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John Mayer donates four guitars for Hong Kong’s youth music programs
John Mayer donated four autographed guitars he codesigned to help raise funds for youth music programs in Hong Kong.
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John Mayer signs a guitar in Hong Kong on April 8 to be donated to raise funds for youth music education. (Tom Lee Music/File)
American musician John Mayer has donated four guitars to help raise funds for youth music programs in Hong Kong.
Ahead of his concert debut in the city on April 8, Mayer collaborated with musical instruments distributor Tom Lee Music and autographed four PRS Silver Sky guitars he codesigned with luthier Paul Reed Smith.
The guitars will be sold for HK$50,000 (US$6375.88) and all proceeds will go toward the Junior Police Call and its youth music programs.
Launched in 1974, the Junior Police Call Scheme is a youth organization tied to the Hong Kong police.
“I would like to see a world I live in that has opportunity for everybody,” Mayer said.
He said that he was mystified by the guitar when he was a child. “It is obviously a symbol of pop culture heroism. I remember when I saw it, I wanted to know how to play it,” he said, as quoted from a press release.
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Tom Lee Music has supported the Junior Police Call for over 30 years, especially with its music programs.
“We hope that by engaging an international mega-star musician like John Mayer, we can help raise the awareness of the Junior Police Call among all young people here in Hong Kong, to show that the Junior Police Call acts on a larger scale aimed at an audience beyond the traditional ones,” said Kenneth Lee, director of Tom Lee Music.
Mayer was in Hong Kong as part of his Asian leg tour, with stopovers in Singapore, Bangkok and Jakarta. He concluded his Asian tour in Tokyo on April 11.
After signing the guitars, Mayer had a few words of advice for young musicians. “Hang in there,” he said.
“Don’t let discouragement stop you from playing. Hold on tight to that instrument and keep playing no matter what. That’s your life raft.” (wng)
