Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Billy Idol was accompanied by reps from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Save The Music Foundation for a visit to Griffiths Middle School in Downey, Calif., this past week.
The event brought together nearly 1,200 students and guests for a celebration of music education, featuring a live student performance, a conversation with Idol, and the announcement of a new $55,000 music education grant for a neighboring school.
Idol will be formally inducted at the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which airs December 8.
Accompanying Idol was John Sykes, who founded Save The Music and now serves as Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and President of Entertainment Enterprises at iHeartMedia. iHeartRadio personality EJ of 102.7 KIIS FM served as the event’s emcee and moderated the student Q&A with Idol.
Students from the Griffiths Middle School band, led by band director Nathan Ksiazek, welcomed Idol with a performance of his iconic hit “Rebel Yell.” Following the performance, Idol spoke with the students about Idol’s career, his creative process, and the challenges he faced along the way.
“When I was in school, picking up an instrument changed everything for me,” Idol said. “Save The Music and The Rock Hall are making sure these students have the same shot, and I’m proud to be part of that.”
The event also featured the announcement that Doty Middle School, part of the Downey Unified School District, has been selected to receive a $55,000 music education grant in 2027 through the partnership between The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Save The Music. The grant will provide new band instruments, expanding access to high-quality music education for the next generation of student musicians.
“Music education is not only an art, but also a science; it actually helps wire the brain”, said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and President of Entertainment at iHeartMedia. “Children who learn how to read and play a musical instrument not only excel in the arts, but they also score higher on math and verbal tests”.
“Seeing how these students in Downey responded to Billy Idol and his story is a powerful reminder of why we do this work,” said Henry Donahue, Executive Director of Save The Music Foundation. “His journey from young London punk rocker to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a real-life example for these students of the power of making music.”
The visit is part of a broader partnership between Save The Music Foundation and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation to expand music education in public schools.
The initiative will fund at least 25 new music education programs over three years, while bringing Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees into classrooms to connect with students, share their experiences and inspire the next generation of musicians.