The Art of the Guitar Fundraiser Benefits Deep Ellum’s Past and Future

For most of the customers and sightseers in Dallas’ historic music district, it was just another Saturday night this weekend in Deep Ellum. Elm Street had been closed to vehicle traffic, and the bars and clubs were open for pedestrians. But for those who work behind the bar or on the stage, light the show, adjust sound levels or control the door, Oct. 21 has just a little more meaning, because Saturday would have been – should have been – Frankie Campagna’s 37th birthday.

If you’ve been around Deep Ellum at all, then you know of Frankie’s artist father, Frank, the “godfather of Deep Ellum.” And if you were around in the first part of this century you certainly would have crossed paths with Frankie and his band, Spector 45. And with all due respect, if you don’t know of Frank and/or Frankie then don’t even bother telling us about your adventures in Deep Ellum.

Spector 45, the three-piece punk band started by Frankie Campagna, Adam Carter and Anthony Delabano, had become a Deep Ellum fixture with very realistic expectations of breaking out beyond the North Texas scene. Frankie Campagna’s suicide in 2011, followed by Carter’s suicide a few months later, devastated their families, the Deep Ellum community and bandmate Delabano.

This is not the kind of story that leads to a happy ending, but in the years since Campagna and Carter’s deaths, Delabano and others have created something hopeful: Foundation 45. The Dallas nonprofit has a mission to provide artists and musicians with a place to sort through mental health issues before they become catastrophic.

As part of their initial fundraising, Foundation 45 partnered with Frank Campagna on a project called the Art of the Guitar. The auction has become an annual event, and this year’s iteration was held, fittingly, on Frankie’s birthday.

Frankie Campagna was a proud graduate of the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts, and part of the proceeds from this year’s event will go into the Foundation 45 fund. This scholarship program is designed to support students in the Music Conservatory at Booker T.

This year, the magnet high school’s current students were well represented at the event, with several of the highest bids going to their creations. Sixteen guitars at the auction were designed by the high school students; 38 more were donated by community members such as Bowling for Soup’s Jarret Reddick.

The event was hosted by KXT’s Nilufer Arsala.