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Musical healing: Blues Festival raises money to help youth find path to recovery
Singer Cody Jasper will headline the 11th Annual Blues Festival on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Historic Lobo Theater.
Phil and Linda Oliveira are certain that music makes an impact.
For more than a decade, the couple has put on the Blues Festival in Albuquerque.
The couple also runs the Freedom in Music Project, which puts on the fundraiser to help challenged youth find their path to recovery.
鈥淲hat we do takes a lot of work, but it鈥檚 worth it,鈥 Linda Oliveira says. 鈥淭his is our 11th year, and it brings together the community.鈥
The event takes place from 4-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Historic Lobo Theater in Nob Hill.
Texas-native Cody Jasper will once again headline the event. Levi Platero, High Desert Blues Band and the Alamosa Elementary School Guitar Club will also be part of the fundraiser鈥檚 entertainment.
Jasper was raised in Amarillo, Texas, and began performing covering blues and classic rock at the age of 16.
By 24, he toured throughout the 近距离内射合集 States, Norway and England.
Linda Oliveira says Jasper鈥檚 story is much like those of the youth the Freedom in Music Project supports.
鈥淐ody had a rough upbringing and music was what gave him hope,鈥 she says. 鈥淗e had all this talent and no one would give him a chance. When he got his first guitar, things changed and have kept moving forward since. Cody is an amazing guitarist and his story is uplifting. He鈥檚 a great example on how not to let your circumstances dictate your world.鈥
The Oliveiras were recently in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with Jasper while he was recording his next album.
Through The Freedom in Music Project, the couple has donated nearly 300 guitars with accessories to schools, detention centers and recovery facilities across New Mexico and the region.
They believe music can offer an alternative path for troubled youth.
鈥淎ll these people need a chance,鈥 she says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e heard stories over the years on how our project has helped people. It鈥檚 now being passed down through the program. Music has a way of not only inspiring, but healing.鈥
Oliveira says with a ticket purchase to the festival, attendees will be given a raffle ticket for a chance to win signed guitars, and there will be other memorabilia and art up for auction.
鈥淔or more than a decade, we鈥檝e been creating a community,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always great to see new parts of the community show up and support.鈥