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Matt Sorum’s Sound & Vision Awards Honoring Paul Rodgers & Geezer Butler
By Ron Lyon
On March 2, 2026, the Historic Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs will host an extraordinary evening celebrating rock royalty while investing in the next generation of musicians. The Sound and Vision Awards, founded by drummer Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), returns with a powerful lineup honoring featuring recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Paul Rodgers, the legendary vocalist of Bad Company and Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, a 2006 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, along with an all-star band of performers spanning multiple generations of rock.
At its heart, however, the event is about something far bigger than nostalgia.
Sorum’s nonprofit, Adopt The Arts, supports music education programs across Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley, serving more than 3,500 elementary school students. The organization provides instruments, funding, and structured arts curriculum to schools that might otherwise lose access to music programs.
“For me, this is about giving kids the same opportunity I had,” Sorum said. “I wanted to build something that honored the past while investing in the future. That’s the Sound & Vision Awards.”
In previous interviews, Sorum has spoken about a pivotal moment in high school when a jazz band teacher helped him realize music was his purpose. That mentorship became a defining force in his life, and today, it fuels his foundation’s mission.
“We all need someone who sees something in us before we see it ourselves,” Sorum reflected. “We’re giving them a foundation for everything that comes next. Not every kid is going to end up on a stage or in a recording studio, but every kid deserves the chance to find out what music can do for them.”
One this year’s honoree, Paul Rodgers, the unmistakable voice of Free and Bad Company, represents a living bridge to rock’s golden era. Sorum explained why honoring Rodgers felt natural.
“I think Paul Rodgers is one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time and Bad Company was just inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year. He’s also already part of our story with Adopt the Arts. He came into the Good Noise studio in Palm Springs and recorded a new version of ‘Rock & Roll Fantasy’ with our Changels kids. So, when we started thinking about who to honor at the Sound & Vision Awards this year, Paul was an obvious choice, not just because of his legacy with Free and Bad Company, but because he had already demonstrated that he believes in what we’re doing.”
With Geezer Butler also being honored, the evening carries additional historic weight. The Black Sabbath co-founder helped shape the heavy sound that influenced countless musicians, including many appearing on the bill. Having artists of that caliber lend their time to a fundraiser underscores the cause’s importance.
“Having Geezer Butler in the room, lending his name and his presence to what we’re doing at Adopt the Arts, sends a powerful message,” Sorum noted. “It says that music education matters to the people who have dedicated their entire lives to music. And I think that’s something kids need to see. When a founding member of Black Sabbath shows up to support elementary school music programs, it tells those students that what they’re doing matters.”
Sorum added: “Having Geezer on stage alongside Paul Rodgers creates something really special. These are artists who understand at the deepest level what music can do for a young person because they lived it themselves.”
The Sound and Vision Awards has grown into more than a tribute concert. It’s a collaborative celebration, often featuring unexpected jams, cross-generational performances, and rare onstage moments that fans won’t see anywhere else.
Beyond the music, the impact is measurable. Funds raised from the event directly support music teachers, instruments, and programming in underserved schools. For Sorum, success isn’t just a sold-out theater, it’s knowing another student might discover their own purpose.
“When the curtain closes, what matters is that we’ve made a real difference. Every year we do a show like this is special but this year, honoring Paul Rodgers and Geezer Butler, we’re paying homage to the lasting influence of rock music. The all-star lineup we have this year is incredible. Nuno Bettencourt, Steve DeLeo, Lzzy Hale, Glenn Hughes, Mike Mangan, Tanya O’ Callaghan, Stevie Salas, Charlie Starr, Steve Stevens, Corey Taylor, and Phil X — they are all friends of mine and with The Changels opening the show, it’s going to be a night to remember.”
Rock headliners will indeed gather under one roof in Palm Springs. But the true headliners may be the thousands of young musicians whose futures are being quietly shaped behind the scenes.
Paul Rodgers and Matt Sorum with members of the Changels
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