Peavey Crowns Singing Champ During National ‘Afterschool’ Rally
Peavey
Posted 2007-01-08
A real-life American idol joined Peavey
Electronics in crowning the first “Afterschool (Not) Idle” singing-contest winner during the recent
Lights On Afterschool rally.
“American Idol” star and Gold-selling artist Bo Bice visited Peavey on November 28 as a celebrity
judge in the Peavey "Afterschool (Not) Idle" K-12 singing competition finals, the centerpiece event
of Lights On Afterschool. Bice, a Peavey guitar and amplifier endorser, addressed the hundreds of
afterschool-program kids, media and state leaders after helping crown Marisa Potate the winner of
$1000 in Peavey gear plus studio time with backing musicians.
"Afterschool programs are very important, because you never know who might be the next singing
or guitar virtuoso,” said Bice. “It’s inspiring to see so many talented kids get excited about music,
and to see this community rally around afterschool programs.”
Lights On Afterschool is a nationwide rally that emphasizes the importance of keeping lights on and
doors open at afterschool programs. Peavey presented Meridian’s first Lights On event in 2005, and
expanded its event this year to include a singing competition that drew entries from across
Mississippi and Alabama.
“We want to draw attention to the importance of afterschool programs and hopefully provide a
spark for these students' creative development,” said Mary Peavey, President of Peavey Electronics.
“‘Afterschool (Not) Idle’ allowed us to address the need for afterschool programs directly to our
civic leaders, while also giving the kids a fun, creative outlet.”
Potate won the “Afterschool (Not) Idle” Grand Prize with her rendition of “And I Am Telling You”
by Jennifer Holliday. Mallory Broadus of Thomasville, Ala., the First Runner Up, won $750 in
Peavey gear, while Meridian sister act Angela and Zandreya Fowler won $500 in Peavey gear.
Peavey Electronics founder and CEO Hartley Peavey served as a judge during the event with Bice
and Peavey’s own Mark Pinske, whose long credits include sound engineering with Frank Zappa.
Lights On Afterschool is presented nationally by the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit awareness
and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to afterschool
programs by the year 2010. More information on this organization is available at
www.afterschoolalliance.org.
Founded in 1965, Peavey® is one of the world's largest manufacturers of musical instruments and professional sound
equipment. Peavey holds more than 130 patents and produces more than 2,000 products, which are distributed
throughout the United States and to 136 other countries. Peavey and its MediaMatrix®, Architectural Acoustics®,
PVDJ®, Crest Audio® and Trace Elliot® brands and affiliates can be found on concert stages and in more than 3,000
airports, stadiums, theme parks and other venues around the world. To find out more, visit www.peavey.com.
