Music Rising

I came across this initiative from the Gibson Guitar homepage:

Welcome to Music Rising, an initiative developed by U2’s The Edge, legendary producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar CEO Henry Juszkiewicz to raise funds to replace the lost instruments and accessories of the musicians affected by the hurricanes that devastated the Gulf Coast region two months ago. “The devastation wrought by the hurricanes of 2005 to the Gulf Coast region has threatened not only the lives and livelihoods of the region”™s residents, but the area”™s rich and spirited culture as well,”? said The Edge. “Providing replacement instruments through Music Rising will not only help thousands of professional musicians affected by the hurricanes to regain a foothold on their future, but will also ensure that one of the Gulf Coast”™s greatest assets, its music, rises again.”?

I never stopped to think about the impact of hurricanes on musicians. I would view the loss of my own musical instruments as tragic. Aside from the monetary value, there is a sentimental value associated with each instrument. Then again, a new limited edition Gibson ES-335 would be nice.