Imagine: The 26th Annual John Lennon Tribute

(Austin, Texas) IMAGINE - The 26th Annual John Lennon Tribute - Stephen Doster leads the finely tuned #9 Orchestra through a wide range of John Lennon and Beatles classics in what has become one of Austin’s longest running and finest annual tribute shows on October 9, 2016 at Threadgill's South, 301 W. Riverside Drive, at 7 p.m.Phone: 512.472-9304. The #9 Orchestra is: Stephen Doster, Tommy Taylor, Andy Salmon, Marie Nehring, Ben Cocke, Bruce Marton, Shana Norton, and Dave Moerbe.  Special guests this year include: Gurf Morlix, Darin Murphy, Johnny Goudie, Miles Zuniga, Seela, Pablo Escalante, Greg Engle, Jon Dee Graham, William Harries Graham, Rick Busby, Jody Denberg, and The Magical Mystery Horns (Sam Jeffrey, Stephen Jeffery, and Kelly Hodge). The event is being sponsored generously by Atticus Records and Fender, and this year, benefits children in both Mauritania and Swaziland through the Austin non-profit, Guitars For Swaziland. Fender has donated a guitar that will be signed by renowned guitarists and auctioned off at the event. Also attendees can purchase a sponsorship package that includes a ticket, a T-shirt, and a $25 gift card to Wink. There are fifty packages at $50 each, which you can purchase online at www.guitarsforswaziland.org. All money goes directly to Guitars For Swaziland projects.

Echos deSahel School Group      Stephen Doster went back to Africa for the State Department this summer with colleague Greg Engle, former US ambassador and currently the Country Director in Ethiopia. “This time we went to Mauritania in the northwest by the Sahara…lots of sand and camels. The people there have an interesting blend of African, Arabic, Sub-Saharan, and Moors in their culture. The music was really amazing and I was given the opportunity to play with a variety of artists including activist and renowned performer, Senator Malouma, who plays the Ardin, a harp-like instrument,” says the Executive Director of Guitars for Swaziland.     Stephen visited Echos de Sahel School and the Malouma Foundation in Mauritania and saw how the children’s lives and education would be enhanced with music. Fender Guitar’s Jeff Van Zandt immediately donated five Fender guitars, four for the schools and one to have signed and auctioned off at IMAGINE - The 26th Annual John Lennon Tribute. Ryan Grizzle from the US Embassy in Mauritania is facilitating the details between Guitars for Swaziland and Mauritanians.      In Swaziland the guitar lessons program at SOS Children' Villages has been ongoing since Fender donated guitars and strings in 2013. Guitars for Swaziland is sending additional strings and supplies, as well as a grant from Atticus Records, to pay local musicians who are giving the orphans lessons. Guitars for Swaziland’s efforts to support music education in Africa is ongoing!