Illinois Native Eddie Vedder Gives Young Musician An Unforgettable Gift

I have been a fan of Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam for about as long as they've been around.

First it was the music, then Vedder's Cubs fandom, and everything he stood for. He's also an Illinois guy, so why wouldn't you be a fan?

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Then there's this story about the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, where he surprised a 12-year-old musician by giving her a guitar from his personal collection.

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The teen in the video is Bella, who, along with other young musicians from a nonprofit called Guitars Over Guns, joined Vedder onstage at the event to play an original song called Better Believe.

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Vedder Passes the Torch to Guitars Over Guns Student

While Vedder told Bella that she "might need one more guitar," adding, "I think it's going to be very happy in your hands," Vedder finally told her to "play it." You can tell Bella won't be hanging that guitar on a wall. She's going to play it, and that's exactly what Eddie Vedder hoped for.

What a cool guy. This is just another reason to love Eddie Vedder.