{"id":2132349,"date":"2025-11-03T13:57:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T13:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2132349"},"modified":"2025-11-03T13:57:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T13:57:11","slug":"michigan-bred-drummer-chad-smith-reveals-new-u-m-music-scholarship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/michigan-bred-drummer-chad-smith-reveals-new-u-m-music-scholarship\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan-bred drummer Chad Smith reveals new U-M music scholarship"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div id=\"videoWrap\" class=\"spacer-large videoWrap\" style=\"position:relative\"><media-video video-id=\"87059781007\" title=\"Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith performs with U-M Marching Band\" poster=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87058986007-31-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos-1.jpg?crop=5133,2888,x0,y268\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\" placement=\"snow-video-story-priority\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"uwVideoPlaceholder\" slot=\"placeholder\" style=\"z-index:19;width:100%;padding-bottom:56.25%;position:relative\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"vidplaybtn\" style=\"display:-moz-box;display:-ms-flexbox;display:-webkit-flex;display:flex;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,.4);border:2px solid #fff;border-radius:80px;cursor:pointer;height:80px;width:80px;position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;transform:translate(-50%,-50%);z-index:10\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vidplayicon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\" alt=\"play\" style=\"height:40px;margin:auto 18px auto 27px;width:40px\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div slot=\"videoDetails\" id=\"videoDetails\" class=\"videoDetails\" style=\"padding-top:8px;padding-bottom:8px\">\n<div id=\"videoDetailsContainer\" class=\"videoDetailsContainer\" hidden=\"\">\n<p>Red Hot Chili Peppers&#8217; Chad Smith performs with U-M Marching Band<\/p>\n<p>Chad Smith, center, performs with the University of Michigan Marching Band at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Nov. 2, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/media-video><\/div>\n<p>Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith has long pledged allegiance to his southeast Michigan roots. Now he\u2019s putting some money behind the sentiment.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/>\n<p>During a surprise performance Sunday (Nov. 2) with the University of Michigan Marching Band, the Bloomfield Hills-bred Smith announced a scholarship in partnership with U-M\u2019s School of Music, Theatre &amp; Dance.<\/p>\n<p>The $40,000 scholarship \u2014 named in honor of his mom, Joan, and late dad, Curtis \u2014 is administered by the Chad Smith Foundation, which he launched in August.<\/p>\n<p><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87058986007-31-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos-1.jpg bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87058986007-31-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos-1.jpg?crop=4566,3424,x567,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87058986007-31-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos-1.jpg?crop=2569,3424,x1796,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87058986007-31-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos-1.jpg?crop=5133,2888,x0,y268 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Robert Coelius\" caption=\"Chad Smith, center, performs with the University of Michigan Marching Band at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Nov. 2, 2025.\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMichigan has such a very strong music program,\u201d Smith told the Free Press last week. \u201cThey&#8217;re well known, and I&#8217;m just honored to a little part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>He described the catalyst for his music-oriented foundation, whose team includes several family members.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy passion for music, art and education is really the backbone of this. There are students that need help either financially or equipment-wise or places to play or connecting,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe want to give that opportunity to them to pursue their dreams, like I did when I was a very young person in Detroit, growing up in Bloomfield Hills and going to Lahser High School.\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/><cta-atoms-container-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/cta\" class=\"spacer-large\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The Grammy-winning drummer, who turned 64 last month, was an unannounced special guest at Sunday\u2019s Band-O-Rama in Ann Arbor, an annual Hill Auditorium event showcasing U-M\u2019s concert band, symphony band and marching band.<\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong style=\"margin-right:3px\">More: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/brian-mccollum\/2025\/10\/27\/demi-lovato-detroit-little-caesars-arena-tickets\/86927712007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Demi Lovato to play Little Caesars Arena in April as 2026 tour hits Detroit<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong style=\"margin-right:3px\">More: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/entertainment\/music\/brian-mccollum\/2025\/10\/30\/morgan-wallen-michigan-stadium-still-the-problem-tour-tickets\/86974560007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Country star Morgan Wallen headed to Ann Arbor&#8217;s Michigan Stadium for 2 shows in July<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Smith took to a drumkit for the marching band\u2019s rendition of \u201cCan\u2019t Stop,\u201d the 2003 Chili Peppers song that\u2019s among the array of hits Smith has recorded in his 37-year tenure with the band.