John Catt – Blue Star Connection

https://vimeo.com/147785184 In 2003, John Catt founded the Grand Country Blues Society, an organization devoted to bringing live blues music to Grand County, CO. In 2005, following a Grand County Blues Society concert to benefit kids with serious illnesses, John met the child that would change his life. The day after the concert, in the lobby of a lodge in Winter Park, John struck up a conversation about guitars with Colin Conners, a 17-year-old a cancer patient from Denver who had come to Grand County to hear live blues music. When John asked Colin if he had a guitar of his own, his reply was, “Yeah, a beat-up, old acoustic.” John asked him if he would play an electric guitar if he had one and Colin answered, “Anything to brighten my day.” “What color?” John asked. Colin looked at his mom, who smiled and said, “Baby blue, like his eyes.” Less than a week would pass before a friend and local musician donated a baby-blue Ibanez electric guitar and amp, meant for Colin. A few weeks later, John received an email from a doctor, Larry McCleary, who had worked with Colin and other children with cancer for decades. His message was profound; he had seen a dramatic change in Colin’s outlook.’ In the weeks ahead, John and the Grand County Blues Society received messages from Colin that he had found other kids his age interested in learning music. In a few months, they had 5 new kids. It was then that a community of people known as Blue Star Connection was born.  Though Colin is still alive, he has an inoperable, terminal brain tumor that prevents him from really grasping musical concepts. John notes that the purpose of the program is not to teach children to play the instruments as much as it is to give them the gifts of pride, hope and pleasure that are derived from music therapy. Since it’s inception in 2005, Blue Star Connection has managed to provide over 500 instruments, including guitars, bass guitars, harmonicas, violins, keyboards, flutes and drum kits to individual children. Blue Star Connection’s geographic reach is global, with “Blue Stars” (the name given to the sick children that they help) in Colorado, Texas, California, Washington, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Florida, Illinois, South Dakota, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Nevada, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona, Missouri and once upon a time, a beautiful girl named Sneha from New Delhi, India. Blue Star Connection receives 3-4 instrument donations per week from both individuals and organizations looking to help. Roughly 25% of the instruments are donated to the organization, while the other 75% are bought by Blue Star Connection. Funding for the instruments comes from various music fundraisers that Blue Star Connection either hosts or participates in. The core donors to Blue Star Connection come from John’s connections with blues societies from across the country. In addition to providing instruments for the children, Blue Star has developed into the go-to organization for music therapists in children’s hospitals across the country. BSC is currently working with Music Therapists in 42 children’s hospitals across the country, spreading the benefits of music to thousands of sick children during the 10 years that they have been active. Blue Star Connection’s support for music therapy includes donating usable instruments and connecting music therapists with kids in need. In 2014, the American Music Therapy Association awarded Blue Star Connection with the “Advocate of Music Therapy Award”, the highest award in music therapy. While at the ceremony, John was surprised to hear from strangers that people knew of his work and had been positively impacted by his work. John receives multiple calls and letters per week from the parents of children and music therapists seeking BSC’s help, as well as feedback from doctors, music therapists and other care-takers on the positive influence that music therapy is having on their children. John would like to continue to extend Blue Star Connection’s music therapy programs to other hospitals across the country. He estimates that a new music therapy program at a hospital costs $5,000. In an effort to raise the funds for more music therapy programs, Blue Star Connection hosts concerts, a gala and participates in festivals to spread awareness. In fact, several of the Blue Star kids participate in these events to show off the musical skills that they have gained from BSC’s programs.

Contact Information:

Website: bluestarconnection.org Phone: (970) 531-1641 Address: P.O. Box 1530, Winter Park, CO 80482 https://soundcloud.com/etown-3/echievement-award-john-catt