Corona has a music story hiding in plain sight

Corona has citrus history, road-race history, and a music story that is easy to miss. The Fender Center traces its roots to the Fender Museum of Music and Arts Foundation. That group began in 1997 and opened a preview and music-learning space on North Main Street in 1998.

The early work focused on children learning music. The first free lessons covered piano, guitar, and drums for ages 7 to 17. That first eight-week session brought in 209 children. The famous guitar name was part of it, but the heart of the program was kids getting a chance to play.

In 2002, the group opened a much larger building in Corona. Its history includes classrooms, a recording studio, an amphitheater, an art gallery, and an exhibit about Fender. The Kids Rock Free program kept the lesson side going with instruments and band work.

For Corona, this adds a different kind of landmark. It is not a citrus grove or an old road course. It is a place where a well-known music name connects to local students, classes, practice rooms, and the idea that culture can be built one lesson at a time.