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/><partner-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" placement=\"native-article_link\" sizes=\"[[300, 250], [3, 3]]\" min-height=\"250\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>His U-M scholarship will fund incoming students starting next year.<\/p>\n<p>Smith&#8217;s foundation launched a similar music scholarship at the University of Minnesota, his parents\u2019 alma mater.<\/p>\n<p>Smith is a Minnesota native but spent the bulk of his childhood and young adulthood in metro Detroit, where he got his career footing with rock bands such as Toby Redd. He landed the Red Hot Chili Peppers gig just months after migrating to L.A. in 1988.<\/p>\n<p>And despite his folks\u2019 Minnesota connections and a pair of siblings who attended Michigan State University, the drummer is a dyed-in-the-wool Michigan fan, a loyalty he loves to flaunt when the Chili Peppers play Columbus in the backyard of Ohio State.<\/p>\n<p><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87059833007-19-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos.jpg bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87059833007-19-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos.jpg?crop=5859,4393,x658,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87059833007-19-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos.jpg?crop=3295,4393,x988,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2025\/11\/03\/PDTF\/87059833007-19-chad-smith-foundation-november-2025-robert-coelius-photos.jpg?crop=6586,3705,x0,y344 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Robert Coelius\" caption=\"Chad Smith, center, performs with the University of Michigan Marching Band at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Nov. 2, 2025.\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI rock a big yellow \u2018M\u2019 on the kick drum, I sing the fight song, and it\u2019s the loudest response of the whole night,\u201d Smith said with a laugh. \u201cThey just boo the crap out of me, man. I love it. I\u2019m maize-and-blue all the way.\u201d<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/>\n<p>Smith has bold ambitions for his foundation, saying he&#8217;s at a life stage where years of success allow him to give back. He\u2019s especially passionate about the value of music in schools \u2014 and he speaks from first-hand experience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be here today, doing what I have been doing, if I didn\u2019t have that opportunity,\u201d he said. \u201cAt Lahser, there was concert band, symphonic band, jazz band, marching band, even a music theory club. If I didn&#8217;t have all that, I would have never graduated, and who knows what would have happened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smith&#8217;s new home state scholarship is a tribute to the legacy of his parents.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy mother \u2014 98 years young \u2014 is still living in the house I grew up in,\u201d he said. \u201cMy father was a 32-year Ford Motor Company guy at the world headquarters in Dearborn. We just have all these really good connections in Michigan. So it makes a lot of sense for us.<\/p>\n<p><em>Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:bmccollum@freepress.com\">bmccollum@freepress.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<lit-timestamp class=\"column ten-column no-gutter spacer-small\" slot=\"timestamp\" publishdate=\"2025-11-03 11:06:26.351451892 +0000 UTC\" updatedate=\"2025-11-03 11:06:26.351451892 +0000 UTC\"\/><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.freep.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Red Hot Chili Peppers&#8217; Chad Smith performs with U-M Marching Band Chad Smith, center, performs with the University of Michigan Marching Band at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Nov. 2, 2025. Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith has long pledged allegiance to his southeast Michigan roots. Now he\u2019s putting some money behind [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2132350,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[39915,22220,21941,24402,21751,239390,351098,350846,405743,140433,241090,22005,239661,6297,21741,103020,22783,405739,345590,21739,298114,405741,350859,405719,383004,350711,24320,21800,348078,360386,21738,28774,239343,239347,351099,23759,72944,349991,21939,22366,356090,24495,398279,405742,23239,239344,104256,24098,403611,350860,405740],"class_list":["post-2132349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-affiliate","tag-arts","tag-audio","tag-bands","tag-celebrities","tag-celebrities-u0026-entertainment-news","tag-chili","tag-college","tag-college-marching-bands","tag-colleges","tag-colleges-u0026-universities","tag-concerts","tag-concerts-u0026-music-festivals","tag-eamotion","tag-entertainment","tag-equipment","tag-festivals","tag-grants","tag-hot","tag-local","tag-local-affiliate-arts-u0026-entertainment","tag-marching","tag-michigan","tag-michigan-state-university","tag-michigan-wolverines","tag-morgan","tag-morgan-wallen","tag-music","tag-music-equipment-u0026-technology","tag-music-u0026-audio","tag-news","tag-of","tag-overall","tag-overall-positive","tag-peppers","tag-positive","tag-red","tag-red-hot-chili-peppers","tag-rock","tag-rock-music","tag-scholarships","tag-state","tag-study","tag-study-grants-u0026-scholarships","tag-technology","tag-u0026","tag-universities","tag-university","tag-university-of-michigan","tag-wallen","tag-wolverines"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Michigan-bred-drummer-Chad-Smith-reveals-new-U-M-music-scholarship-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2132349"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2132351,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132349\/revisions\/2132351"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2132350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2132349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2132349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2132349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}