Talking Up Music Education is a podcast from The NAMM Foundation about music education. Episode 38 includes an interview with Artie Kornfeld, a legendary songwriter, producer, and music promoter, and the man behind the Woodstock Festival.
“It was a protest to me, Woodstock,” said Kornfeld. “It was [about coming] together, [to] show the war babies [that] we [were] the largest generation in history, [and to] show them we can unite and have power.”
In this episode, Kornfeld reflects on making all-state in his high school honor band, meeting Fats Domino in his dining room, and wanting peace to reign at Woodstock.
Sound Bites From the Podcast
“My dad was at [a] bus station for some reason at three in the morning, and there was this big heavy-set Afro-American man sitting there, and my father brought him home. I woke up in the morning and there was Fats Domino sitting in our dining room.” - Artie Kornfeld
“Those who are making music really have to become objective about what [they’re] doing and find someone who's better than you … to see if you're even going in the right direction.” - Artie Kornfeld
“I went to work, and I saved up enough money to go buy a tape recorder, which was a box the size of this table and it was a one-track. I forgot how I worked it, but it worked.” - Artie Kornfeld
Talking Up Music Education is a podcast from The NAMM Foundation hosted by Mary Luehrsen that celebrates music learning through conversations with artists, teachers and students, music business professionals, and thought leaders who are passionate about music education.