Tiera Kennedy Visits Tullahoma East Middle School In Partnership With The CMA Foundation’s State Of The Arts Initiative And Music Has Value

TIERA KENNEDY VISITS TULLAHOMA EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CMA FOUNDATION’S STATE OF THE ARTS INITIATIVE AND MUSIC HAS VALUE

Watch the Recap Video HERE

In partnership with the CMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association, and Scott and Sandi Borchetta’s Music Has Value, rising singer/songwriter Tiera Kennedy visited music students and teachers at Tullahoma East Middle School in Tullahoma, TN on Monday, Sept. 25 in support of furthering music and arts education across the country.

During the visit, Tiera Kennedy joined the CMA Foundation to highlight the transformative power of music through music education with a student Q&A and three performances. Prior to the program, Tiera Kennedy met with four middle school choir and band students in their classrooms, fostering connection and discussing their love of music and what their own music education experience has meant to them. Throughout the Q&A, Tiera Kennedy highlighted why she wanted to pursue music professionally and what kind of music she’s listening to right now. She then treated the students to three acoustic renditions of her songs “Alabama Nights,” debut “Found It In You” and rising new single “Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist.”

Additionally, thanks to Scott and Sandi Borchetta’s Music Has Value fund, which supports those who make music, aspire to make music, and access and appreciate music, Tullahoma East Middle School was gifted new instruments as part of a $120,000 pledge to benefit music education programs in middle Tennessee public school districts in partnership with the CMA Foundation’s State of the Arts initiative. In addition to Tullahoma East Middle School, the pledge will also support the assessment needs of every school in the Tullahoma City School District.

“My grade school music teacher was the first person outside of my family to validate my musical talent and encourage me to share my gift with people,” says Tiera Kennedy. “She ignited my excitement for music, which gave me something to look forward to when I went to class every day. Knowing that there was someone out there who believed in me really changed my life. Music connects people and seeing the joy that these new instruments brought to so many kids reminded me of the power of music.”

Initially developed in 2018, the CMA Foundation’s Tennessee: State of the Arts initiative is a first-of-its-kind statewide arts education landscape analysis. Through a public-private partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education and Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, the CMA Foundation provides no-cost needs assessments to all Tennessee public school district’s arts program. The CMA Foundation’s goal with State of the Arts is to develop an understanding of the criteria necessary for establishing equitable arts education programs and to discover barriers affecting the quality of arts education programming. Now, currently nearing the end of the analysis phase, the CMA Foundation has gathered and examined the information collected throughout the study and is uncovering concrete data to support its tentpole objectives. Most notably, the State of the Arts research has reiterated the tangible benefits that students enrolled in visual and performing arts experience as opposed to their peers not enrolled in visual and performing arts.

About the CMA Foundation
Established in 2011 as the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association (CMA), the CMA Foundation is committed to improving and sustaining high-quality music education programs across the United States, working to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate in music. Through strategic partnerships, professional development and grant distribution, the CMA Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), invests various resources across the national public school system, after school programs, summer camps and community outreach organizations.

About Music Has Value
Music Has Value was created in 2015 by Big Machine Label Group Chairman & CEO Scott Borchetta alongside wife, Sandi Spika Borchetta, BMLG Creative EVP. Providing funds to organizations that support those who make music, aspire to make music, and access and appreciate music, the fund targets K-12 schools needing instruments and resources, with an emphasis on rural areas that are often overlooked. Administered by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Music Has Value aims to enrich lives both young and old, with a portion of their funding also directed to support music therapy programs for seniors and those battling Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit musichasvalue.com.

About Tiera Kennedy
Rising singer/songwriter Tiera Kennedy is emerging as one of the most exciting voices in the format – injecting Country Music with a breath of vitality. Formally introducing her artistry with debut single “Found It In You” (The Valory Music Co.), a poignant love song inspired by her relationship with her husband and creative director Kamren Kennedy, Tiera showed off her playful side with subsequent releases like the effervescent “Gentleman” and jubilant ode to home state soirees on “Alabama Nights.” Landing on several of 2022’s most impressive Artist to Watch Lists, including CMT’s Listen Up, MusicRow’s Next Big Thing and Pandora’s Country Artist to Watch, Tiera took those songs and more on the road, opening for artists including Kelsea Ballerini and Danielle Bradbery, while playing festivals across the country. Readying her forthcoming full-length debut album, Tiera delivers the project’s lead single “Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist” currently rising at Country radio. As the host of Apple Music Country’s “The Tiera Show,” Tiera Kennedy puts her stamp on the genre daily. For the latest information and more, visit TieraMusic.com and follow along on Instagram.