The Turney Center Industrial Complex in Tennessee recently turned into a makeshift luthier's studio, as inmates took part in a Build-A-Guitar workshop. In a collaborative effort with the nonprofit Instrumental Horizons and Belmont University, the weekend event was meticulously designed not just to teach guitar construction, but to further the musical education of TCIX's Music Club members.
The workshop, a brainchild of Dr. Bob Fisher, President Emeritus of Belmont University and board member of Instrumental Horizons, gave inmates the opportunity to engage with the therapeutic task of building guitars from scratch. Fisher, impressed by the "strength of character, sense of purpose, desire to serve others, and kindness" of the men at Turney, found the workshop a means to enrich their rehabilitation journey, according to a statement made by the Tennessee Department of Correction.
Driven by a mission to distribute the healing powers of music, Instrumental Horizons raised funds for materials and drafted in Dan Blom of Blom Guitars to lead the hands-on instruction. Despite his personal battles with blindness, tumors, and brain surgeries, founder Luke Putney remains hopeful, stating, "we’re also sharing valuable guitar building skills with the hardworking men here," as reported by the Tennessee Department of Correction.
The finished guitars have been donated to the Music Club at TCIX. Warden Taurean James noted the significance of the program, sharing, "Perhaps most importantly, involvement in music is linked to lower rates of recidivism, as it supports rehabilitation and personal growth." The Tennessee Department of Correction added that the path to reform is often found through music, expressed in chords and carved into handcrafted instruments.
The TCIX Music Club, enriched by this event and previous collaborations with musical artists like Kix Brooks, looks forward to possible future expansions, including a small recording studio. The studio would complement their existing initiatives such as seminars by award-winning songwriting professors from Belmont, fostering a deeper dive into the musical arts for the inmates.
