DAMON MARKS
songwriter, session guitarist, philanthropist,
Damon Marks and The Traveling Guitar Foundation
In 2009, Damon Marks founded the Traveling Guitar Foundation (TGF). The Traveling Guitar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to ensure that school children have access to high-quality musical instruments and instruction during a time when school systems across the country are facing budgetary restraints.
Damon, a New Jersey native has shown special interest in the school systems in and around the state of New Jersey. Through TGF, Damon has funded over twenty schools in his home state most recently funding eight schools in the city of Elizabeth, NJ where Damon was raised and did all his schooling.
Initially, the Foundation established a substantial presence in the New York tri state area. However, the Foundation's profile has grown to an international level, with in school musical equipment donations and clinics taking place all over the country and abroad.
Due to its extreme importance, the artists Damon has relations with and played guitar for have given major support to Traveling Guitar Foundation. Artists like Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Daryl "DMC" McDaniel, Heart, Melanie Fiona, Leon Thomas III, Ariana Grande, Mike Reid, Victoria Justice, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton and Rick Springfield. Moreover, superstar athletes such as; Allan Houston, David Tyree, Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo have also taken notice of the Foundation’s mission and work.
To date the Traveling Guitar Foundation has donated over 400 new guitars, various types of percussion; instrument cables and amplifiers positively impacting over 30,000 students in over 100 schools throughout the USA and abroad. The photos below show why Damon is so proud of his accomplishments with TGF.
Schecter Guitars is proud to be partnered with Damon Marks (the founder of the Traveling Guitar Foundation) to help provide students with the opportunity to have good quality guitars to learn on and explore music with.
The video to the left is Damon Marks, Rachel Morin and the children of West Freehold School, New Jersey.
