Holly Hill is turning MetroHealth Stadium into a blues venue later this month, with a concert designed to do more than entertain — organizers say the music will help fund free guitar lessons for local military veterans. The Fall Into the Blues concert runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on September 25 at Pictona at Holly Hill, located at 1060 Riverside Drive, and combines a headline performance with fundraising efforts for the nonprofit Guitars 4 Vets.
The concert is being hosted jointly by the City of Holly Hill and the Daytona Beach Blues Society, according to WFTV. Malia Gray, events coordinator for the Holly Hill concert series, is helping organize the event, which is part of the city's annual concert series. Bleacher seating is free, but organizers are urging attendees to reserve tickets in advance given the attendance they expect.
Headlining the evening is JP Soars & the Red Hots, a Florida-based group known for blending blues, rock, roots and Americana influences into its live sets. Soars brings serious credentials to the stage: he won first place at the 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis along with the Albert King Award for Best Guitarist, and picked up four Blues Music Award nominations in 2022, including B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, according to the Little Village Foundation. He's also known for working heavy metal and jazz techniques into his playing, often on custom cigar-box guitars.
Raffles and Auctions Fund Guitar Packages
The fundraising side of the night includes a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction, both hosted by the Daytona Beach Blues Society, with proceeds benefiting Guitars 4 Vets. Direct donations will also be accepted onsite during the performance at MetroHealth Stadium. The Daytona Beach Blues Society describes itself as a nonprofit dedicated to preserving blues heritage while funding community programs, including veterans' wellness initiatives and specialized education.
Those donations translate into a concrete benefit: Guitars 4 Vets provides veterans with 10 to 12 weeks of free, structured individual guitar lessons from volunteer instructors, culminating in a graduation ceremony where each participant receives a new acoustic guitar and accessory package, according to Guitars 4 Vets. The Milwaukee-based nonprofit operates chapters nationwide, building community and promoting emotional recovery among veterans through music instruction.
Clinical Data Behind the Music Therapy
There's research behind the approach. A pilot study of Guitars 4 Vets participants found a 21% improvement in PTSD symptoms and a 27% reduction in related depression symptoms following program completion, per the organization's own findings. Guitars 4 Vets offers guitar instruction to veterans through its program.
The need is significant close to home. Volusia County is home to military veterans, according to Census Reporter.
An Aging Veteran Population Nationwide
The concert's local focus comes against a backdrop of a shrinking veteran population overall. More than 18 million veterans live in the U.S., and that number is projected to decline from 18.3 million to 12.1 million by 2048, or about 34%, according to Stacker. That trend places added weight on localized nonprofit fundraising to sustain specialized programs like Guitars 4 Vets as the population they serve ages.
Government support for veterans exists alongside these community efforts. Florida law requires each county to employ a veterans' service officer to help veterans and their dependents access benefits, per Volusia County government records. Volusia County maintains service offices in Daytona Beach, DeLand, Orange City and New Smyrna Beach.
A Growing Stage for Holly Hill
The venue itself has become a fixture for the city's civic entertainment calendar. Pictona at Holly Hill includes MetroHealth Stadium.
Pictona itself is the concert's host venue.
