Liam’s Christmas Guitars

Dear Supporters,

The holiday season is a time of joy, connection, and giving. Liam’s Christmas Guitars strives to bring that spirit to teenagers in foster and adoptive care—an age group often overlooked during the holidays. Through our campaign, we provide brand-new acoustic guitars to these young individuals, offering not just a gift but the possibility of discovering a lifelong passion for music.

A guitar is more than just an instrument; it’s a gateway to creativity, self-expression, and healing. For many teens, it can serve as a source of comfort and a way to navigate life’s challenges. Your support ensures that these deserving young people receive a meaningful gift this Christmas—a chance to learn, grow, and experience the transformative power of music.

We invite you to join us in this mission. Your donation will directly fund the purchase of high-quality Austin Guitars purchased locally from our partners at St. Louis Music. Every contribution makes a difference and brings us closer to reaching more teens who could benefit from this program.

Together, we can make this holiday season unforgettable for teens in foster and adoptive care.

To donate visit https://gofund.me/de334c29

In memory of Liam Terrio, each holiday season Play It Forward STL in partnership with the Terrio Family give the gift of music by donating brand new acoustic guitars and accessories to teenagers who currently reside in foster care programs. Too often these teens are overlooked during the holiday gift giving season.

Our recipients this year are Bright Point, Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition, and Hoyleton Youth & Family Services. Boys and Girls each receive a brand new guitar on Christmas morning. We believe in the healing power of music, and given the opportunity, each child can thrive and expand through the gift of music.

Liam was a natural born lover of music. This became apparent the day after his birth. On the way home from the hospital he was crying in the car and immediately stopped when Eric Clapton came on the radio. He really seemed to be listening intently. His first exposure to playing an instrument began in the 3rd grade when he was introduced to the recorder. He learned the instrument quickly and had perfected the entire semester’s song lessons within a couple of weeks. He transitioned to the cello which he was equally adept at playing. Having his hands on strings sparked an interest in guitar which became his true love. Throughout middle school and high school he played the tenor and baritone saxophones in the concert and marching bands as well as the guitar in jazz band.

Liam began taking guitar lessons at the age of 10 and became proficient at music theory and sight reading. Within a year he was performing live with a group of friends as the opening act for the Smash Band’s summer festival tour. Having the opportunity to get paid to perform in a band at such a young age sealed the deal on what he wanted out of life. He never had aspirations of being famous or getting rich. He just knew he wanted to play music for a living and continued to expand his interest by learning piano and drums. His band stayed together throughout high school perfecting their craft and getting better and better gigs.

Liam graduated high school at the age of 17 after completing his education within 3 years, and a 4.0 GPA. Afterwards he attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on an academic scholarship. During this time he continued to collaborate with friends, performing, writing, and recording.

Liam tragically passed away at the age of nineteen just before releasing his first solo album. He had produced a music video of the title track (Garden of Thoughts) as a teaser for the album release which he posted on YouTube just days before.

Thank You to Austin Guitars, St Louis Music, and Pecaro’s Guitar Shop for their generous assistance!