Dan Davis
During his lifetime, Larry McDonald brought music to life for countless people. As a musician. As owner of This Old Guitar Music Store in downtown Seymour. As a teacher. And as a friend.
Following his death in February 2021 at age 68, his family established the Larry McDonald Band Fund, and starting this spring, it will pay a grant each year to the Seymour High School band department to help provide musical instruments to band students in need.
“He really liked helping kids get into music,” his son, Matt McDonald, said of the family’s decision to establish the fund at the Community Foundation of Jackson County.
Now, you, too, have a chance to share Larry’s love for music and help broaden the impact of the Larry McDonald Band Fund. A fundraiser planned for April 29 at the Knights of Columbus in Seymour will help raise money to grow the fund’s balance and therefore grow the fund’s annual grant.
You can learn more about the fundraiser by calling This Old Guitar at 812-524-8986 or by contacting Jordan Richart at the Jackson County Visitor Center.
Richart, a former student of Larry’s who also gave lessons to others at This Old Guitar, is leading efforts behind the fundraiser, the Larry McDonald Memorial Guitar Show, which is part of this year’s annual Crossroads Acoustic Fest. Richart considered Larry a good friend and mentor.
The show will include space to display guitars, much like a car show, and a luthier presentation by Pat Sullivan. A luthier is a craftsman who makes and repairs stringed instruments. Should be interesting.
Kevin Cottrill, director of bands at Seymour High School, appreciates the thought behind the Larry McDonald Band Fund.
“We are deeply honored, thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to help band students and families in our community with the Larry McDonald Band Fund,” Kevin said when told of the fund and its purpose. “The generosity of the McDonald family is greatly appreciated because it will help aspiring musicians in need of financial assistance.”
The Larry McDonald Band Fund is much like the Les Gilkey Music Fund, which was established in 2012 to benefit music students at Seymour Middle School. Gilkey was a retired music teacher who volunteered with the middle school band for nearly 30 years. He died in June 2017 at age 102.
Larry owned and operated This Old Guitar Music Store in downtown Seymour, and he managed and performed in the TOG Band and others. Larry was a drummer. He delighted in entertaining people with the talents of his music and of the countless other musicians with whom he performed over the years, including fellow SHS Class of 1970 classmate John Mellencamp.
Larry also created opportunities for his students and young people to test the waters of live performance, Richart recalled. Larry always invited several students to perform at Scoop the Loop, the annual Fourth of July celebration at Shields Park, his concerts at This Old Guitar during Oktoberfest and recitals at his store.
Music — and sharing music — was his passion, Richart said.
That is among the reasons that Larry’s family, fellow musicians and former students and the visitor center are organizing the guitar show, ensuring his legacy lives on not only through the beat of the drum or the strumming of a guitar of one of his students. It also keeps it alive by helping future SHS band students who will benefit from the fund. Forever.
You, too, can help pay it forward with a gift to the Larry McDonald Band Fund or any other funds at the foundation through our website, cfjacksoncounty.org. Click on “Donate Now” and let us know to which fund you’re donating. Or you may send a check to the foundation at P.O. Box 1231, Seymour, IN 47274.
Dan Davis is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Jackson County. For information about donating opportunities with the foundation, call 812-523-4483 or send an email to [email protected].