On April 16, Ambassador Blake welcomed more than 100 students, media, and members of the public for a return visit to @america by Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, lead guitarist for Guns N’Roses. Thal led a guitar clinic and talked about his music, life on the road, and the changing nature of the music business. He also rocked the crowd with his guitar skills, inviting members of the audience on stage to play along. Most importantly, he spoke about the friendships and collaborations he’s made on his many trips to Indonesia and the region. Later that evening, @america collaborated with Rolling Stone Indonesia to co-host a concert with Thal and two renowned Indonesian guitarists for over 400 music lovers. During the event, Rolling Stone held a donation ceremony for their “1000 Guitars for Indonesian Youth” initiative, which puts guitars in the hands of hundreds of students, orphans, and street children throughout Indonesia. Thal is also visiting U.S. embassies in Manila, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Brunei for more outreach events in the near future.
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