We Came. We Played. We Rocked.: June 2025 YEAH! UPDATES
"When words fail, music speaks” (Hans Christian Andersen) and at YEAH!, we give participants the space to turn sound into story so they can be heard, felt, and celebrated through every step of their creative journey.
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Hi, everyone!!
Last month, we wrote about the power of music to connect, heal, and transform. This month, we watched it unfold in real time.
At YEAH! Rocks Music Camp 2025, young people raised their voices and made community connections through guitar riffs, original music, fearless drumming, and conversations that mattered. They grew louder, bolder, and more connected. And they reminded us all: youth artistry is not just the future. It’s right now.
Amidst national conversations around equity, education, and the role of the arts in community healing, we remain committed to creating a camp experience where music meets purpose and belonging. Where creativity is more than just expression, it’s liberation.
Thank you for helping us create this space. You make the rhythm possible.
- Your YEAH! Team
Rock Camp by the Numbers: A Community in Harmony
Our summer session, June 9 - 14, struck a powerful chord:
1343 youth served to date, with 590 instructors across our history
46% increase in camper attendance since last year
18 scholarships awarded to reduce barriers to access
60 community partners & supporters donated, promoted, and shaped our camp
14 volunteers prepped gear and supported camp & showcase
29 instructors, band managers, workshop leaders, panelists, and guest performers added to the camp’s impact
With gratitude to our funders: Tennessee Arts Commission, Find Your Light Foundation, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, TN Specialty Plates Program, and the Holloway Family Foundation.
Watch our camp recap video HERE!
Rock Block Fall Registration Now Open!
Saturdays, Aug 16 - Oct 11 at Random Sample
Rock Block is where young musicians ages 13–17 come together to collaborate, create, and perform. Over the course of eight weeks, participants will form bands and write original songs under the guidance of a professional musician mentor. Through experimentation and hands-on songwriting, youth will explore the power of music as a tool for self-expression and connection, building confidence along the way.
The program culminates in a public showcase on October 11th, where each band will perform their original work live at Random Sample, where friends and family can celebrate all their creativity and hard work.
Please note: Some prior music experience is required, as this program does not provide instrument instruction.
Band Members Explore:
Instrument instruction (bass, drums, guitar, keys, or vocals)
Songwriting & music arrangement
Weekly rehearsals & creative collaboration
Final Showcase on Oct 11th at Random Sample
Limited scholarships available -- email programs@yeahrocks.org for more information about scholarships.
YEAH! Rocks Music Camp Showcase:
Live at The Blue Room!
On June 14 at Third Man Records’ The Blue Room, our 10 youth bands performed powerful original songs that told their truths about heartbreak, independence, strength, and self-worth.
“Remember” delivered a soul-searching anthem filled with confessions and self-discovery, singing: “I can never regret how we look or how we met, but it's you I'm not keeping. / You like to think that you’re so clever, but you’re really too small for me to remember.
“Pieces”, a bold ballad about rising above hurt and embracing inner strength: “They broke my heart to pieces when they did me wrong the first time / The second time I was over it, ‘cause they won’t treat me right / Sometimes I wanna be alone and that’s just fine / But if I find some true friends, my inner light will shine”
“Aviation”, an emotional, all-instrumental piece by a re-formed band of returning campers, was written in honor of shifts in their band members. Their powerful jazz-rock fusion was a testament to perseverance and the joy of creating something meaningful, together.
An unexpected spark of joy, the YOSE's Dynamite Kids Rock band reminded us that songwriting can be silly, surprising, and heartfelt all at once: > “My mom surprised me with a trip / I got a Pokémon card I never thought I’d get / Then I had fun at a party / So gnarly!”
“Cool Dudes” cranked up the energy with a hilarious volcano adventure anthem that had the crowd smiling and nodding along. With lines like “We ride up a volcano… then we roast s’mores on the lava,” their imaginative, over-the-top storytelling proved just how far creativity can go when campers take the wheel.
“Calming Cubes” is an instrumental piece inspired by the meditative rhythm of the band’s favorite fidget toy, shashibo cubes. Their music flowed with the same focus and layered movement that comes from twisting shapes into something unexpectedly beautiful. The result? A calming sonic landscape that pulled listeners into their world, one note at a time.
Interstellar’s instrumental piece “Perelandra“ transported us to the otherworldly realm of C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, capturing the mystery and beauty of exploration through sound alone.
XToungue brought it home with raw honesty, channeling the emotional strength of realizing mistreatment and choosing to rise.
TruSol shook the room with some rap, tackling the controversies of artificial intelligence.
And in a moving tribute to women’s stories in music, our Vocals Class performed “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, a song our campers love for its vocal strength, emotional clarity, and message of personal power.
Whether through lyrics, freestyles, or full-band performances, our youth showed up not just as musicians but as creators, collaborators, fearless truth-tellers, and change-makers.
