Latest news with #Stax
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Follow in the steps of Elvis Presley and Taylor Swift on a road trip through Memphis and Nashville
My journey begins with a fried peanut butter-banana sandwich and 'Burning Love'. The sandwich, served beside golden sweet potato pancakes and strips of crisp bacon at The Arcade, Memphis' oldest restaurant, was Elvis Presley's favourite order here. I sit at his booth, drink multiple cups of black coffee, and soak in the sound of his voice, as smooth as butter, with that distinctive vibrato that made millions of fans go weak in the knees. I am on a music trail through the gracious American South, travelling by road from Memphis to Nashville, to discover how soul music and the blues had an impact on rock and roll, country music, and contemporary pop. Many of America's most influential musicians performed and cut albums here. If you think this is just the music your parents listen to, remember that Justin Beiber, was born in Memphis, and Taylor Swift grew up, and was discovered in Nashville. Stax Museum for American Soul, Memphis Let me start by admitting I knew very little about American Soul. Fortunately the Stax Museum, which stands on the site where the influential Stax recording studios ran is a great place to learn about the 'Memphis sound,' shaped by race, religion, and the Mississippi river. This music, a lot of which was created at Stax, went on to influence the world through the creation of the blues, soul, and rock and roll, and took Stax recording from a tiny recording studio in 1957 to a multi-million dollar organisation. Performers here included Oris Redding, The Staple Sisters, and Aretha Franklin. Raw and authentic, the vocals are emotion set to rhythm, jazz, and gospel. I walk through exhibits that include vintage recording equipment, Tina Turner's bright yellow sequinned dress and Isaac Hayes' gold-plated, peacock blue 1972 Superfly Cadillac El Dorado. As an exhibit at the museum puts it: 'Soul music is a groove. And a groove that makes you move... Soul stirs your insides and shakes your outsides.' In the evening we walk down scenic Beale Street, the neon lit 'home of the blues'. Perched on bar stools at Itta Bena, we mop up bowls of steamy cajun shrimp with fluffy sweet cornbread as a pianist and saxophonist fill the room with that signature Memphis sound. Sun Studio Johnny Cash stood here. I pause and look at a X marked into the linoleum floor, along with a group of tourists who inspect it reverentially. BB King passed through these doors. Also Ike Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and that young man who famously came in to cut a record for his mother: Elvis Presley. As we walk through the compact studio, bustling with tourists, a guide explains why this space is considered the birthplace of rock and roll. In the 50s, the founder Sam Phillips, offered recording services for professionals and amateurs, drawing an 18-year-old Elvis among other greats. Despite the vintage equipment, or perhaps because of it, this is still a working studio, and artistes come in at night to cut albums once the tourists go home. They are all seeking inspiration, and that signature Sun Sound, authentic and just a bit raw, a world away from the airbrushed images and slickly engineered music of today. (Vocal recordings for three hours start at $600) Weave carefully between the guitars and vintage piano, to grab a photo op with the historic, studio-original Shure 55-series microphone, used by all the greats. For a minute at least, you will be a part of history. Graceland, Memphis I did not expect Graceland to be so moving. The sprawling estate hosts about six lakh visitors a year, and from the looks of it, they are all ardent fans. And if my mother, an Elvis Presley loyalist, is anything to go by, they are all singing 'Hound Dog' in their heads as they explore the 17,500 square foot mansion and its lush grounds, punctuated with horses. The interactive iPad tour, led by John Stamos (who you may remember as the hunky uncle in Full House) takes you through the luxurious, quirky home, bought by Elvis in 1957, when he was just 22-years-old. He had eccentric taste, and the money to indulge all whims, so the interiors are a beguiling kaleidoscope of stained glass, joyfully bright wallpaper and sequinned cushions. I am especially fascinated by his Jungle Room, an unapologetically kitschy fever dream of green shag carpets, heavy curtains, and ornately carved furniture. Beautiful photographs of Elvis, Priscilla, and their daughter Lisa Marie Presley adorn the walls. Though the tour includes a look at his flashy cars, including a pink 1955 Cadillac, and planes, the most memorable part is the meditation garden, where visitors stand in hushed silence at the graves. Lisa's is piled with teddy bears, dolls, and flowers. Ryman Auditorium, Nashville This is considered the mother church of country music, and it feels suitably hallowed. Home to the Grand Ole Opry between 1943 and 1974, a live country-music radio broadcast, the