The CMA has invited Keith Urban to be the first artist ambassador for their initiative Music Education Matters, as was announced at a press conference during the CMA Music Fest Thursday morning (June 11).

Music Education Matters will support the effort to keep music education in schools, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern told the audience. She also commented that students who participated in music education programs were proven to stay in school longer.

Trahern began the announcement by bringing J.F. Kennedy Middle School choir from Antioch, Tenn. on stage to welcome Urban with their own rendition of his hit, "Better Life." Urban watched the teenagers from the side stage with awe as they sang back to him one of his most popular songs.

"It's just getting involved with the awareness of music education in schools," Urban told a crowd of both press and fans after the choir left the stage. "Not only getting the instruments in the hands of kids, but giving education for them as well."

In addition to being an ambassador for Music Education Matters, Urban announced that he will be donating 60 of his personal guitars to be distributed among 12 schools for music education programs.

To wrap up the event, Urban brought up female students from the Nashville Guitar Ensemble to accompany him on a performance of his latest single, "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16."

Urban will be in Hunter Mountain, New York this Friday night (June 12) to perform at the Taste of Country Music Festival, and will also headline at Country Jam next week.

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