You don’t need to be a music expert to tell when a guitar is out of tune. But on Saturday at Warren Wilson College, the sense of community was perfectly in harmony.
“This is our community service,” said luthier Cathy Currier from Kentucky, who traveled to Western North Carolina to help restore guitars for survivors of Hurricane Helene.
“We’re cleaning, restringing, and adjusting,” she explained to Queen City News.
Currier and many others from the music community volunteered their time for one simple reason:
“Music saves lives,” Currier affirmed.
In the wake of the storm, many survivors lost their musical instruments, and for John Rogers of Grayson County, Virginia, that loss has been deeply felt.
“A new start, a little bit of light,” he shared about the opportunity to replace his lost musical gear.
Rogers was among the first in line to receive the lifeline he believed would help restore his spirit.
“Thanks for coming; we’ve got plenty of instruments for everybody!” a volunteer reassured the crowd.
Wood Songs, a nonprofit organization, collected over 1,000 instruments, which were distributed free of charge to survivors of Helene. The collection included guitars, drums, horns, keyboards, amplifiers, and more.
Folk musician Michael Johnathon spearheaded the distribution effort.
“They create the soundtrack of America’s front porch,” he said. “It’s so exciting to see so many hundreds of people lining up for instruments donated from all across America. The spirit of the front porch, that’s what these people represent.”
“We know the region has been through a tough time,” Johnathon said to the crowd, before they were invited to choose from a wide selection of instruments.
“Okay, I’ll take it!” one man said as he eagerly grabbed an acoustic guitar.
Each instrument felt like a gift from a stranger, sometimes accompanied by a note from the donor.
“Peace, love, and good music to you,” wrote Kari Porter, a UNC Asheville student who found solace in music after the storm.
“After Helene, I was using instruments from campus, and I wasn’t able to enjoy the craft. This is just incredible,” Porter shared.
“This one’s gorgeous, man,” Rogers said, picking out a guitar. “I’ll take that one. Thanks, man, I appreciate it.”
For many, music is more than just sound—it’s a form of therapy.
“This is my therapy,” Rogers said.
“God, you’re saving my life here, thank you so much!” he told volunteers.
The day was filled with the sound of strums and smiles.
“For months, me and my family have been financially thin,” said Draegan Taylor, a student at Western Carolina University.
Regaining his ability to play means everything to him.
“It’s how I connect with other people,” Taylor explained.
After the storm, many musicians had to adjust to silence. Now, they’re finally able to reclaim the peace that music brings.
Tyler Ladd broke in his new guitar with a classic Bob Dylan tune.
“And accept it that soon, you’ll be drenched to the bone,” he sang while testing out the guitar. “You’d better start swimming, or you’ll sink like a stone; the times, they are a-changin’.”
“Means the world to me to be able to have this,” Ladd said.
Together, the survivors have learned that disaster recovery is a collective effort, and they are deeply grateful for the support.
“Thank you so, so much,” Rogers repeated. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
He couldn’t express his gratitude enough.
Rogers, along with hundreds of others, has reconnected with a source of identity and comfort that was sorely missed.
“It changed my whole situation in like 30 seconds,” Rogers said.
WoodSongs isn’t the only organization reaching out to musicians affected by Helene.
The nonprofit ReString Appalachia continues to gather instruments and cash donations to help restore the musical heartbeat of the region.
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