Minneapolis' Southwest High School band rocks out with colorful twist
Credit: Minneapolis Public Schools
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A new band is taking Minneapolis by storm with their unique instruments and crowd-pleasing hits.
Formed at Southwest High School, The 3 Strings Band is comprised mostly of young musicians with distinct abilities and disabilities.
With the help of creator and director Ruth LeMay, the musicians use a color coding system built for just three guitar strings.
The system has "enabled individuals with adaptive and unique abilities to learn and play Top 100 hits without disparity," parent Toni Darboe said in an email to FOX 9.
The band performs songs like Michael Jackson's "You Want To Be Starting Something" and "BAD," as well as "My Girl," "Walking on Sunshine," "Seven Nation Army," "We Got The Beat" and more.
Earlier this season, The 3 Strings Band was selected out of 385 other applicants to perform at a national music conference later this year in Orlando, Florida.
"While our young people are excited to showcase their talents and provide a platform for educators and students alike to learn this alternative method of interpreting and playing music, I know they are even more ecstatic to represent our state of Minnesota and what music means to us as communities of diverse abilities and unique skills," Darboe said.
For more information and to find videos of the band, click here.