In early December I asked you to Help NPR pick 50 Great Voices That diary apparently got noticed at NPR: yesterday I received an email from a pulbicist at NPR that referenced it. He informed me that the series would begin on Monday, and that there was a way for listeners to still participate.
I thought that, especially after last night, some here might appreciate knowing about something positive. I am sure that we will see just as much arguing over who was selected and who will not. But what the heck.
So if you think you might be interested, I invite you below the fold for more details.
What I received was clearly a press release, headlined as follows:
NPR PROFILES "50 GREAT VOICES" IN YEAR-LONG SERIES
SERIES EXPLORING ICONIC VOCALISTS BEGINS MONDAY, JANUARY 25;
CONTINUES WEEKLY ON MORNING EDITION AND ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
AUDIENCE INVITED TO GUESS EACH WEEK’S ARTIST
And if you are successful at guessing who the artist is, you can - hold it - win an NPR tote bag (and get to feel very smart).
For more information you can visit the series' home page
The email said "Thanks for your interest, and I hope at least one of your five picks makes the list." So do I. The diary to which I referred contains my 5 picks, with You Tube clips to try to illustrate.
My choices were as follows:
Yossele Rosenblatt
Solomon Burke
Edith Piaf
John McCormack
and of course the woman about whose music I had earlier written, an effort which led to my finding out about this series:
Eva Cassidy,
Looking back I truly wish I could have added at least one more - Sam Cooke. I have a recording of his appearing at the Apollo Theater which blows me away. But I had only 5 choices, and I am not unhappy with mine.
Let me offer a couple of snips from the press release:
January 19, 2010; Washington, D.C. – It would be the ultimate concert: an American punk firebrand sharing equal billing with Turkish pop’s most famous songbird, the living embodiment of the worldwide Senegalese diaspora, and an opera singer who lived a life more dramatic than her craft. NPR sets this stage, bringing together awe-inspiring vocalists from around the world and across time in the year-long exploration "50 Great Voices." The multimedia series is an intentional mix of familiar names and surprising discoveries, developed with audience and expert opinion – spotlighting iconic artists that have left indelible impressions on music history. The profiles begin Monday, January 25, on All Things Considered and continue every Monday, alternating between the NPR newsmagazines Morning Edition and All Things Considered. NPR hosts, correspondents and reporters will all contribute pieces. The entire series will also be available at NPR.org: www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122287224
A new artist in "50 Great Voices" will be unveiled every Monday on Morning Edition or All Things Considered. On Tuesday, audio clips will be posted of the next artist in the series; before the big reveal, audiences are encouraged to guess who is next in the lineup and submit their entries to greatvoices@npr.org. Every week, one person who guesses correctly will be chosen at random to receive a NPR Music tote bag.
Go ahead, listen and see if you can guess who is the first selectee.
I look forward to following as much of the series as i can, if not in real time, online. While I know a lot about many different kinds of music and artists, i expect to learn more. As a teacher (albeit of government) I am always looking to keep learning: that is something I try to model for my students.
Hope you enjoy the opportunity as well.
Peace.