CFT fund honors blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan
DALLAS-BORN GUITAR LEGEND Stevie Ray Vaughan will be inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, and the pride and joy continues at DISD’s W.E. GreinerExploratory Arts Academy in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Since 1994, the Stevie Ray Vaughan Scholarship Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas has honored the memory of the legendary guitarist and blues artist by “encouraging eighth-grade students at Greiner to pursue careers in music by continuing their music studies throughout their high school and college years,” according to its founder, Kim Young.
Since its inception, the scholarship has given out 209 awards to students, granting out over $90,000 in 19 years. Scholarship recipients have attended top music schools across the country, including Berklee College of Music, Oberlin College and New England Conservatory. Greiner’s own orchestra teacher, Mrs. Vargas, was a recipient of the scholarship when she was an eighth-grader at Greiner.
Stevie Ray’s late mother, Martha, and his brother Jimmie have been involved with the scholarship over the years. “I’m happy that the Stevie Ray Vaughan Scholarship is still going and growing even bigger and better,” says Jimmie. “I know there are a lot of incredibly talented young musicians and singers out there, and we are excited to be a part of helping push them toward their dreams.”
One of the fund’s longtime supporters has been the annual Stevie Ray Vaughan Remembrance Ride and Concert, which will celebrate its 21st year on October 4. The scholarship will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its first grant in 2016. To donate, visit www.cftexas.org/srv or call Abigail Hazlett at 214-750-4144.