Editing Mockingbird Foundation

{{Short description|Nonprofit organization associated with Phish}}
'''The Mockingbird Foundation''' is a charitable organization founded by fans of the [[jam band]] [[Phish]] in 1996 (legally incorporated the following year) to support [[music education]] for children. Unconventional in structure, it exists almost entirely online, allowing a higher percentage of income to be distributed directly to deserving organizations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mbird.org/2000/11/all-volunteer/ |title=Mockingbird Entirely Volunteer|website=Mbird.org|date=28 November 2000 |access-date= 2011-02-03}}</ref> Projects include the publication of ''[[The Phish Companion]]'' and the production of the Phish tribute album ''[[Sharin' in the Groove]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mockingbirdfoundation.org/about/#mission |title=Mission Statement|website=Mockingbirdfoundation.org|access-date= 2006-05-13}}</ref> As of May 22, 2024, the foundation had provided over 675 disbursements (through grants and other awards) totalling over $2,396,000;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mbird.org/grants/recipients/|title=Grant Recipients|website=Mbird.org|access-date= 2024-05-22}}</ref> sold over 70,000 copies of ''The Phish Companion''; and sold over 25,000 copies of ''Sharin' in the Groove''.<ref name="multiple">{{cite web|url=http://www.mockingbirdfoundation.org |title= The Mockingbird Foundation Homepage|website=Mockingbirdfoundation.org|access-date= 2006-11-13}}</ref> The organization was recognized officially by Phish when, in 2004, the band donated all proceeds from their Livephish download service to the Mockingbird Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mbird.org/2003/12/livephish-to-benefit-mockingbird/ |title=LivePhish to Benefit Mockingbird|website=Mbird.org|date=22 December 2003 |access-date=2011-02-03}}</ref>

==''The Phish Companion''==
The Mockingbird Foundation is a leading provider of historical information about the band Phish and its music. The Foundation's book project, ''[[The Phish Companion]]'', is a comprehensive and authoritative reference chronicling Phish and their music, including years preceding and following the band's own history. It was researched with the help of all official Phish sources, including band archivist Kevin Shapiro, bassist [[Mike Gordon]], lyricist [[Tom Marshall (singer)|Tom Marshall]], and others. Over 1,500 named fans contributed to the First Edition, with several hundred more augmenting the second.<ref name="multiple"/>

The third edition of The Phish Companion: A Guide to the Band & Their Music is a hard-bound, 898-page, full-color reference guide, with setlists, song histories, charts, show reviews, fan stories, and 128 pages of Phish photography – most of which has never been published.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://phish.net/story/3suitn|title=Phish.net|website=Phish.net|access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref>

==''Sharin' in the Groove''==
A Phish tribute album, ''[[Sharin' in the Groove]]'', features nearly two hours of music from 23 individual acts including [[The Wailers (1963-1974 band)|The Wailers]], [[Dave Matthews]], [[Jimmy Buffett]], [[John Scofield]], [[Arlo Guthrie]], the [[Stanford Band|Stanford Marching Band]], The Vermont Youth Orchestra, Tom Marshall, as well as members of the [[Trey Anastasio (band)|Trey Anastasio's band]], [[Jefferson Airplane]], [[Talking Heads]], and [[Los Lobos]].<ref name="multiple"/>  It was produced independently on an all-volunteer basis: none of the artists, managers, studios, or others involved received compensation for their contribution. The tracks are arranged like a live show, including two sets and an encore.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mockingbirdfoundation.org/album/ |title=Sharin' in the Groove |access-date=2006-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060502102706/http://www.mockingbirdfoundation.org/album/ |archive-date=2006-05-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==''Phish.net''==
The Foundation formally adopted the fan website Phish.net as a project January 17, 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mbird.org/2005/01/phish-net/ |title=Mockingbird Adopts Phish.net |website=Mbird.org|date=17 January 2005 | access-date=2011-02-04}}</ref> The site had begun in 1991<ref>{{cite web|url=http://phish.net/special/timeline.php |title=Phish.net Timeline |website=Phish.net|access-date=2011-02-03}}</ref> and served Phish fans for nearly two decades as static HTML pages. It was re-launched as an integrated database of setlists, song histories, reviews, and more in fall 2009.

==''Runaway Open''==
The Foundation has held a series of events (poker, poster, and golf), including an annual charity golf tournament for Phish fans starting in 2016, typically the second day of the band's multi-night run at Dick's Sporting Goods Arena in Denver, CO. The event name makes reference to several Phish songs, including "Runaway Jim" and "Kung", the latter of which includes the line, "Yes, we can stage a runaway golf cart marathon." The Ninth Annual Runaway Open will August 31, 2024, at Willis Case, with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. for 120 players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mbird.org/9ro |title=Golf News at Mockingbird|website=Mbird.org|access-date= 2024-05-22}}</ref>

==DeLucia Awards==
In 2004, the Foundation announced plans to acknowledge innovative work in music education through the institution of the DeLucia Awards, named for Mockingbird founder and originator of ''The Phish Companion'', Craig DeLucia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mbird.org/2004/06/delucia-award-established/ |title=DeLucia Announcement|website=Mbird.org|date=28 June 2004 |access-date= 2011-02-03}}</ref> The first DeLucia Awards were announced in May 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mbird.org/2006/06/delucia-awards-announced/ |title=DeLucia Announcement|website=Mbird.org|date=14 June 2006 |access-date= 2011-02-03}}</ref>

There may be ''up to'' five DeLucia Award recipients in a given year; and each year, one recipient will also be awarded the DeLucia Prize, a monetary complement of $1,000. The recipient(s) should have accomplished something which effectively developed musical abilities, made efficient use of available resources, could be replicated in other settings, and might inspire others to seek, provide, and/or support music education. The recipient(s) will have demonstrated a passion for music education such as by teaching in an exceptional, innovative, or unique manner; impacting their communities in a substantial way; or using unconventional techniques, discourse, or concepts in their roles as music educators.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://mbird.org The Mockingbird Foundation]
* [http://phish.net Phish.net]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160904025927/https://phishcompanion.com/ The Phish Companion website]

{{Phish}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Charities based in California]]
[[Category:Phish]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1997]]
[[Category:Music organizations based in the United States]]