Fife and Drum ensembles in the United States may seem quintessentially colonial, but they actually belong to a tradition with deep roots in Black History! Shaina Rush from The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps joins Garrett to talk about DEI in the military, her experiences in one of the America's premiere ensembles, and the Black folk tradition of fife and drum that still exists today! Scott affirms the importance of equity work "from the inside" and honors a uniquely Black approach to slide guitar playing. Garrett offers a review of the 2022 Sphinx Connect conference, and the guys weigh in on the mass exodus from Spotify.

The views expressed in this opus are those of the speaker and do not reflect the views, opinions, or official policies of the United States Army, Department of Defense, or United States Government.

Playlist:

Tom Wells & Hugh Wilson - "WKRP in Cincinnati" Theme
Black Violin - "Brandenburg"
Ben Harper & Rhiannon Giddens - "Black Eyed Dog"
perf. AJ Ghent - "Going Up Yonder" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjlQEfHqpnc)
24-Carat Black - "Foodstamps"
Rising Star Fife & Drum Band Demonstration (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agyi6Xm6OOY)
Keith Gates - Flute Concertino
Carlos Simon - "Move It" (perf. Brice Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFofxmOqeEA)

More:

Downbeat (Morgan Freeman on Black History Month): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeixtYS-P3s
A Pageant Queen Reflects on Turning 30 (RIP Cheslie Kryst): https://www.allure.com/story/cheslie-kryst-miss-usa-on-turning-30?fbclid=IwAR3I-bOsPSS4Pr42MUrWbvXuW34KKNbHtltTxVhUpORJX9MUBnVB_myuLz4
Howard Hesseman, Dr. Johnny Fever on ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ Dies at 81: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/howard-hesseman-dead-wkrp-cincinnati-1235084085/
'The Violin Conspiracy' shows what it can be like to play classical music while Black: https://www.npr.org/2022/01/28/1076514270/the-violin-conspiracy-shows-what-it-can-be-like-to-play-classical-music-while-bl
Spotify’s Joe Rogan Problem Isn’t Going Away: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/technology/joe-rogan-spotify-controversy.html