Gibson Foundation, the philanthropic division of Gibson Guitar, has announced a five-year commitment to work with the music department at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa through year 2012, providing both instruments and financial support to the school’s music program.

Music Rising, a campaign founded in 2005 by U2’s the Edge, legendary producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, as an effort to aid musicians, schools and churches after the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina & Rita, announced its support of New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya events to be held at the Democratic and Republican Conventions. Kicking off in Denver on August 24 with the Democratic National Convention Committee’s Opening Night Reception and the Friends of New Orleans All-Star Jambalaya at The Filllmore Auditorium, this series of high profile concerts and events will culminate in Minneapolis on September 1, the first day of the Republican Convention, with the Friends of New Orleans All-Star Jam-balaya at the historic First Avenue music venue. These events, along with additional benefit shows in Aspen, Colorado and Jackson Hole, Wyoming will showcase the best of Louisiana food and music, while calling attention to the ongoing rebuilding efforts of the Gulf region and immediate need to prevent further loss of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands in order to preserve the rich cultural and musical history of New Orleans. Artists will be transported to all events by the exclusive Gibson Tour Bus, which will be available on location to the press as a site for interviews with artists and other VIPs.

The 2008 International Society of Music Education Conference took place in Bologna from July 21-25th. The Gibson Foundation supports ISME with two very special awards – the ISME-Gibson Music Education Awards, which are awarded every two years at the bi-annual conference; and the ISME-Gibson Community Music Awards, which are awarded on alternate years.

Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak joined forces at Leadership Music in Nashville on Friday, May 9, 2008, where Juszkiewicz presented Wozniak with a Gibson Hummingbird guitar on behalf of the Gibson Foundation and Leadership Music.

On Saturday May 24h Hotel Congress hosts a Night For New Orleans, a benefit concert and crawfish boil to benefit Music Rising, a charity dedicated to rescuing the musical heritage of New Orleans co-founded by U2's the Edge, producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz.

Gibson Foundation, the philanthropic division of musical instrument manufacturer, Gibson Guitar, furthers its support of environmental causes with the announcement of its recent sponsorship of the Natural Resources Defense Council's Eco Salon held in Nashville, Tennessee in April. The gathering, hosted by legendary singer/songwriter Emmylou Harris and featuring keynote speaker Robert Kennedy, Jr., attracted some of the music industry's elite including Sheryl Crow, Kathy Mattea, Big Kenny, Christiev Alphin, Matraca Berg, Jeff Hanna, J.D. Souther, Jon Vezner, Paul Kennerly and Nashville's Mayor Karl Dean.

U2's the Edge announced the Icons of Music Sale II to benefit Music Rising to be held on Saturday, May 31, 2008 at Hard Rock Café New York in Times Square. This second annual auction event, hosted by Julien's Auctions, will offer one of the most significant collections of music memorabilia from many of music's greatest legends with proceeds benefiting Music Rising, a campaign co-founded by U2's the Edge, legendary producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz in 2005 to aid musicians of the Gulf Coast Region in regaining their livelihood after the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Music Rising is administered by the Gibson Foundation.

Gibson Foundation the philanthropic division of Gibson Guitar recently sponsored Paul Weller’s acoustic headline show at The Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust Charity. Paul Weller was joined on stage by Ocean Colour Scenes Steve Craddock while the support came from new Welsh Soul sensation Duffy.

Gibson Foundation the philanthropic division of Gibson Guitar proudly sponsored Paul Weller’s acoustic headline show at The Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust Charity. Paul Weller was joined on stage by Ocean Colour Scenes Steve Craddock while the support came from new Welsh Soul sensation Duffy.

Following on from last year’s hugely successful Gibson Guitartown London charity campaign, supported by The Gibson Foundation, it was time for the cheque presentation to take place. Representatives from the three benefiting charities attended the presentation, held in the Gibson Guitar Showroom in London. Also in attendance was the campaigns curator Mark Tattersall and Mark Humphrey of Coutts & Co Bank who were one of the sponsors of the charity auction.