“I’ve done many concerts, but because of the purpose I count this as the number one concert I’ve ever done in my life,” said Gregg “Happy Guitar” Haynes.
On Friday, October 18 he is formally kicking off his Happy Guitar Music & Arts Foundation (HGMAF),by hosting an inaugural benefit concert.
The “Ambassadors for the Kingdom” concert will feature a 10-piece band. Some of the area’s finest musicians are performing alongside eight-year-old singer/guitarist Steve Moore IV and 11-year-old singer/percussionist Kamron Lawrence, two of the students Haynes has been serving since before he formed the organization three months ago.
Haynes hopes to inspire, educate and entertain through HGMAF. He plans to offer free lessons for children ages 8-12, monthly clinics and more.
“I want this to be a musical pulse of hope for our community,” Haynes said. “So many times a child’s dreams have fallen by the wayside because of the lack of available resources and opportunities.”
It’s a reality Haynes learned first-hand growing up in the Pruitt-Igoe housing projects.
“When I was eight years old, I desired to play the guitar,” Haynes said. “I didn’t realize that I was financially disadvantaged and couldn’t afford to take guitar lessons. But my mother was a religious woman and she prayed and laid hands on me and asked the Lord to anoint me to play.”
He began to learn theme songs of sitcoms while watching television. He learned songs and played them by ear. He was allowed to perform during church services.
Over the next 40 years he would play all over the city, country and world.
But Haynes had a well-guarded secret, as musical director for gospel stage plays. He couldn’t read music.
“I faked it, but if they put music in front of me to read, I couldn’t do it,” Haynes said. “And I said, ‘I’ve got to do better. I’ve got to teach this next generation of musicians coming up.’”
What finally motivated him to enlist his wife Shirley Haynes and a handful of other renowned local musicians to kick off the foundation was one of the stars of tomorrow night’s concert.
Steve Moore IV came to Haynes when he was six years old, wanting to take lessons.
“I said to myself, ‘I am not going to have a babysitting class,’” Haynes said. “But for a year and a half, this little kid stalked me. And he had the cutest smile. I hated to see him coming.”
When the boy’s grandmother convinced Haynes to give the boy a chance, he showed up for lessons with “his little guitar,” Haynes said. “He reminded me so much of myself when I was a boy.”
Watching Moore retain the information he was taught and seeing his hunger for more musical knowledge at such a young age was the catalyst.
“That’s when it hit me that I could reach these kids that wanted to learn but needed some mentorship and an opportunity,” Haynes said.
Moore will sing and play alongside established adult musicians in Friday’s concert.
“We are going to take people on a journey,” Haynes said. “We are going to borrow from the different genres and styles of gospel, from traditional to quartet to the Negro spirituals to the jazz feel of gospel.”
Haynes will also recognize certain individuals as “Ambassadors for the Kingdom” for their work in ministry, music, education, mentoring and entrepreneurship. Honorees include Ms. Ida Woolfolk, Dr. Doris Wilson, Dr. Levi R. King Sr., and Reverend Dr. Ronald L. Bobo Sr.
He’s looking forward to the concert, as well as the future work it will support. “I don’t want to just leave my legacy,” Haynes said. “I want to live my legacy.”
The “Ambassadors for the Kingdom” HGMAF kick-off concert will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, October 18 at West Side Missionary Baptist Church, 4675 Page. For more information, e-mail happyguitar@aol.com or visit www.happyguitar.com.
