Franchise News

School of Rock, the leader in performance-based music education, announced the students of School of Rock Guarulhos, Brazil, as the winners of their exclusive Jimi Hendrix 80th Birthday Tribute Contest. The students, Alex, 17 on vocals and guitar, Caio, 17 on drums, and Arthur, 17 on bass, of School of Rock Guarulhos performed "All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix.

School of Rock teamed up with Janie Hendrix, sister of Jimi Hendrix and President/CEO of the official family company Experience Hendrix, Sony Music, Fender Musical Instruments Corp., and Hal Leonard to hold a Jimi Hendrix video performance competition. School of Rock locations all across the globe were invited to submit a video audition of their students performing one of two popular Jimi Hendrix's songs, "Purple Haze" or "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)".

Janie Hendrix, Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock, and Mark Czuchran, of Fender Musical Instruments Corp., then evaluated the performances of six finalists based on the following criteria: overall musical proficiency, accuracy, band cohesion, stage presence, tone, professionalism, flair, visual aesthetics, and the ability to capture the spirit of Hendrix.

"It's incredibly moving to see young guitarists so immersed in Jimi's songs, stretching themselves to give their best performance," said Janie Hendrix. "The level of commitment to the competition shows tremendous respect for his music. A new generation of gifted performers is in the making, and what an honor to know they're influenced by Jimi."

Each of the students in the winning band was awarded an special edition gear bundle that included a Fender® Affinity Series™ Stratocaster®, a Fender® Voodoo Child coiled cable, a set of Fender® Voodoo Child electric guitar strings, the book Jimi Hendrix: The Stories Behind Every Song, a Fender® Vintage Tweed Guitar Strap, Fender® guitar picks, a two-pack of purple Experience Hendrix wristbands and a souvenir metal photo.

"Thank you to all of the talented students that participated in the contest," said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. "We look forward to giving our students these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities  to expand their knowledge, experience, and love of music, all while paying tribute to one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time."

School of Rock provides students of all ages an exciting and engaging music education experience, which includes bass lessons, guitar lessons, singing lessons, drum lessons, and piano lessons. Drawing from all styles of rock and roll, School of Rock students learn theory and techniques via songs from legendary artists such as Aretha Franklin, Lenny Kravitz, and Led Zeppelin. Thanks to the school's performance-based approach, students around the world have gained superior musical proficiency, with some moving on to record deals and larger platforms such as American Idol, The Voice and Broadway.

School of Rock helps aspiring musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop tools they need to thrive in life. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1998, School of Rock has become a rapidly growing international franchise with over 500 schools open and in development across 15 global markets. Since 2009, School of Rock has grown its student count from 4,000 to nearly 60,000. School of Rock offers a wide variety of music lessons, including guitar lessons, singing lessons and piano lessons. The company also sells musical instruments and music gear through its GearSelect program. School of Rock was awarded US Patent 10,891,872 in 2021 for its innovative music education method. School of Rock also has garnered the following industry awards: 2022 and 2021 Global Franchise's Awards Best Children's Service and Education Franchise; 2022 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 Top Children's Music Enrichment Brand; 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for Most Innovative Use of Customer-Facing Digital Tools; Franchise Business Review's 2021 Top 200 Franchises and Culture 100 list; 2020 Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 200 Franchise and the #1 Child Enrichment Franchise; and 2018 Forbes # 2 Best Franchise Medium-Level Investment Award and the #1 Music Franchise in America.

Follow School of Rock on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SchoolofRockUSA and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SchoolofRockUSA.

For more information on School of Rock visit www.SchoolofRock.com or call 866-695-5515. To learn more about School of Rock franchise opportunities head to http://franchising.schoolofrock.com/

Since 1946, Fender has revolutionized music and culture as one of the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC)–whose portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes Fender®, Squier®, Gretsch® guitars, Jackson®, EVH®, Charvel®, Bigsby® and PreSonus® – follows a player-centric approach to crafting the highest-quality instruments and digital experiences across genres. Since 2015, Fender's digital arm has introduced a new ecosystem of products and interactive experiences to accompany players at every stage of their musical journey. This includes innovative apps and learning platforms designed to complement Fender guitars, amplifiers, effects pedals, accessories and pro-audio gear, and inspire players through an immersive musical experience. FMIC is dedicated to unlocking the power of musical expression for all players, from beginners to history-making legends. In 2021, Fender celebrated 75 years of giving artists "wings to fly" carrying on the vision of its founder, Leo Fender, and connecting players through a shared love of music.