The Texas Chapter, in conjunction with the GRAMMY Foundation, hosted a GRAMMY SoundChecks with Juanes on April 17 at the Toyota Center. The 12-time Latin GRAMMY winner opened his concert soundcheck to 40 students from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and Westbury High School.
The students observed as Juanes and his band checked their instruments, microphones, and monitors before performing five songs. Once the soundcheck was over, Juanes met with students for a bilingual question-and-answer session.
In recognition of being named as one of the "100 Most Influential People In The World" by TIME Magazine in 2005 for his musical accomplishments and notable humanitarian efforts, one student asked Juanes if he believes that his celebrity status helps in making others aware of the dangers of landmines in Colombia and throughout the world. Juanes replied by saying he would be a strong activist for the issue whether he was famous or not.
The students were fortunate to have this unique GRAMMY SoundChecks experience prior to a completely sold-out concert. One student from Westbury High School who had never been exposed to Latin music said, "[Juanes] was awesome. He has made fans out of us."