Sounds Good

Michael Veach is the Associate Curator of Special Collections at The Filson Historical Society in Louisville. He's also the only professional bourbon historian in the country and has recently written a book titled Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage. In the book, Veach reveals the true story of how bourbon became a unique product in Kentucky heritage. Kate Lochte spoke with Veach for Sounds Good. Click here to purchase the book on Amazon.

MCLIB's next Evenings Upstairs program on March 21 at 7 pm is titled "Explore Kentucky's Diverse Fiddling Traditions." John Harrod has been performing over forty years as he brings old music to new generations. Because of its location between major routes of western migration, Western Kentucky became a melting pot of culture in the 18th and 19th centuries. Harrod explores the region's musical roots and gives a preview on Sounds Good.

Thursday at 9:30 a.m. The Carson Center in Paducah presents the Paducah Symphony Orchestra in performance for the second time in its Class Acts Education Series. 3rd through 6th graders are going to hear a concert featuring the music of Bizet, Beethoven, Copland, and many more. PSO Artistic Director and Conductor Raffaele Ponti tells us more about the show and the instrument "petting zoo" feature. Click here for more information.

Jazmyne Lilly, Senior from Lone Oak High School, competes in the state Poetry Out Loud Championship in Frankfort Tuesday, March 12.  She is one of three seniors from our region among seventeen finalists for the opportunity to represent the Commonwealth in national competition.  She previews her recitation of a Carl Sandburg poem for us.

Kate Lochte continues our series of interviews with young people of western Kentucky who are finding success in major markets. This time we meet professional wrestler Leva Bates, former Madisonville resident, Madisonville high school graduate, and Murray State University graduate. She made her professional debut in 2006, and has since won the CCW Women's Championship, SCW Women's Championship, and USCW Women's Championships. In 2012, Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked her among the 50 best female singles wrestlers. Initially, Leva attended FXE Wrestling School to become a manager, but was informed by her teachers that she wasn't a manager, she was a wrestler.

On Sounds Good, we welcomed Yasamin Ausenbaugh,Director of Christian County Cares 2015. She outlined the events of the International Festival in Hopkinsville at the JEB Convention Center, March 15 & 16. featuring international foods, a global village, international performers from Indian to American, performing Tribal Belly Dance to the Nyama Drum Ensemble. The performers come from the Global Education Center in Nashville. Click here for more information about the festival.

Lin Oliver is the author of the Who Shrunk Daniel Funk series, and the co-author, with Henry Winkler, of the bestselling Hank Zipzer series. She is a writer and producer of movies, books, and television series for children and families. The co-founder and executive director of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and sons. On Sounds Good, we learned more about the event in Madisonville with Lin and fellow writer Theo Baker. Visit her at linoliver.com.

In the second interview of the WKMS Parenthood Project, WKMS Membership Coordinator Jenni Todd interviews Dr. Sharon Gill of Murray State's Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, about the importance of reading to your child.

Accompanying links:

Joe Baust, Murray State professor emeritus, education, hosts Peter Yarrow of the famed folk group Peter, Paul and Mary for a 2 hour free concert in Wrather Hall on April 10 at 6:30 p.m. Yarrow travels spreading the word about his non-profit, Operation Respect, which works to assure each child and youth a respectful, safe and compassionate climate of learning where their academic, social and emotional development can occur free of bullying, ridicule and violence. Joe spoke to Kate Lochte about the upcoming event, during Sounds Good.