Ryman has hosted practically all the biggest country music stars: From Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash in the past, to Luke Combs, Keith Urban, and Miley Cyrus. The imposing building was first built to be a church, and opened as the Union Gospel Tabernaclein 1892. As a nod to its past, stained glass windows in blue and red let in tinted sunlight. There are also still lovingly maintained wooden pews that fill the cavenerous room, along with a hardwood floor that contributes to its great acoustics. Along the walls, there are display windows filled with spangled vests and cowboy boots from past performers, including Don McLeans's (Mumford and Sons) gold buttoned oxford shirt, Ringo Starr's (Beatles) black T-shirt, studded with a metal star and Taylor Swift's black sequin-encrusted dress. To learn more, and see some very cool cowboy boots, head to The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, located in downtown Nashville, which features 3,50,000 square feet of archival storage and a performance space. Also check out the National Museum of African American Music,which explores the impact African American composers have had on music, from jazz to hip hop. Tour Historic RCA Studio B, Nashville You may remember 'I will Always Love You' from Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard, but Studio B is where it was first sung by Dolly Parton in 1983. This was Elvis Presley's favourite place to record, and he launched 240 songs from here. Nicknamed the 'home of a thousand hits,' the recording console used for thousands of sessions still stands at the studio: you may have heard some of them, including Jim Reeve's 'He'll have to go' and Roy Orbinson's 'Only The Lonely'. This is where the Nashville sound, which gave a pop spin to country music was born, making the city an internationally influential recording centre. There is a hushed silence as the guests 'assemble into a choir' following directions of the energetic tour guide, so we fit into the studio. As we enter the room, dominated by a 1942 Steinway piano, reportedly loved by Elvis, she dims the lights and plays one of his most memorable songs, created here: 'Are you lonesome tonight.' Broadway and The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville In the mood to party, we hit the Honky Tonk Highway: lower Broadway, which is a heaving party of screaming guitars, neon lights, and tourists in cowboy hats. Most of the bars offer live music, and we follow the sound of a violin to find ourselves in Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge, where performers in faded jeans and shiny, fringed cowboy boots sing to a packed audience. Next door a singer in an embroidered vest and leather pants belts out the Eagles' 'Take It Easy', to an audience dominated by a raucous bachelor party, which takes over the dance floor flashing six packs and waving their broad rimmed hats. Meanwhile, a 'pedal tavern' party bike flashed past, unsteady with happily drunk tourists. Bluebird Cafe, a packed listening room, has a completely different vibe. Do not be fooled by its unassuming appearance, people wait for hours to get into this space, which has hosted significant songwriters and artistes including the late Kris Kristofferson, Garth Brooks and Keith Urban. Taylor Swift first performed here when she was 14, and was later also discovered at Bluebird Cafe. The cafe is packed, but intimate. Drew Holcomb is performing with Madeline Edwards, KS Rhoads and Josiah Leming, and they settle in a circle in the centre of the room — there is no stage here. As servers take down orders for beers, nachos and cheesecake with quick efficiency, the performers start singing in turn, between chatting with the responsive audience. Singing 'songs that come out of hard places,' as Drew puts it, they laugh, they cry, they talk about love and loss. It is an unexpectedly cathartic session of group therapy. The writer was in Memphis and Nashville on the invitation of Brand USA
CBS News
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Stax keyboard legend Booker T. Jones plays classic songs at Yoshi's
Marin-based Hammond B-3 organ legend Booker T. Jones brings his current band to Yoshi's in Oakland for three shows over two nights starting Thursday. As the leader of the Memphis-based instrumental outfit Booker T. and the MGs, organist Jones helped lay the soulful foundation of popular music in the '60s by writing many of the group's chart-topping singles as well as providing backing for Stax label mates Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Eddie Floyd. Jones was still only a high-school student when he penned the indelible Hammond B-3 groove of "Green Onions," the first of a long string of hits like "Time Is Tight," "Hip Hug-Her" and "Soul Limbo" that dominated the charts during the decade. Jones and the MGs (guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn and drummer Al Jackson, Jr.) also served as the Stax touring band, playing behind the above named artists on the road including Redding's legendary performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival. Jones' extensive experience in the studio paid off in the '70s when he became a go-to session player (guesting on albums by Ray Charles, Bob Dylan and Steven Stills to name a few) and producing classic recordings like Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine and Willie Nelson's timeless Stardust album. He also recorded a number of solo albums featuring a smooth, soulful vocal delivery he only occasionally unveiled in his earlier work. During the '90s, he and MGs Cropper and Dunn provided live backing for Neil Young (on tours of the U.S. and Europe) and for the famous Bob Dylan tribute concert at Madison Square Garden in 1991. The keyboard great continues to play periodic reunions with the MGs in addition to leading his own band. In 2009, Jones released his first new solo recording in two decades when Anti- Records issued his Grammy-winning effort Potato Hole. Pairing Jones with accomplished Southern rock outfit the Drive-By Truckers (who backed vocal legend Bettye LaVette to equal acclaim on her Anti- album Scene of the Crime) and guest guitarist Young, the recording features a vital Jones once again pouring his soul out through the Hammond on a number of hard-grooving original songs as well as covers of tunes by Tom Waits, OutKast and the Truckers themselves. Two years later, Jones issued the gritty, soulful follow-up effort The Road from Memphis. Described as an autobiographical work that sketches soul music's family tree from Memphis roots to branches in Philly, Motown, New York City, LA and beyond, the album features Jones backed by stellar hip-hop/funk ensemble The Roots (the album's production was headed by Jones with The Roots' drummer ?uestlove and noted producer Rob Schnapf). It includes a rare vocal performance by the organist himself on the stirring "Down In Memphis" as well as guest singers Sharon Jones of the Dap-Kings, My Morning Jacket's Yim Yames and the late rock legend Lou Reed. His 2013 collaboration with production team of brothers Bobby Ross Avila and Issiah Avila Ring the Alarm put a decidedly more modern sheen on Jones' traditional sound while staying true to his R&B roots. The collection featured guest appearances by next generation players like Mayer Hawthorne, blues guitarist Gary Clarke, Jr. and soulful rockers Vintage Trouble as well as veterans including Sheila E. and Poncho Sanchez. In 2020, Jones published his revelatory memoir, Time Is Tight: My Life Note By Note. Taking a close look at his professional and personal life, the keyboard great remembers his early struggles balancing his music studies at Indiana University with work at Stax and starting a family and magical moments he shared onstage and in the studio with Redding, blues guitar giant Albert King and the MGs. The autobiography gives a detailed picture of the challenges and rewards of a life well lived. Jones has also released an accompanying CD, Note By Note that revisits some of the key songs of his career with newly recorded versions in addition to two brand new tunes. For these shows at Yoshi's in Oakland starting Thursday night, Jones and his current band deliver classic tracks, surprise covers and more recent music.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stax Music Academy's teen students mark 25th anniversary, Black History Month with concert
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis music studio where some of America's most recognizable songs were recorded decades ago is now a museum. But next door, trumpets blare, drums boom, and singers craft the soulful sounds of Stax Records' biggest hits. At Stax Music Academy, young musicians rehearse the unmistakable intro to 'Theme from Shaft,' the Isaac Hayes tour de force that won an Oscar in 1972 and tantalizes listeners with its pulsating bass line, crisp hi-hat and funky guitar. There's an air of professionalism among the students as their teacher hands out sheets of music and words of wisdom. 'Here we go. Read the ink that's on the paper. From the top, one, two, ready and …,' says Sam Franklin IV, the academy's music director. When they finish, Franklin says, 'Hey y'all, that was good.' Under the guidance of Franklin and other instructors, the students are practicing for three concerts in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday to celebrate Black History Month and the academy's 25th anniversary. Created in 2000, the academy is an after-school program for teens that teaches them to sing, dance and play instruments. Some pay nothing to attend. The academy has graduated more than 4,000 students since it started in the working-class neighborhood of Soulsville, where Stax Records produced soul and R&B classics in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 2008, every high school senior has been accepted to a college or university, many on full scholarships. The academy has performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Kennedy Center in Washington, and in Europe and Australia. Students take pride and joy in