Guitar Center is giving holiday shoppers a chance to make a difference in the lives of musicians in 2010 by making a contribution to MusiCares Foundation at any store in North America. MusiCares provides support and guidance for struggling musicians, from addiction recovery to personal or medical crisis. Guitar Center, the world’s largest musical instrument retailer, is accepting contributions as small as $1 at any of the 214 Guitar Center locations nationwide. Shoppers who donate will be given an ornament to display in the store, either to decorate its holiday tree or a dedicated MusiCares wall on the premises. There is no donation limit, and generous shoppers may display their names, businesses or band names on the ornaments.

The program comes as a year-end tribute to Guitar Center’s ongoing efforts to create opportunities for aspiring artists in its local communities.

"We focus on giving back to musicians, creating opportunity for them where there wasn’t any before," said Gene Joly, executive vice president of stores. "This holiday season, we want to help our customers make a meaningful impact in the lives of people who are struggling personally and have nowhere else to go."

With ongoing programs like Guitar Center’s Drum-Off, which entered its round of district competitions November 4, the retailer is partnering with its customers to help musicians succeed on and off the stage. For more, visit GuitarCenter.com.