Published March 25, 2004, in issue #0312 of The Hook

BY LINCOLN ROSS BARBOUR

It's no secret that music can provide inspiration as well as pleasure. For young people especially, music is often almost a religion.

Charlottesville teenagers now have a world-class outlet to help them satisfy those desires. The Music Resource Center (MRC) provides a place for talented local young people to learn, rehearse, record, and perform.

The official opening of the new venue for the MRC happened Friday, March 19, with a cutting ceremony at the former Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Ridge Street. When the parish decided to leave its historic home, the building went on the market.

With help from the Dave Matthews Band-- who donated proceeds from their Central Park concert-- Coran Capshaw, the Jessup family, the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Central Virginia, and Suzanne Staton, $800,000 was raised to purchase the building and begin the $2 million renovation project.

With the doors officially opened, the nine-year-old MRC can continue to provide a home for Charlottesville's future rock stars. But the fat lady hasn't crooned her last notes yet: The MRC still needs another $1.2 million to keep the dream alive.

How about that for an album cover?

Charlottesville Music's Billy Brockman is the man (and a major donor to MRC).

Let them eat cake!

MRC founding father and songwriter Jonathan Hornsby

Before taking his MRC experience on to VCU, Isaih Anderson cracks a joke about someday making as much money as DMB.

Dave speaks proudly of MRC in his own special way.

MRC kids and staff looking good

The Rev. Alvin Edwards blesses the new MRC home.

Isaih Anderson cuts the ribbon and begins a new era.

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