continuing the legacy of the influential record company, where Otis Redding cut '(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay,' Sam and Dave worked on 'Soul Man,' and The Staple Singers made 'Respect Yourself.' Other mainstays of the Stax catalog include Booker T. and the MGs, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Wilson Pickett and Johnnie Taylor. Before it went bankrupt in 1975, Stax Records helped develop the raw, emotional Memphis Sound, driven by tight horn and rhythm sections, and strong-voiced singers. Some Stax songs were energetic and raucous, others smooth and sexy. Stax Records no longer churns out chart-topping music, although it still has a program for songwriters. The building has been converted into the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The Stax Music Academy group practicing on a rainy January evening includes both Black and white players. Before the work begins, some students joke around and dance in the hallway outside the rehearsal room, which boasts a high ceiling and a whiteboard with musical notes written on it. In a separate room, vocalists clap for each other as they take turns singing for their instructors. 'It's so fun," said Tatiyana Clark, a 17-year-old singer who joined the academy in 2023. "I've been in places where we would have the same interest in music, but nothing is like the connection that I have here. Honestly, it's a different level of friendship, when you have the exact same feelings towards music, the same experiences — almost.' Stax began online Black History Month presentations in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous programs have included specific themes, with this year's being the U.S. labor movement and how it involved and affected Black people, including work training, entrepreneurship and unionization. But this year's show is a series of in-person concerts at a downtown Memphis venue where attendees will hear Sam and Dave's 'Hold On, I'm Comin'', Arthur Conley's 'Sweet Soul Music,' and 'Cause I Love You,' by the father and daughter duet of Rufus and Carla Thomas. A companion study guide includes lessons and activities highlighting key figures and events that shaped labor policies and standards. 'It's all about the message for me,' said Johnathan Cole, an 18-year-old singer and songwriter. 'It feels good because with the world going crazy right now, everybody just needs a little bit of love, happiness and music. That's what Stax Music Academy has always been about: love, music, creativity." When the labor and civil rights movements were striving for racial equality and social justice, Booker T. and the MGs churned out 'Green Onions' and other toe-tapping instrumental songs, with Black men at organ and drums — Booker T. Jones and Al Jackson Jr. — and white players on lead and bass guitar — Steve Cropper and Donald 'Duck' Dunn. 'I would describe Stax as 'change,'" said Johnathan McKinnie, a 16-year-old piano and organ player. "It drastically changed how music was formed … It was definitely an advocate for civil rights.' In the vocalists' rehearsal room, the group is perfecting Eddie Floyd's song about luck and love, 'Knock on Wood." "It's like thunder, and lightning, the way you love me is frightening … better knock, knock, knock on wood,' three vocalists sing in harmony. 'Breathe. You're not breathing,'' one instructor tells a student, who smiles and nods. The exchange exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and dedication that permeates the academy. Pasley Thompson, a 17-year-old singer and songwriter, calls the academy "an escape from the every day.' 'Being able to be in a space with people that get you on a creative level, and on a personal level, because we're around each other all the time, it's a really great feeling to have,' she said. Adrian Sainz, The Associated Press
Voice of America
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Voice of America
Stax Music Academy's teen students mark 25th anniversary, Black History Month with concert
The Memphis music studio where some of America's most recognizable songs were recorded decades ago is now a museum. But next door, trumpets blare, drums boom, and singers craft the soulful sounds of Stax Records' biggest hits. At Stax Music Academy, young musicians rehearse the unmistakable intro to 'Theme from Shaft,' the Isaac Hayes tour de force that won an Oscar in 1972 and tantalizes listeners with its pulsating bass line, crisp hi-hat and funky guitar. There's an air of professionalism among the students as their teacher hands out sheets of music and words of wisdom. 