Janis Joplin died 50 years ago today. When I was in high school, I took a train to New York City with a friend to see Janis in concert at Madison Square Garden. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band opened the… Read More ›
Pop Culture
A debate playlist for two men singing different tunes
By Richard Lee By the time Joe Biden and Donald Trump take the stage tonight for the first debate of the 2020 campaign, most voters will already have made up their minds about how they will cast their ballots. In… Read More ›
The journalism lessons of ‘Almost Famous’
By Richard Lee Almost Famous, which was released 20 years ago this month, is more than an entertaining tale of rock’n’roll as told through the lens of a character based on Cameron Crowe and the work he did as a… Read More ›
A Song Delivers a Message About Media, Resilience and COVID-19
By Richard Lee In his paper Media, Resilience and COVID-19, William Elenchin posits that journalists can play an important role in increasing the public’s resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Journalists who cover the struggles and strength of people battling the… Read More ›
Thomas Dolby’s ‘She Blinded Me with Science’ Makes a Good Match For Dr. Zhang’s Science Paper
By Richard Lee Finding songs to illustrate our weekly Media Studies Across Disciplines papers often takes me on long journeys through recordings, YouTube videos and memories I have accrued from following rock’n’roll since four guys from Great Britain captured the… Read More ›
‘A Smile So Bright’ Helps Explains Politics
By Richard Lee The search for a song to illustrate Benjamin Gross’ Identity over Information essay followed a long and winding road. And, no, the journey did not end with that Beatles’ classic. In the essay, Gross argues that emotions… Read More ›
Dave Mason’s ‘World in Changes’ Captures the Spirit of an Essay
By Richard Lee In her Media Studies Across Disciplines essay, Fundraising in the Midst of Pandemic: Important Work. Unique Challenges, Monica Mattioli explains how those in the advancement profession must adapt and change to meet the challenges created by the… Read More ›
A song and an essay deliver a similar message about sports and music
By Richard Lee In 1969, Joni Mitchell wrote a song about a musician she saw performing on a New York City street corner. Mitchell’s song, “For Free,” contrasts the life of the street musician with her career in the limelight…. Read More ›
‘Our House’ connects presidential campaigns and pandemics
By Richard Lee In Week 4’s paper and online panel discussion, Phillip G. Payne related how Warren G. Harding conducted a “front porch” campaign for the presidency in 1920. Rather than traveling around the country, Harding chose to campaign from… Read More ›
Dylan’s ‘twenty pounds of headlines’ delivers a lesson
By Richard A. Lee Before the pandemic shut down our campus radio station, I was the host of a weekly program that mixed music and current events. Since I am a journalism professor, it’s not surprising that songs about the… Read More ›
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