« April 2007 | Main | June 2007 »

May 17, 2007

My Interview with Mike Huckabee

Last week at the Iowa Bandmasters Association meeting I was able to sit down with Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee to talk about music in his life and the reasons he is focusing on music and arts education in his campaign. The complete unedited interview is part of our most recnt version of From the Trenches. Let us know what you think!

Enjoy!

Posted by musicforall at 6:10 PM | Comments (1)

May 12, 2007

Weapons of Mass Instruction

Mike Huckabee made a surprise appearance at the Iowa Bandmasters Association meeting in Des Moines on Friday and made sure there was no mistaking his position on music and arts education. Radio Iowa documented his visit:

Huckabee: musical instruments can be "weapons of mass instruction"

Friday, May 11, 2007, 1:27 PM

By O.Kay Henderson

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says musical instruments can be "weapons of mass instruction" and schools should not be allowed to cut music and art education classes.

Back in 1999, when Huckabee was governor of Arkansas, he backed a phased-in plan which ultimate has forced every public school inArkansas to offer music and art education classes, taught by a trained instructor.

According to Huckabee, it is "stupid" and "pure nonsense" for schools to cut music and art classes because they stimulate a child's creativity. "The child today who is getting an education based solely on the transfer of information from one brain to the next without stimulating the processor, the operating system, the creative part of that child's brain, is a child who is getting left behind," Huckabee says.

Read the full story and listen to the speech!

Radio Iowa: Huckabee: musical instruments can be "weapons of mass instruction"

Posted by musicforall at 5:21 PM

May 10, 2007

Musical Tastes of the Candidates

In our continued efforts to unwrap the musical and artistic sides of our presidential candidates we have been given this gift from the Associated Press.

In their musical tastes, the presidential candidates are a little bit country, a little bit opera, oldies, pop, soul and goth rock.

The Associated Press is asking the candidates a series of questions about their personal tastes, habits and backgrounds. Today's question and their answers is:

What was your last music purchase?

DEMOCRATS:

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden: ``My sister's playlist.''

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Carly Simon's ``Into White.''

Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd: Soundtrack to 'Jersey Boys.''

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards: U2.

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Likes Willie Nelson.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama: ``The latest music purchase would probably be 'Ray' - the soundtrack from the Ray Charles movie.''

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: George Strait, ``50 Number Ones.''

REPUBLICANS:

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback: Christian artist Michael W. Smith.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani: Verdi's ``Macbeth.''

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: Evanescence, the goth rock group from Little Rock, Ark.

California Rep. Duncan Hunter: Favors country and gospel.

Arizona Sen. John McCain: Likes ``Sounds Of Summer - The Very Best Of The Beach Boys.''

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: ``Selection of Roy Orbison songs from iTunes.''

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo: ``Frank Sinatra duet combo.''

We will let you know as we start to hear back from all the campaigns on their support for music and arts education!

Posted by musicforall at 7:51 AM | Comments (0)