TSA Tragedy: Save Jonatha's Broken Guitar

Dear Fellow Jonatha Brooke Music Enthusiasts,

My name is Claire Hollenbeck from Boston, and I’ve set up this GoFundMe to help our dear friend and extraordinary musician, Jonatha Brooke, save her broken guitar. The goal of the fundraiser is to raise the funds necessary to get her instrument repaired so that Jonatha can continue to write, produce, and perform the music that we all love.

One-of-a-Kind Instrument

Her guitar is not an instrument you can buy off the rack at Guitar Center. It’s a $32,000 masterpiece that was custom-crafted for Jonatha’s unique sound and style by renowned luthier James Olson in 2003. It’s been her musical companion for over 20 years.

Jonatha writes:

"When James Olson made my guitar, (2003) he made the neck precisely for MY hands. He braced it and shaped it with MY favorite tuning in its DNA (C, G, D, G, B, D) with MY favorite strings in mind. He even threw in a few extra little fretboard doves as a kindness.

"And so, Wednesday. The unthinkable. I opened my guitar case at sound check and my 20-year-old beloved was trashed. Someone at TSA had taken it out of the case and then, dropped it on its most vulnerable edge. They then put it back in the case, threw one of their standard little “TSA was here” notes in, and sent it on its way.

"What hurts the most is - what has been churning in my belly for two nights now - is, how does someone do that and make no effort to take accountability. How does someone shatter a one-of-a kind instrument, and then leave it (SURPRISE!) for the poor owner to fight for her right to recourse. (And also fight to figure out how the show will go on!)

"I begin the long slog today with TSA. Forms, proofs. All the things that suck about government agencies. I am bracing for months of fighting with them. I am bracing for never getting the money it will cost to fix or replace my guitar."

"It is so very broken. I am so very heartbroken."

Here's a VIDEO that Jonatha posted on Instagram after discovering the tragedy at sound check that day.

In typical Jonatha-style, she has churned out a few songs about her correspondence with the Delta Airlines Claims Manager, Evelyn!

Check them out!

Baggage Cares

Baggage Cares Part 2 - Evelyn, I Just Can’t Quit You!!!

You Can Come to the Rescue!

Friends, here’s where we can make a difference! Let's rally together to help Jonatha raise the funds needed to repair her beloved guitar. Every contribution, no matter how small, will go a long way in supporting her journey. Your generosity will not only help mend a broken instrument but also lift the spirits and support this talented working artist who has brought us so much joy through her music. Any help will be appreciated!

Thanks,

Claire