Academy/310.392.3777     

Gibson Guitar Contact:   Maureen O’Connor/Rogers & Cowan/310-854-8116