Tunes Ambassadors since 2014, Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth continue to advocate for music education and the importance of student access to creative outlets. By uplifting music educators and supporting under-resourced programs, they help ensure students have the chance to make music.

Woody and Shannon bring together rich musical histories in a collaboration born during the global pandemic, when time at home led them to write, record, and perform together.

Woody Platt, a Brevard native, is best known as a founding member of the Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers. During his tenure, the band earned multiple IBMA awards, three Grammy nominations, and induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, touring globally and alongside Steve Martin. Since departing the band in 2022, Platt has focused on solo work, including his debut single “One Last Goodbye,” written by Chris Stapleton, which reached #1 on Bluegrass charts.

A singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist, Shannon Whitworth first gained recognition with her 2007 debut No Expectations, followed by the critically acclaimed Water Bound. Her evocative Americana style—often likened to a blend of Mark Knopfler and Norah Jones—has earned praise from outlets like People and Garden & Gun, and taken her to stages including the Ryman Auditorium and major folk festivals nationwide. As she shared in Walter Magazine, “My art is how I see the world… and my music is how I hear it.”

Your donation will help provide new instruments to underfunded music programs. Amplify students learning, creativity, and wellbeing.

The Impact of Your Gift
$20 = A set of replacement strings or supplies to keep instruments playable

$50 = One ukulele for a student

$100 = A classroom percussion kit to share the joy of rhythm

Learn more about our programs and impact: https://candaid.org/instruments-for-change