B.B. donates "Lucille" to fight hunger
During a rare concert performance at his B.B. King Blues Club on January 11, 2005, legendary Blues musician B.B. King autographed a Gibson Lucille guitar for David Mac Donald of Kinnelon, NJ. Mac Donald placed a winning bid on the guitar during WHY's (World Hunger Year) annual Hungerthon fund raiser, which took place Thanksgiving week in partnership with New York radio stations. King also autographed a second Lucille guitar, which will be auctioned off during Hungerthon 2005.
Rolling Stone Magazine recently placed King third on its list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. The magazine wrote, "... with one note, B.B. King can tell a story that touches the deepest roots of your soul."
The American music industry has consistently proven itself to be one of the world's most charitably conscious business communities, a distinction earned most notably for the generosity that has characterized the industry's long-standing commitment to eradicating hunger. WHY's Artist Against Hunger and Poverty (A2HP) program has been the driving force at the very heart of that effort for the past three decades, and today remains the industry's leader in raising funds and awareness in support of those many Americans striving to break free from the debilitating cycle of hunger and poverty.
A2HP has raised nearly $9 million in the last decade in support of activities designed to alleviate hunger and poverty in America. A diverse group of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Phish, Santana, Peter Paul & Mary, Darryl McDaniels, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Suzanne Vega, Ritchie Havens, Emmylou Harris and dozens of others have joined together in support of the urgent work of A2HP.
A2HP allows performing artists and songwriters to give vital support to local anti-hunger organizations in their tour cities by donating concert tickets and making other charitable contributions. The organizations utilize the tickets to raise funds for local food relief and job training programs, while the artist seeks to highlight the local program through regional media. A portion of the proceeds raised also go toward supporting nation-wide programs such as the National Hunger Hotline, the WHY service that has become a lifeline for thousands of American children and adults (among them the families of National Guard troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan).