'Here we go. Read the ink that's on the paper. From the top, one, two, ready and …,' says Sam Franklin IV, the academy's music director. When they finish, Franklin says, 'Hey y'all, that was good.' Under the guidance of Franklin and other instructors, the students are practicing for three concerts in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday to celebrate Black History Month and the academy's 25th anniversary. Created in 2000, the academy is an after-school program for teens that teaches them to sing, dance and play instruments. Some pay nothing to attend. The academy has graduated more than 4,000 students since it started in the working-class neighborhood of Soulsville, where Stax Records produced soul and R&B classics in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 2008, every high school senior has been accepted to a college or university, many on full scholarships. The academy has performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Kennedy Center in Washington, and in Europe and Australia. Students take pride and joy in continuing the legacy of the influential record company, where Otis Redding cut '(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay,' Sam and Dave worked on 'Soul Man,' and The Staple Singers made 'Respect Yourself.' Other mainstays of the Stax catalog include Booker T. and the MGs, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Wilson Pickett and Johnnie Taylor. Before it went bankrupt in 1975, Stax Records helped develop the raw, emotional Memphis Sound, driven by tight horn and rhythm sections, and strong-voiced singers. Some Stax songs were energetic and raucous, others smooth and sexy. Stax Records no longer churns out chart-topping music, although it still has a program for songwriters. The building has been converted into the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The Stax Music Academy group practicing on a rainy January evening includes both Black and white players. Before the work begins, some students joke around and dance in the hallway outside the rehearsal room, which boasts a high ceiling and a whiteboard with musical notes written on it. In a separate room, vocalists clap for each other as they take turns singing for their instructors. 'It's so fun," said Tatiyana Clark, a 17-year-old singer who joined the academy in 2023. "I've been in places where we would have the same interest in music, but nothing is like the connection that I have here. Honestly, it's a different level of friendship, when you have the exact same feelings towards music, the same experiences — almost.' Stax began online Black History Month presentations in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous programs have included specific themes, with this year's being the U.S. labor movement and how it involved and affected Black people, including work training, entrepreneurship and unionization. But this year's show is a series of in-person concerts at a downtown Memphis venue where attendees will hear Sam and Dave's 'Hold On, I'm Comin'', Arthur Conley's 'Sweet Soul Music,' and 'Cause I Love You,' by the father and daughter duet of Rufus and Carla Thomas. A companion study guide includes lessons and activities highlighting key figures and events that shaped labor policies and standards. 'It's all about the message for me,' said Johnathan Cole, an 18-year-old singer and songwriter. 'It feels good because with the world going crazy right now, everybody just needs a little bit of love, happiness and music. That's what Stax Music Academy has always been about: love, music, creativity." When the labor and civil rights movements were striving for racial equality and social justice, Booker T. and the MGs churned out 'Green Onions' and other toe-tapping instrumental songs, with Black men at organ and drums — Booker T. Jones and Al Jackson Jr. — and white players on lead and bass guitar — Steve Cropper and Donald 'Duck' Dunn. 'I would describe Stax as 'change,'" said Johnathan McKinnie, a 16-year-old piano and organ player. "It drastically changed how music was formed … It was definitely an advocate for civil rights.' In the vocalists' rehearsal room, the group is perfecting Eddie Floyd's song about luck and love, 'Knock on Wood." "It's like thunder, and lightning, the way you love me is frightening … better knock, knock, knock on wood,' three vocalists sing in harmony. 'Breathe. You're not breathing,'' one instructor tells a student, who smiles and nods. The exchange exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and dedication that permeates the academy. Pasley Thompson, a 17-year-old singer and songwriter, calls the academy "an escape from the every day.' 'Being able to be in a space with people that get you on a creative level, and on a personal level, because we're around each other all the time, it's a really great feeling to have,' she said.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Stax Music Academy's teen students mark 25th anniversary, Black History Month with concert
