U2's The Edge Autographs Epiphone Music Rising Guitars to Benefit Charity

Press release
Source: Gibson Guitar

Epiphone and Music Rising have announced the sale of ten Epiphone Music Rising guitars signed by U2's The Edge. All proceeds will benefit Music Rising which has recently launched the second phase of the campaign which grants musical instrument assistance to churches and schools of the Gulf Coast region. On September 25, 2006 U2 and Green Day helped re-open the Louisiana Superdome in a pre-game show where they performed "The Saints Are Coming" to a worldwide audience. The Edge personally put his autograph on ten of the Epiphone Music Rising guitars prior to the show. The ten exclusive guitars will sell for $10,000 each and are available through Musician's Friend until they are gone, with all proceeds benefiting the charity directly. There will be no others offered with the legendary artist's autograph and each have been signed by him on the front portion of the guitar. A photo of him signing the guitar will accompany each guitar as documentation.

Music Rising, a campaign originally launched in November 2005 to replace musical instruments lost or destroyed in the Gulf Region was formed by U2's The Edge, legendary producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. Administered by the Gibson Foundation and partnering with Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and All Congregations Together, Music Rising has provided instruments and/or gear to over 2,400 professional musicians, 5,500 parishioners and nearly 2,000 students.

Many people from the ravaged region are still living in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers or are without a permanent residence. Those musicians who have depended on the local music industry for their livelihood have been supported by Music Rising through the replacement of lost instruments and equipment.

The Music Rising Epiphone Les Paul guitar features exclusive artwork and the campaign's slogan "Rebuilding the Gulf Region Note By Note." The artwork which was emblazoned on The Edge's t-shirt at the 2006 Grammy Awards and designed by William Cathcart, has become a symbol of the campaign and is also available on limited edition t-shirts sold exclusively through U2.com and Hard Rock Cafes around the world.

The guitar specs include all the features that have made the legendary Les Paul guitar synonymous with a great rock tone including a solid mahogany body with carved top, glued-in mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, Alnico Classic Humbucking pickups and stopbar/tunomatic bridge and tailpiece combination. It also includes a custom "Music Rising" gig bag.

For more information or to make a donation to Music Rising go to www.musicrising.org or www.gibsonfoundation.org. Questions or inquiries can be emailed to info@musicrising.org. Checks may also be sent to the Gibson Foundation/Music Rising, 309 Plus Park Blvd, Nashville, Tennessee 37217.

About Music Rising:
Music Rising is a national campaign created by U2's The Edge, producer Bob Ezrin, Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. Inaugural partners Guitar Center Music Foundation, MusiCares(R), Musician's Friend, VH-1 Networks, MTV Networks, Rolling Stone Magazine, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Ticketmaster, ESPN, The NFL, ABC News Now, Real Networks, Hard Rock International and Live Nation constitute the most dynamic and comprehensive organized group to launch a relief program since the hurricanes hit the United States. The campaign's goal is to help rebuild the musical heart and culture of the Gulf Region by replacing the musical instruments and gear that were lost in the inundation of 2005. Music Rising will continue to be administered by The Gibson Foundation. For information on Music Rising go to www.musicrising.org or www.gibsonfoundation.org. For information on the Epiphone Music Rising guitar go to www.epiphone.com or www.musiciansfriend.com/musicrising.

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