Chad Smith, drummer for Red Hot Chili Peppers, announced a need-based music scholarship at the University of Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer made the announcement during a surprise appearance at the school’s Band-O-Rama event at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor.
The Curtis & Joan Smith Scholarship will be given to an incoming School of Music, Theatre & Dance student starting in 2026. Named after his parents, the program represents a partnership between the university and the Chad Smith Foundation.
“A lot of people (say), ‘The Chili Peppers, West Coast band, California this and California that.’ I get it. I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Chad Smith told The Associated Press. “The Minnesota connection is strong. The Michigan connection is strong. And that’s why we’re here. It’s a natural, authentic fit for us.”…