H.E.A.R.: A Hearing Protection Non-Profit

As a former singer and bass player for a rock band, Kathy Peck suffered from hearing damage and tinnitus due to repeated exposure to loud music. In 1988, after attending an earsplitting concert, she and local physician Dr. Flash Gordon decided to address the problems and dangers of blaring music. Together, they launched H.E.A.R. (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers), a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing hearing loss and tinnitus among musicians and music fans, especially teens, through education awareness and grassroots outreach advocacy. Hearing damage from loud sound, which can result from attending concerts, playing music, using stereo earphones, and more, is often cumulative, not immediately detectable, and irreversible.


H.E.A.R. serves musicians, music fans, DJs, sound engineers, and anyone who needs help with their hearing. The non-profit's programs include public service announcements in mainstream media, information and earplug tables at concerts across the US, and hearing screenings, among others. H.E.A.R.'s interactive website, Hearnet, is updated regularly with information and resources on hearing loss, hearing aids and assistive listening devices, ear doctors, and more. H.E.A.R. also produced the award-winning Listen Smart rockumentary, which features interviews with popular musicians such as Ozzy Osbourne, Moby, Wyclef Jean, and Lars Ulrich of Metallica, as well as information on the short-term and long-term effects of noise exposure, tips on hearing protection, and advice from music professionals.

Acting as a bridge between the music and medical communities, H.E.A.R. wants everyone to be able to enjoy music for a long, long time. Recognized as a leader in the charge against preventable hearing damage, H.E.A.R. has received support from performers like Pete Townshend of The Who, Les Claypool of Primus, and Lars Ulrich; media outlets such as MTV, Guitar Player Magazine, and Keyboard Magazine; and medical groups like The American Academy of Audiology and The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association.