Brian Wilson, Jack Black, James Hetfield Join Little Kids Rock Virtual Benefit

Brian Wilson, Jack Black, James Hetfield, and more will appear at the annual Little Kids Rock Benefit, which will take place virtually April 14th at 8 p.m. ET.

Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit that works to ensure public school districts — especially those in underserved communities — have access to music education. This year’s benefit will feature a mix of musical performances, an online auction, speeches, and testimonials about the program as it aims to bring free instruments and music lessons to a million students across the country when in-person learning can regularly resume.

TLC’s T-Boz and DJ Skee will co-host the event, which will also feature appearances from Steve Vai, Warren Haynes, Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman Santana, Todd Rundgren, Alice Merton, Yo-Yo Ma, Victoria La Mala, Jade Bird, Wilco’s Nels Cline, Evangelia, Brian Hardgroove, Kix Brooks, Jeff Campitelli and more.

“We are humbled that so many incredible members of the artistic and business communities are coming together via this event to support our mission to bring more music to more kids,” Little Kids Rock Founder and CEO, Dave Wish, said in a statement. “This school year we were inspired to see our teachers use music to keep their students emotionally close even when they had to be apart. Music has been and will always be one of humanity’s emotional first responders.”

General admission tickets to this year’s virtual benefit are free, although VIP passes — which include access to “exclusive interactive experiences,” per a press release — are $500. Tickets are on sale now, while the online auction is also open; it will close at 10 p.m. ET on April 14th.