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis music studio where some of America's most recognizable songs were recorded decades ago is now a museum. But next door, trumpets blare, drums boom, and singers craft the soulful sounds of Stax Records' biggest hits. At Stax Music Academy, young musicians rehearse the unmistakable intro to 'Theme from Shaft,' the Isaac Hayes tour de force that won an Oscar in 1972 and tantalizes listeners with its pulsating bass line, crisp hi-hat and funky guitar. There's an air of professionalism among the students as their teacher hands out sheets of music and words of wisdom. 'Here we go. Read the ink that's on the paper. From the top, one, two, ready and …,' says Sam Franklin IV, the academy's music director. When they finish, Franklin says, 'Hey y'all, that was good.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Under the guidance of Franklin and other instructors, the students are practicing for three concerts in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday to celebrate Black History Month and the academy's 25th anniversary. Created in 2000, the academy is an after-school program for teens that teaches them to sing, dance and play instruments. Some pay nothing to attend. The academy has graduated more than 4,000 students since it started in the working-class neighborhood of Soulsville, where Stax Records produced soul and R&B classics in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 2008, every high school senior has been accepted to a college or university, many on full scholarships. The academy has performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Kennedy Center in Washington, and in Europe and Australia. Students take pride and joy in continuing the legacy of the influential record company, where Otis Redding cut '(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay,' Sam and Dave worked on 'Soul Man,' and The Staple Singers made 'Respect Yourself.' Other mainstays of the Stax catalog include Booker T. and the MGs, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Wilson Pickett and Johnnie Taylor. Before it went bankrupt in 1975, Stax Records helped develop the raw, emotional Memphis Sound, driven by tight horn and rhythm sections, and strong-voiced singers. Some Stax songs were energetic and raucous, others smooth and sexy. Stax Records no longer churns out chart-topping music, although it still has a program for songwriters. The building has been converted into the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The Stax Music Academy group practicing on a rainy January evening includes both Black and white players. Before the work begins, some students joke around and dance in the hallway outside the rehearsal room, which boasts a high ceiling and a whiteboard with musical notes written on it. In a separate room, vocalists clap for each other as they take turns singing for their instructors. 'It's so fun," said Tatiyana Clark, a 17-year-old singer who joined the academy in 2023. "I've been in places where we would have the same interest in music, but nothing is like the connection that I have here. Honestly, it's a different level of friendship, when you have the exact same feelings towards music, the same experiences — almost.' Stax began online Black History Month presentations in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous programs have included specific themes, with this year's being the U.S. labor movement and how it involved and affected Black people, including work training, entrepreneurship and unionization. But this year's show is a series of in-person concerts at a downtown Memphis venue where attendees will hear Sam and Dave's 'Hold On, I'm Comin'', Arthur Conley's 'Sweet Soul Music,' and 'Cause I Love You,' by the father and daughter duet of Rufus and Carla Thomas. A companion study guide includes lessons and activities highlighting key figures and events that shaped labor policies and standards. 'It's all about the message for me,' said Johnathan Cole, an 18-year-old singer and songwriter. 'It feels good because with the world going crazy right now, everybody just needs a little bit of love, happiness and music. That's what Stax Music Academy has always been about: love, music, creativity." When the labor and civil rights movements were striving for racial equality and social justice, Booker T. and the MGs churned out 'Green Onions' and other toe-tapping instrumental songs, with Black men at organ and drums — Booker T. Jones and Al Jackson Jr. — and white players on lead and bass guitar — Steve Cropper and Donald 'Duck' Dunn. 'I would describe Stax as 'change,'" said Johnathan McKinnie, a 16-year-old piano and organ player. "It drastically changed how music was formed … It was definitely an advocate for civil rights.' In the vocalists' rehearsal room, the group is perfecting Eddie Floyd's song about luck and love, 'Knock on Wood." "It's like thunder, and lightning, the way you love me is frightening … better knock, knock, knock on wood,' three vocalists sing in harmony. 'Breathe. You're not breathing,'' one instructor tells a student, who smiles and nods. The exchange exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and dedication that permeates the academy. Pasley Thompson, a 17-year-old singer and songwriter, calls the academy "an escape from the every day.' 'Being able to be in a space with people that get you on a creative level, and on a personal level, because we're around each other all the time, it's a really great feeling to have,' she said.
