Shawn Pennington Teams With VSA To Aid Musicians With Disabilities

Pictured (L-R): Shawn Pennington (Pennington Entertainment), Drew Basham (Young Soloist finalist), Steve Peffier (524 Productions)

Pennington Entertainment’s Shawn Pennington and producer Steve Peffier joined forces with VSA Tennessee in providing a platform for people with disabilities to display their musical talents through the VSA Young Soloist Competition.

As the state winners prepare to move on to the national level of the competition, Pennington and Peffier offered studio time at Peffier’s 524 Productions, allowing opportunities to make professional recordings. The recordings will then be submitted to the national VSA Young Soloist Competition, lending the opportunity for winners to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

“The level of musical ability and talent these kids possess make some of us who do this for a living look like amateurs!” says Pennington. “This is my second year working with VSA and it has been both a humbling experience and an honor to be in their presence.”

Through funding from the Department of U.S. Education, sponsors and donations, VSA ensures there are resources, tools and opportunities for arts programming in schools and communities statewide, providing people with disabilities opportunities to participate in, learn through and enjoy the arts.

Lori Kissinger, executive director of VSA, comments on the importance of the Young Soloist Program, “Young Soloist was the first program of the VSA international program and continues to be one of its highest priorities with talented young people competing for scholarship dollars, a chance to perform at the John F Kennedy Center and mentoring opportunities. We very much appreciated Pennington Entertainment recording our Young Soloist winners so that they have something professional to use in competing in this international music arena.”

Pennington Entertainment represents Thompson Square, Parmalee, Blues Traveler, and The Hillbilly Way.