LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – Friends, family and the entire local music industry continue to mourn the loss of Christopher Stafford, a local music legend who was killed in a car accident in May.

Now he and his legacy are honored by the Christopher Stafford Memorial Foundation.

“I could tell from a young age that he had a great musical talent in him, you know, just an abundance of natural talent,” said Steve Riley, a local musician and friend of Christopher Stafford. “It was just a deep passion for him and it brought him a lot of joy and in turn brought joy and inspiration to a lot of other people.”

Elise Riley, Christopher Stafford’s sister, said his legacy is timeless and has impacted so many people, and the foundation should honor that legacy by continuing his work.

“One thing is we definitely want to keep Staffland Studios open. It wasn’t just a place to go and make music or record an album,” said Elise Riley. “There was such an incredible sense of community and togetherness. It was a safe place for creativity and music making, and we definitely want it to continue to be that for musicians.”

“A second point for us is education. We hope to offer scholarships, after-school programs for children with French as the language of instruction, and after-school programs for any child who is genuinely interested,” said Michael Stafford, Christopher’s brother. “Another goal is to support artists in the community and beyond in meaningful ways.”

In order to provide this support in the best possible way, the foundation looks where local artists need it most.

“The foundation is still in its formative stages. We are currently interviewing local artists and industry professionals to find niches that we can slip into and be really effective,” said Michael Stafford.

The Foundation will seek to fill the void left by Christopher Stafford in this community.

“His love of music, his love of being the best he could be in return, brought joy to many people and he inspired many people he produced, worked with in the studio or live and that cannot be replaced,” said Steve Riley. “I know I will feel the loss for the rest of my life.”

For current information about the Christopher Stafford Memorial Foundation, visit their website here or follow them on Instagram or Facebook.