On February 15th, Kofi Burbridge passed away at the age of 57. The music world was shocked at the loss of the multi-instrumentalist, with musicians, including Kofi’s brother, Oteil Burbridge, penning heartfelt tributes and expressing their condolences. Similarly, fans have banded together, offering a tremendous outpouring of love in addition to thoughtful messages and requests to donate money in the Tedeschi Trucks Band co-founder’s honor.
Tedeschi Trucks Band has recently issued a statement to address questions of monetary donations. The twelve-piece led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks has suggested three music-oriented non-profit organizations to donate to: Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, Music Health Alliance and MusiCares.
TTB has a long-standing history of raising funds for Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, an organization that donates instruments and supports under-funded K–12 music programs. The band has partnered with the non-profit to create the Kofi Burbridge Music Matters Fund, which will seeks to “inspire young students, and foster the talents of musicians to make their own contributions to the world, just like Kofi Burbridge did.”
The group has also chosen two organizations that aid professional musicians in need. The Music Health Alliance advocates for musicians’ healthcare, with the non-profit materially supporting Kofi throughout the process of the beloved multi-instrumentalist’s 2017 heart surgery. As TTB notes, “Your support will allow them to continue to improve and save the lives of Kofi’s fellow musicians as they face their own hardships.” The second organization, MusiCares, provides individuals working in the music industry with a safety net during times of distress. As the group explained, “MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and their help and aid were a crucial lifeline to Kofi in his time of need.”
Read the full statement from the band and donate in Kofi Burbridge’s honor on Tedeschi Trucks Band’s website. Plus, watch a video from Marc Millman that highlights Burbridge’s bright spirit and musical prowess below. The clip of “Slippin’ Into Darkness” was captured at The Maple Leaf during Jazz Fest last year on Wednesday, May 2, during a jam also featuring Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville and June Yamagishi.
