For the past two years, Morgan Wallen has donated three dollars from every U.S. ticket sold on his 87-show One Night At A Time World Tour to his non-profit, Morgan Wallen Foundation (MWF). Supporting programs for youth in the areas of music and sports, MWF further expanded their local impact during the U.S. tour’s 2024 leg with their “One Instrument At A Time” initiative, in partnership with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (MHOF).
MWF committed to donating musical instruments to schools in need across 14 stadium touring cities Wallen visited this year (2024) on his One Night At A Time Tour, including Arlington, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Denver, Colo.; East Rutherford, N.J.; Hershey, Pa.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Kansas City, Mo.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Nashville, Tenn.; Oxford, Miss.; Philadelphia, Pa; Tampa, Fla. and Virginia Beach, Va. In total, the value of the instrument donations is $500,000.
"When I was a kid, access to music profoundly changed my life and gave me a sense of purpose. I want that for others, and I'm blessed to be able to provide instruments to these schools through my foundation,” shares Wallen. “We really wanted to say a big thank you to these awesome communities that welcome us in and let us play for our fans.”
With a core belief that all children deserve a chance to thrive, play and create through sports and music, the MWF supports programs for youth in these two areas – sports and music. It’s this mission that made the partnership with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the lives of kids by giving them access to learn and play music in school via the donations of high-quality musical instruments, a natural fit.
"Giving back is an integral part of who Morgan is and how he was raised. So launching ‘One Instrument At A Time’ in conjunction with this tour was incredibly important,” adds Kathleen Flaherty, executive director of the Morgan Wallen Foundation. “Partnering with Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation enabled us to utilize their expertise in securing quality instruments and identifying schools in local communities that need them the most. In turn, we hope to impact the lives of kids by giving them access to learn and play music, which is what set the stage for Morgan’s life.”
"Music education plays a crucial role in shaping the development of young minds, nurturing their artistic expression, and instilling a lifelong passion for music. We are grateful to the Morgan Wallen Foundation for their dedication to enhancing music education in our schools,” shares Tricia Williams, President and CEO at Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. “Their generosity will make a profound difference in the lives of students, empowering them to unleash their potential and pursue their dreams.”
Last month, MWF donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to aid with efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Helene and $140,000 to Gibbs Youth Sports to coincide with Wallen’s record-breaking homecoming double-header at University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Neyland stadium. In 2023, Wallen’s foundation focused heavily on revitalizing baseball parks in touring cities, with donations to Chicago Cubs Charities, Atlanta Braves Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville and Boston Red Sox Foundation.
Photo Courtesy of Morgan Wallen Foundation
About Morgan Wallen Foundation (MWF)
Access to sports and music transformed and enriched Morgan Wallen’s life in ways he never could have imagined growing up as a kid in East Tennessee. They have been a constant presence since the age of three. Playing sports instilled in him the values and benefits of discipline, hard work and commitment. Exposure to music at a young age has led him to become the country artist he is today.
Morgan Wallen Foundation (MWF) has a core belief that all children deserve a chance to thrive, play, and create through sports and music and supports programs for youth in these two areas – sports and music. MWF is also dedicated to being there for communities in times of need. Whether it’s providing supplies in the wake of natural disasters, meals for first responders, distributing groceries to food insecure families, we are there to help.
For more information go to www.morganwallenfoundation.org.
About Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation:
The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation keeps music alive in schools across the country by providing vital support services to school districts, and new musical instruments to underfunded music programs nationwide, giving under-represented youth access to the many benefits of music education, leading them to success in school and inspiring creativity and expression through playing music. Since its founding in 1996 the organization has donated more than $33 million worth of instruments to over 1,800 schools. More information is available at Mhopus.org.