North Stars: How Marla Courtney is Orchestrating Change for Children

Marla Courtney is teaching youth how to build a career—and a life—through the power of music with Jam & Bread in Cadillac.

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When Marla Courtney was 7 years old, she saw Heart’s Ann Wilson play guitar on TV—and it stopped her in her tracks. “It was the coolest thing ever,” she recalls. “She was really playing guitar and I thought, ‘I didn’t know girls could do that.’ That’s when I first realized that girls could be musicians. That one moment impacted me for a lifetime.”

Courtney became a viola player, but stopped playing as she built a special event floral business in Traverse City. When she sold her company, everything shifted.

“I’d been a florist all my life,” Courtney explains. “I moved to Cadillac, where I didn’t know anyone, and bought a 105-year-old house.”

A group of young musicians with Marla Courtney.

After a 30-year hiatus—and during a complete life change—it seemed like a great time to rediscover her viola.

“I picked it up again,” she says, “and now I’m playing in the Cadillac Symphony, even though I look like a punk rocker. Maybe that’s enough to inspire a young person to play.”

Inspiring youth is what Courtney is all about, and these days, she’s accomplishing that goal through her nonprofit Jam & Bread, which aims to positively impact Cadillac youth through music, storytelling, baking, cooking and more.

After moving to Cadillac, Courtney began talking with local teens and realized that many of them craved opportunities they felt didn’t exist. “They were kind of lost,” she explains. She thought about the power of music and the seed of an idea was planted.

After one such interaction, Courtney knew her nonprofit idea needed to become a reality. “The universe was like, ‘Girlfriend, you need to sit down. This is what you’re going to do!’” she recalls.

But Jam & Bread isn’t just about the arts. ‘Bread’ symbolizes financial literacy and entrepreneurship. From teaching kids how to balance a checkbook to aiding budding entrepreneurs in setting up businesses like cupcake ventures, the program equips kids with tangible future-ready skills.

At its core, it’s also about inclusivity. The impact is palpable. Dozens of students—several of whom are now a part of the Cadillac High School Orchestra—have learned to play a variety of instruments through Jam & Bread. Courtney’s voice is emotional when she recounts those stories.

Little girl handing instrument to Marla Courtney.

“When we see that spark ignite, we’re going to do everything we can to keep the flame going,” she says. “This is how you inspire kids: You let them be creative. We’ve already seen so much magic happen.”

Marla Courtney with two young musicians.

Meet All 5 North Stars of 2024

These women are connecting the dots, bending the norms and lighting the road ahead. Get the March issue of Traverse Northern Michigan magazine to view our North Stars feature in celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, or view all 5 stories on MyNorth.com in March.

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