Inmates at Chicago Jail to Receive Guitar Lessons

Jail Guitar Doors extends courtesy of MC5 guitarist   12-Oct-12

Inmates at Chicago Jail's minimum and medium security facilities are to receive guitar lessons courtesy of the Jail Guitar Doors initiative.

The scheme in the USA is led by MC5 guitarist, Wayne Kramer, who himself has done time behind bars for drug dealing. It was originally started in the UK by Billy Bragg, and takes its name from the b-side of 'Clash City Rockers' by The Clash, the b-side titled 'Jail Guitar Doors' was actually written about the imprisonment of Wayne Kramer.

The project is now running in a number of states across America, with the aim of helping inmates with rehabilitation through music. A selected number of prisoners at Chicago Jail will get a guitar lesson each week for an hour.

Musicians such as Chris Schiflett (Foo Fighters), Adam McKay and Zach Blair (Rise Against) have helped to raise money for the ongoing project

The scheme says it aims to aid in the 'correctional' aspect of corrections, and has already launched a number of successful projects in the UK and America.

Hey, you. Like us Facebook to be the first to get our news for guitarists

Amped Editor
@sonicamped