On Saturday, June 10, from 5-11 p.m., the second annual Connor Brite’s Wildflowers Benefit Concert will take place at the Madison Street Plaza in Decatur.
The fundraiser will be fun for the whole family with food trucks, beverages, raffles, and live music by Ethan Corral, School of Rock Fort Wayne, and Good Night Gracie.
Proceeds will benefit Connor Brite’s Wildflowers, a nonprofit organization created to provide music lessons in Adams County and to teach our youth that music never dies.
The program is a loving tribute to Connor Brite who was one of three young men tragically killed by an impaired driver on June 7, 2020. He was only 22.
The loss of the three Bellmont High School alums left the Decatur community devastated. One of the things that survived the accident was Brite’s favorite CD, Tom Petty’s Wildflowers, which is a good representation of his musical taste. In fact, his first concert was seeing Petty while in the sixth grade, which led him to more concert adventures down the way.
To honor Brite’s deep love for music, his family, friends, and supporters in his hometown created the Wildflowers program.
As a matter of fact, the program opened its doors this month and provides kids in the 5th-12th grade with introductory lessons on guitar, drums, and piano/keyboards. This session of lessons will run for five months before taking a short break and picking back up.
The best thing about it is that the lessons are provided at no cost to the students, thanks to community donations, T-shirts sales, and the annual benefit concert.
The lessons are conducted Monday-Thursday in Room 406 at the Merit Center in Decatur. Instructors include Teri Morningstar and Sydney Sanderson for guitar, Curt Rash for drums, and Debbie Christian on piano. Together, they run half-hour lessons that you don’t necessarily have to bring your own instrument to. Not only are the lessons free, but the organization has instruments students can take home for practicing during the duration of the program. That works out perfectly for families in low-income circumstances who can’t afford to rent or buy instruments.
If you follow Connor Brite’s Wildflowers on Facebook, then you probably have seen them shopping at Sweetwater Sound a few weeks ago for instruments, so you know they have some instruments of worth.
“We have a number of people that are helping to get the program on the ground,” said Jeff Brite, Connor Brite’s father. “It’s a work in progress, and we are continuing to come up with new ideas and learn along the way.
“One thing is for certain. The kids are excited and the instructors are really enjoying themselves, which is one of the most fulfilling things.”
Again, the program is just taking off, but as long as students have the desire to learn music and teachers are willing to guide them, the sky is the limit.
They hope to expand the program in the future. For now, it’s about keeping Brite’s spirit alive through his love for music.
So come out June 10 to show your support and take in some great live music. In case the weather doesn’t cooperate, the event will be moved indoors to the Riverside Center at 231 E. Monroe St., Decatur
For more info on the program or how to donate, go to cjbwildflowers.com.
Out and About covers Northeast Indiana’s most interesting music and arts events. Send your announcements to info@whatzup.com.
