• by Tanya Gazdik , May 13, 2020

Volkswagen of America is partnering with one of its suppliers, Fender Premium Audio, to support a COVID-19 fundraiser by guitar legend Joe Bonamassa.

Bonamassa will live-stream his performance May 14 at 8 pm EST on Facebook Live and the proceeds will benefit a nonprofit organization, Keeping the Blues Alive, which financially assists touring musicians affected by the pandemic.

“When given the chance to support individuals in the music industry during this time, it felt like a true ‘Drive Bigger’ moment that we wanted to be a part of,” says Saad Chehab, senior vice president, Volkswagen brand marketing, in a release. 

Volkswagen’s support fits into its “Drive Bigger” campaign, which launched last June. The effort “isn’t just a slogan -- it’s the definition of Volkswagen’s calling to work towards a larger purpose,” according to the automaker. 

Bonamassa, a prodigy who opened for B.B. King at the age of 12, will also showcase some of his personal vintage Fender guitars and discuss details about each. 

Consumers can donate to the “Fueling Musicians” program at www.KTBA.org.

Fender Premium Audio offers audio systems on select trims of Volkswagen vehicles such as the Passat, Golf GTI, Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Tiguan.

In other COVID-19 related news, Volkswagen and its luxury division Audi announced warranty extensions. 

Both brands are providing a three-month warranty extension on  new vehicle limited warranties as well as certified pre-owned limited warranties set to expire in March through the end of May. Both brands continues to offer payment relief for customers impacted by COVID-19 through June 1.