MVAA to unveil mural honoring local music legends
Zach Petroff/For the Observer-Reporter
The Mon Valley Academy for the Arts (MVAA) is celebrating the area’s rich musical history by painting a large mural on the side of the Peter J. Daley Cultural Center, 119 Brownsville Ave., Brownsville.
The mural will feature the likenesses of local music legends Sam Bill, Vinnie Colaiuta, Scott Elias, John Gresh, Cheryl Hardwick, Jeff Lashway, Danny Leoni, Jerry Leoni, Mark Smith and Van Ross Redding.
The artwork will be unveiled at a ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday.
“It’s all about the legends that came from Brownsville,” said Annette Buffer, MVAA president. “This was always a thought. Even before we had the building we thought about a way to honor them. They’ve done outstanding things in the world of entertainment. This mural will preserve their legacy and inspire future generations of musicians.”
The event is free and open to the public, and will feature live performances by MVAA’s student performance groups such as VoiceZ on Fire and the Regimental Fife & Drum Unit. There also will be light refreshments.
Among those featured include Colaiuta, a member of both the Classic and Modern Drummer halls of fame; Hardwick, a former member of the “Saturday Night Live” band before eventually becoming the show’s musical director, and Smith, MVAA CEO, who has worked in the Mon Valley music industry for more than 50 years.
The project is part of Rivers of Steel’s Creative Leadership Program, a three-year intensive community development incubator for communities through the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.
“MVAA is grateful to Rivers of Steel for their dedication to the arts and for making this project possible,” Buffer said. “Their support reflects a commitment to promoting and preserving the Mon Valley’s cultural heritage.”
The project was completed with funding from The Benedum Foundation, Pennsylvania Council for the Arts’ Creative Communities Project, and an Appalachian Regional Commission Power grant.
The MVAA continues to develop new programs to provide musical opportunities for area musicians such as Empower a Rising Star (EARS), which kicked off this month. EARS provides music lessons for students in grades 4-11. A donation of $250 provides 10 lessons.
“Music is a dying art,” Buffer said. “The schools can’t afford it, so children don’t get the opportunities. We’re trying to get the kids started so we can have new legends. There are excellent musicians coming up and we’re just trying to get them before they get lost.”