Roots Of American Music

Music Education and Community Arts Programsrootsofamericanmusic.org

Roots of American Music is a Cleveland-based 501c3 nonprofit that delivers live, arts-integrated music education and performance programs to K-12 schools, adult day centers, senior living communities, and public venues across Northeast Ohio using a contracted roster of professional teaching artists.

Company typePrivate
Founded1999
HeadquartersCleveland, United States
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What Roots Of American Music does

Roots of American Music (ROOTS) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 1999 in Cleveland, Ohio, that delivers live, arts-integrated music education and performance programming across Northeast Ohio. The organization contracts a roster of professional teaching and performing artists to deliver five core programs: Blues Is the Backbone (K-2 literacy/SEL through blues music), Stop the Hate: Youth Sing Out (middle/high school songwriting contest co-run with the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage), Montessori Music Residencies (long-term K-6 classroom programs), Adult Day & Senior Communities Programs (interactive live performances at senior and disability care facilities), and Community Programs & Concert Series including the monthly Masters of American Music concert at Visible Voice Books. The customer base spans K-12 schools (anchored by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, with 16 schools and 36-43 classrooms served in 2025-26), adult day and senior care operators (Active Day, Hattie Larlham, Barton Communities, Eliza Jennings, Blossom Hill, ViaQuest), and community venues across Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain, and Lake Counties.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform — operations rest on human teaching-artist delivery, a Squarespace-hosted website, email/newsletter communications, social media, and standard nonprofit digital infrastructure. There is no SaaS product, mobile app, API, or AI component referenced. ROOTS reported reaching 10,000+ individuals annually in 2025 across 120+ community performances, 325 adult-day performances, and 74 senior-center performances.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial transaction model: (1) individual donations solicited through the website and events; (2) foundation grants from 11 named funders including Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Ohio Arts Council, John P. Murphy Foundation, Kulas Foundation, George Gund Foundation, Rex Foundation, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Abington Foundation, Bruening Foundation, and Thomas H. White Foundation; (3) corporate program sponsorships and event sponsors (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, BMI, School of Rock, etc. for the annual benefit); and (4) ticket sales at $15 per door for the Masters of American Music series and benefit concerts. No direct program fees are charged to schools, senior centers, or adult day facilities — programming is funded through the donation/grant/sponsorship stack. The go-to-market motion is community-led and partnership-driven: long-term institutional relationships and foundation networks drive demand rather than consumer sales.

Roots Of American Music firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Roots Of American Music
Legal name: Roots of American Music, Inc.
Website: https://rootsofamericanmusic.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1999
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: Roots of American Music is a Cleveland-based 501c3 nonprofit that delivers live, arts-integrated music education and performance programs to K-12 schools, adult day centers, senior living communities, and public venues across Northeast Ohio using a contracted roster of professional teaching artists.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Roots Of American Music industry classification

Industry

Product category: Music Education and Community Arts Programs
NAICS: Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (611)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro primary industry: Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
akta.pro secondary industries: Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD), Songwriting, Composition & Arranging (EDAMANAG), Music Therapy (Educational/Developmental Programs) (EDAMANAK), Music Production & Composition (Songwriting, Recording, DJing) (EDAMAAAF)

Keywords

Music education programs
Arts-integrated curriculum
Live music performances
Community concerts series
Senior engagement programs

Where Roots Of American Music is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Cleveland
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Roots Of American Music business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute one-time or recurring gifts to support ROOTS programs. The organization actively campaigns for donations through its website and events.
Foundation Grants: ROOTS receives funding from multiple foundations including Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Ohio Arts Council, John P. Murphy Foundation, Kulas Foundation, George Gund Foundation, Rex Foundation, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Abington Foundation, Bruening Foundation, and Thomas H. White Foundation.
Program Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support specific programs, concerts, or events. Sponsors receive recognition opportunities in exchange for financial support.
Ticket Sales: The Masters of American Music concert series and annual benefit concerts charge admission ($15 at the door for most events), with proceeds supporting the mission.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
One time/ perpetual license	Pay-as-you-go	Concert admission - $15 at the door

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Roots Of American Music product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Roots of American Music delivers live music education and performance programming across Northeast Ohio. Through a roster of professional teaching and performing artists, the organization provides school residencies (Blues Is the Backbone, Stop the Hate: Youth Sing Out, Montessori Music Residencies), senior and adult day programs, community concerts, and the Masters of American Music concert series. Programs are funded primarily by foundation grants, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and modest concert ticket sales.

