Music Legend Smokey Robinson Makes a Beneficiant Donation to a South LA College – NBC Southern California

All too usually artwork and music take a again seat in public colleges, however at Miramonte Elementary in South LA, music took middle stage Tuesday.

Within the Miramonte Elementary Auditorium Tuesday, the varsity band’s rendition of “My Lady” had fellow college students swaying their fingers and a particular visitor tapping his toes.

The person who wrote the track and sang the 1965 basic was within the viewers, Smokey Robinson.

“To have his presence right here, it is an unreal feeling and I’m infinitely grateful and blessed to have him right here,” mentioned Angel Ruiz an eighth grad scholar at Miramonte.

The legendary artist donated a signed Gibson guitar to Miramonte, inspired the scholars to do nicely at school, and gave the last word praise to the band.

“I’m so so comfortable these youngsters nonetheless have entry to music and so they nonetheless have applications the place they will play music,” Robinson mentioned. “After I was in elementary college I used to be in a band and performed the saxophone and we did not sound almost nearly as good as these youngsters.”

Miramonte’s music program is funded by Music Will, a non-profit offering free music schooling to colleges nationwide. Tuesday the Scorching Subject Basis donated a million {dollars} to Music Will.

The Music Will program has been at Miramonte for 13 years and the scholars who take part say it has been life-changing.

“It is simply one of the best factor ever and I really feel like everybody must have a music of their life as a result of music will heal, it’ll convey peace to individuals,” mentioned Emma Sanchez an eighth grad scholar at Miramonte.

Robinson says it introduced pleasure to look at the scholars carry out his music.

“As a songwriter that is what I write them for. I would like individuals to sing them ceaselessly and ever and ever,” Robinson mentioned.

It appears the rock and roll corridor of famer will sing his songs ceaselessly as nicely. At 82 years younger, he is nonetheless touring and performing.

“I attempted retiring one time and after about three and a half years or so I used to be climbing the partitions,” Robinson mentioned. “So I will be the George Burns of this finish of present enterprise.”