17 Current and Alumni Band Students Rocked the House at The Backyard Jam

PASO ROBLES — The Backyard Jam Benefit for Paso Robles Youth Arts Center was one for the books! A special thank you goes out to all who attended, donated, and helped make this special event possible. The Backyard on Thirteenth generously donated their premier venue and made a new outdoor stage available to 17 young musicians and nearly 200 guests of all ages. The community enjoyed widely varied genres of music from the Youth Arts Student and Alumni Bands and celebrated their first live performance since COVID-19. Listeners were so intrigued that they lined the streets and tuned their ears to the sounds outside the sold-out show.

Dinner was provided by Roots on Railroad and drinks by The Backyard on Thirteenth. The community came together to raise over $40,000 in much-needed funds for Paso Robles Youth Arts Center’s FREE Visual and Performing Arts Program. These funds are critical and ensure that waitlist students can enroll in up to three classes per session at no cost to their families.

“Tonight was one of the best nights that I have had in a long time…to have almost 200 community members come together to raise money for @pasoroblesyoutharts while being entertained by current and alumni students was wonderful! These students are lucky enough to take free classes at the PR Youth Arts Center from the very talented @kunchangmusic. I loved seeing one of my former AACA students (whom I adore!) perform, students who my daughter has been in drama productions with both sing and play, and young adults who I started watching as young teens who are even more amazing singers and musicians today. And to top it all off, the band students gifted us a guitar that they all signed as a thank you. PR Youth Arts is such a gem in this town. My heart is so full…as an educator, a mom, an arts advocate, a business owner, and a community member. Thank you to everyone tonight for their love and support!” Russell and Amy Baker, Owners of The Backyard on Thirteenth, @the_backyard_paso shared on Instagram.

For videos, see their post here instagram.com/p/CPpY2lul0JU/.

Youth Arts Heroes/ Presenting Sponsors included: The Backyard on Thirteenth, Pear Valley Vineyards, Paso Robles Rotary Club, Osborn Insurance Services, Rotaract Club of North San Luis Obispo County, Town ‘N Country Realty, Meditation Supply Store, New Times, Pacific Premier Bank, SESLOC Federal Credit Union, Mechanics Bank, Odyssey World Café, Adelaide Inn, The Wineries of 46 East and Roots on Railroad.

Board of Directors:
Pat Bland, President
Mikhail Gannage and Gwen Severson Co-Vice Presidents
Sue Benitez, CFO
Donna Jones, Secretary
Russell Baker 
Sybil Bonelli 
Anne Flores 
Hayli Macomber
Marc Goldberg, Director Emeritus
Donna Berg, Founder