Product overview

Roots of American Music is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of live music education and performance programs across Northeast Ohio. The core offerings include Blues Is the Backbone (K-2 literacy and music program), Stop the Hate: Youth Sing Out (middle/high school songwriting contest), Montessori Music Residencies (long-term classroom programs), Adult Day & Senior Communities Programs (interactive performances for seniors), Community Programs & Concert Series (neighborhood concerts and events), and the Masters of American Music Concert Series (monthly tributes at Visible Voice Books). Programs serve schools, senior centers, adult day facilities, and public spaces, delivered by professional teaching and performing artists contracted through the organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Blues Is the Backbone
Stop the Hate: Youth Sing Out
Montessori Music Residencies
Adult Day & Senior Communities Program
Community Programs & Concert Series
Masters of American Music Concert Series
Live Music for Events

Quantifiable outcome

Over 10,000 individuals reached annually
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use Roots Of American Music

Customer profile

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Roots Of American Music technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Roots Of American Music partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary education partner delivering Blues is the Backbone, Stop the Hate, and other programs to CMSD schools. 16 schools and 36+ classrooms served annually.
Maltz Museum of Jewish HeritagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Stop the Hate program partner; ROOTS provides songwriting workshops in support of Maltz Museum's initiative inspiring youth to confront intolerance.
Cleveland Arts Education ConsortiumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of arts education organizations in Northeast Ohio; ROOTS participates as member.
Visible Voice BookscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleveland bookstore venue hosting Masters of American Music monthly concert series. Provides intimate setting for performances and storytelling.
Music Box Supper ClubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleveland venue hosting annual benefit concerts for ROOTS.
Active DaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdult day center operator with locations in Berea, Eastlake, and Warrensville Heights. ROOTS provides 325+ annual performances.
Hattie LarlhamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization serving individuals with developmental disabilities; ROOTS provides music programs at their Excel center.
Barton CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior living operator (The Kickerbocker, The Westerly); ROOTS delivers monthly live music performances.
Blossom Hill - Abilities Enrichment CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdult day services at multiple locations (Middleburg Heights, Center Ridge House, Westlake); ROOTS provides regular performances.
Eliza Jennings Health CampussupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior health campus in Cleveland; ROOTS provides interactive live performances for residents.
ViaQuestsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-location provider serving adults with developmental challenges across Ohio; ROOTS provides music programming at multiple facilities.
Fatima Family Center (CCDO)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity center in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood; hosts Hough is My Home program with Food for the Soul concerts.
Dave's MarketsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grocery chain; partner for community events and Food for the Soul programming.
Holden Arboretum / Holden Forests & GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature preserve and gardens in Kirtland; hosts ROOTS community concerts and workshops.
Cuyahoga Valley National ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational park in Peninsula; provides venue for community performances and nature-focused programs.
Nature Center at Shaker LakesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature center providing venue for concerts and community programs.
Ingenuity ClevelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts organization supporting creative placemaking; partners with ROOTS for community events.
Rock and Roll Hall of FameminorOthersEvent sponsor for 2025 Annual Benefit Concert.
BMIminorOthersBroadcast Music, Inc. - event sponsor for 2025 Annual Benefit Concert.
School of RockminorOthersMusic education franchise - event sponsor for 2025 Annual Benefit Concert.
Gotta Groove RecordsminorOthersLocal record label - event sponsor for 2025 Annual Benefit Concert.
Ohio RealtitleminorOthersTitle company - event sponsor for 2025 Annual Benefit Concert.
Talan ProductsminorOthersManufacturing company - event sponsor for 2025 Annual Benefit Concert.
Mander MarketingsupportingOthersMarketing agency providing website and marketing services to ROOTS.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Roots Of American Music competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

School of Rock: National franchise-based music education provider serving K-12 students and adults with performance-based curriculum. Operates in adjacent music education space with broader geographic reach but a for-profit, tuition-driven model.
Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute: Major national music education arm offering K-12 programs, professional development, and community concerts. Overlaps with ROOTS in arts-integrated K-12 programming but operates at national scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock): National nonprofit modernizing K-12 music education through teacher training, curriculum, and instrument donations. Comparable as a music-education nonprofit with a school-district delivery model and donor-funded structure.
Old Town School of Folk Music: Chicago-based nonprofit music school offering folk, roots, and American music classes, concerts, and community education programs. Highly comparable as a mission-aligned arts education nonprofit with multi-generational programming and a concert series.
Community Music Center of Boston: Boston nonprofit offering music instruction and performance programs with explicit outreach to underserved communities. Closely comparable in mission, target populations, and reliance on a contracted teaching artist network.
Berklee City Music Network: Berlklee College of Music's nonprofit network providing music education to underserved youth across multiple U.S. cities. Comparable in mission, target population, and reliance on professional teaching artists.
Settlement Music School: Philadelphia nonprofit providing music education, lessons, and performance opportunities across all ages from early childhood through seniors. Direct parallel to ROOTS in mission, multi-segment delivery, and nonprofit funding model.
Harmony Project: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing free music education to underserved youth, with documented longitudinal outcomes. Highly comparable in using music as a vehicle for educational equity and serving low-access communities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Roots Of American Music financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Roots Of American Music leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Roots Of American Music funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Roots Of American Music M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Roots Of American Music

What does Roots Of American Music do?

Is Roots Of American Music a public or private company?

Roots Of American Music is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Roots Of American Music founded?

Roots Of American Music was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is Roots Of American Music based?

Roots Of American Music is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.

How does Roots Of American Music make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants, program Sponsorships and ticket Sales.

Who are Roots Of American Music's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are School of Rock and Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. Direct peers are Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock), Old Town School of Folk Music, Community Music Center of Boston, Berklee City Music Network, Settlement Music School and Harmony Project.

Does Roots Of American Music have an API?

No public API is recorded for Roots Of American Music.

What industry is Roots Of American Music in?

Roots Of American Music's product category is Music Education and Community Arts Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir), with a secondary code of EDAMANAD, Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8200.