The 5 Songs

Episode 4: John Denver, The Muppets, Norah Jones, Rockapella, Hymns

Episode 4 is a conversation with Peter, a singer and music professor from Indianapolis, Indiana.  We discuss how the music of his life has helped him celebrate, remember and learn about himself.  We'll specifically be referencing "Sunshine on My Shoulder" [https://tinyurl.com/kp5pxpm]by John Denver, The Canadian Brass, [https://tinyurl.com/y6t3gv3g] John Denver's Christmas TV Special with the Muppets [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuEzaMzaSHU], Norah Jones' cover of "Summertime" [https://tinyurl.com/yymevw8s]from Porgy and Bess, [https://tinyurl.com/yy49g5ra] Rockapella's cover of "Every Breath You Take", [https://tinyurl.com/y2fxqtjd] and Methodist church music. [https://tinyurl.com/yycpmxby]  We'll explore how these songs make him feel, what memories they evoke, and how they've shaped him.  Enjoy!

Episode 3: Is Tim McGraw better than Beethoven?

In this month's episode, my good friend Luke has turned the podcast around.  I'll be attempting to convince him of the value of three songs he sees as lacking in almost all aspects.  We'll debate the usage of music generally and specifically and attempt to bridge the divide between art music and music for entertainment.  We discuss Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying [https://tinyurl.com/qxxn2bw]" (2004), [https://tinyurl.com/ms7bv52] Nickelback's "Photograph" [https://tinyurl.com/ms7bv52](2005), and Hoobastank's "The Reason" [https://tinyurl.com/4ueexuc] (2003) at some length.  Enjoy!

Episode 2: Footloose and the Foundry Workers Dance Break

On this Month's episode, my guest and I discuss the influence a wide range of music has had on his life as a midwestern boy.  Along they way, we'll talk about Loch Lomond, Footloose, and a minimum of 25 others songs.  Enjoy.

Pilot

This episode was my first recorded attempt at this concept.  I recorded it almost 5 years ago as part of a class i took while working my way through a Masters in Music Education.  It was here that I began believing that music, for most people, is part-ritual, part-celebration, part-history lesson, and part-catharsis.  Enjoy the nascent first attempt.