YEAH! Rock Music Camp Panels: Bold Conversations. Real Change.
“The Power of The Niche” with Michael Eades dove into the story of YK Records and “We Own This Town” podcast network this session and unpacked how indie labels and platforms can amplify underrepresented creative voices—and break the mold of traditional gatekeeping.
“Rock Journalism” with Charlie Zaillian examined how music writing influences public perception and preserves culture, drawing on his experience with world-renowned publications.
“Gender Expression in Music” with Barbara Corbin discussed the role of gender in performance, offering a glimpse into drag artistry across genres. Through dialogue and multimedia, they explored their creative expression.
“Music’s Voice: Stories of Gun Violence” with Karen Scott was a powerful session that invited youth to reflect on how musicians respond to real-world trauma—and how lyrics can be a platform for justice, storytelling, and healing.
“Inside Artist Management” with Traci Thomas shared, from philosophy to practice, the wisdom from years of managing artists at TT Management and what it takes to turn passion into a profession.
YEAH! Rocks Music Camp Workshops: Skill Meets Soul
Stage Presence with Danielle Taylor – building confidence, exploring movement, and channeling performance energy for the big show.
Beat Making with Evee Hunnel – from learning the ins and outs of using Korg Volca drum machines to crafting original beats, participants let their rhythm lead.
Gear Tech with Emma Lambiase – students mastered the unsung magic behind every show: cables, signals, sound check, safety, and setup.
Junior campers (ages 6-9) rotated through workshops daily
Campers ages 10-17 participated in one workshop for the camp week
Additional Junior Camp Sessions:
Songwriting with Daena Rogers – finding words, feeling rhythms
Singing in Spanish with Rosa Rodriguez – using voice as cultural celebration
YEAH! Rocks Music Camp Guest Performers:
They Took the Stage. They Took Our Breath Away.
Sharing the stage were these phenomenal guest artists:
Budge, featuring YEAH! camper alum & vocalist Jessi Hopson, and her band
JayVe Montgomery of Abstract Black, a multidisciplinary sound artist & improviser
Miriam Erickson, Nashville-based singer-songwriter, weaving indie-folk songs
Javier Mendoza of Hobo Cane, whose Latin pop-rock brings warmth and depth
DJ Fatima, spinning global sounds that set the vibe for celebration
Our Camp Structure: Purpose Behind the Practice
At YEAH! Rocks Music Camp, every session is designed to nurture confidence, connection, and creative growth. Here’s how:
Instrument Instruction: Whether strumming a first chord or refining technique, campers received inclusive, hands-on guidance in bass, drums, guitar, keyboard, and vocals. Our instruction emphasizes collaboration over competition, laying the foundation for lifelong musicianship.
Band Practice: Through original songwriting and rehearsals, bands learned to listen, adapt, and perform together. These sessions cultivated communication, creativity, and self-expression, culminating in a showcase of true artistic voice.
Workshops: From stage presence to songwriting, beat making to sound tech, our workshops deepened both technical skill and authentic self-expression. Each session helped campers embrace their unique style and command the stage with purpose.
Panels: Our daily panels empowered youth to reflect on identity, culture, and activism through the lens of music. These discussions encouraged campers to use their voices, advocate for themselves and others, and build meaningful artistic communities.
Why We Do This
We believe every young person deserves access to music spaces where they feel seen and heard.
Our Program Goals remind us that YEAH! programming is rooted in confidence, creativity, equity, collaboration, and community connection. At Rocks Camp, this philosophy came to life across every jam session, panel question, and mic check.
Let’s keep the momentum going!
Join our Board of Directors
Shop at Kroger? — Select YEAH! as your charity of choice.
Share Your Story — How has YEAH! or music education impacted you or someone you know? Email us at director@yeahrocks.org.
Become a Sustaining Donor or Donate to our Scholarship Fund
Create Positive Change! DONATE TODAY!
Special thanks to all of the amazing local businesses and people who donated items to our 2025 camp showcase:
3rd & Lindsley
Adventure Science Center
Bates Nursery
Belcourt Theatre
Black Abbey Brewing
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens
Discovery Center
Eastside Music Supply
Grimey's Record Shop
Hatch Show Print
Jack's Guitarcheology
Jeff Zentner
Lady Couch
Music Makers Stage
Music Valley Archive
Nashville Sounds Foundation
Nashville Zoo
National Museum of African American Music
Oz Arts
Ryman Auditorium Museum
Sam's Place Restaurant
Sperry's Restaurant
Studio Tenn
The Basement East
The Groove Records
YK Records
UPCOMING EVENTS:
June 28: Nashville Pride Parade
July 19: YEAH! youth performance at Teens Take the Frist
July 24-27: Kindling Arts Festival Fortunes and Fates
August 8-9: Tomato Art Festival
August 12: Genesis Inspiration Foundation check presentation at The Forge