Peavey & Bo Bice Give School 'Music Room Makeover' With In Tune Monthly

SHREVEPORT, La. — The row of shiny Peavey guitars, amplifiers and drums was overwhelming enough for Krista Fanning's second-period music class.But before the shock of winning a stage's worth of new Peavey musical equipment could set in, Peavey endorser and "American Idol" star Bo Bice surprised Fanning and her Youree Drive Middle School students with a live performance and meet-and-greet session.Bice spoke to the students about the value of music in life, then plugged a Peavey acoustic guitar into a Classic 30 amp—the model that has been a staple of his live show for more than 10 years—and entertained the Shreveport classroom with a song from his debut album, The Real Thing.Fanning won the first Ultimate Music Room Makeover essay contest, sponsored by In Tune Monthly magazine and presented by Peavey. In Tune Monthly, a classroom music education magazine for teenage music students, chose Fanning's essay over hundreds of compelling entries from teachers and school administrators across the U.S."This equipment will help me teach every single one of my classes," wrote Fanning. "My district supplies absolutely no budget for equipment, and anything we have is either old or something I have supplied [from my home]. This equipment will not be limited just to my students. I will open my music room to area schools and young music groups."Peavey donated an HP Signature electric guitar; a Generation electric guitar; two Classic 30 guitar amplifiers; a Milestone bass guitar; a MAX 115 bass amp; a PV 500 drum kit; three PV MSP1 microphone sets; a PR 15P powered loudspeaker; and an assortment of stands, cables, straps and guitar picks."Music really took over as the guiding force in my life when I was their age, and I actually built my earliest amplifiers then, too," said Hartley Peavey, founder and CEO of Peavey Electronics. "I hope this equipment provides a spark for these students' creative development, because that will stay with them and motivate them toward further achievements in music and in life."In Tune Monthly CEO Irwin Kornfeld remarked, "Peavey's dedication to music education really made this happen. We're pleased to know that this Peavey equipment will be used by students in this school district for many years."