Matthew Ramsey, the lead singer of the Academy of Country Music award-winning band Old Dominion, announced last May during a virtual graduation address for his alma mater, James River High School, that he would be making a $50,000 donation through his foundation to help fund the school’s arts programs.
Late last month, a recording studio that was funded by $19,000 of the money that Ramsey donated was officially opened for use by students at the Buchanan school.
“I want Matt Ramsey to know how much I appreciate what he has done. This is a great thing. It’s going to impact students for many, many years to come. I’m forever grateful,” Jim McLeese, the librarian who helped establish the studio, says.
The studio has been years in the making, having originated as an idea by a group of teachers who were surprised to find a recording studio at a school they were visiting in Northern Virginia. They knew that their school also needed a studio, but sadly there was no money in the budget to fund such a project.
Despite the financial obstacles, McLeese, a former English teacher, managed to piece together $400 to buy a few pieces of equipment that he set up in an empty office in the library.
McLeese was ecstatic when he returned to school last August to the news that part of Ramsey’s donation had been earmarked to professionalize the makeshift studio.
“It gives kids a place to go to get creative. A lot of kids play music, but don’t really have a place to do that at school. If they can learn how to record, it is something that will carry over into a future job after they graduate,” he explains. “Music is the best thing ever. The fact that they can come to school and make music will give kids something to look forward to. Their home life may not be the best, but this will be a bright point in their lives.”
Items purchased for the studio include a console, monitors, microphones, stands, soundproofing equipment, an electronic drum set and guitars.
McLeese says that he’s learning how to operate all of the new equipment so that he can teach the students how to use it.
Within the first week that it was open, four students had already started using the studio. “They’re really excited. Some of the students are committed to coming into the studio every day. It’s really good to see,” he says of the reactions of students.
“I get to hang out with my friends and make music,” Corban Wilhelm, a 9th grade student, says about the studio.
Cayden Shorter, a 10th grader, echoes Wilhelm’s statement by saying, “Every day is a new experience in the recording room.”
“It’s exciting and gets me out of the box,” Gavin Jernigan, a 10th grade student, adds.
The completion of the recording studio is timely for students in the brand new rock history and guitar class that the school is offering. “It’s good that the class started the same time we’re getting the studio,” McLeese notes, adding that most of the students who are frequenting the studio are from that class.
McLeese’s own background as a musician is one of the reasons why he’s so passionate about the studio. “I’ve always loved music, but I never thought I could play the guitar. When I’d watch my favorite guitar players, it seemed like it was something that was beyond my capabilities,” he says. “When I bought my first guitar to hang on the wall of my apartment as a decoration at the age of 19, I eventually looked at it and decided it was time to learn how to play it. I’ve been playing it ever since. I’m getting ready to turn 54, so it’s been a long time that I’ve been playing it.”
Long before establishing the recording studio, he found ways to incorporate his love of music into his day job as a teacher by writing and performing silly songs for his students to help them with memorization.
This donation isn’t Ramsey’s first attempt at giving back to the Buchanan community. Up until the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to do so last year, Ramsey was holding concerts at the school every fall to raise money for the Ramsey Foundation, which he started in partnership with the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia to provide resources to the community. The yearly concert, which is called Nashville Night in Buchanan and includes performances by some of Music City’s most well-known songwriters, started in 2011 as an attempt to raise money for the food pantry that was being run out of the church his parents go to in Buchanan.
“Everybody shows up and donates their time and their space so that we can all give back to the community. That has allowed me to start the Ramsey Foundation and raise money to funnel back into the community and make it even better by helping those in need. I encourage you in whatever successes you have in the future to never forget where you came from and give back in any way you can, whether that be through action or just kind, supporting words. Give back whatever way you can, big or small,” Ramsey said last May during the school’s graduation ceremony.
“I’ll put my money where my mouth is and tell you that the Ramsey Foundation is going to give its very first donation to James River High School in the amount of $50,000 that is going to go to the arts programs.”
About the Author:
Aila Boyd is an educator and journalist who resides in Roanoke. She holds an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University.
