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Win Mcnamee / Getty Images
Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Shmekia Copeland and Keb Mo perform Tuesday during an event welcoming 120 middle and high school students from across the country taking part in an interactive workshop called, "At the Crossroads: A History of the Blues in America" at the White House.
First lady Michelle Obama told a group of young musicians Tuesday not to give up on their dreams, telling them the story of another young person who had to overcome obstacles before he found success.
“The president didn't start out at the top either,” Obama told the students, kicking off a blues music workshop in the White House’s State Dining Room as part of the Obamas’ celebration of the musical tradition, culminating Tuesday night with a concert featuring some of blues’ biggest names like B.B. King, Mick Jagger and Jeff Beck.
“It was later in life that he got a little focus, right?” she asked the crowd of mostly high school-age teens in the State Dining Room. “So even if you mess up a little bit, you can get right on track.”
Michael Reynolds / EPA
First lady Michelle Obama talks at a student workshop, 'At the Crossroads - A History of the Blues in America', Tuesday in the State Dining Room of the White House.
And after he got on track, he ended up at the White House, she continued, just like the kids in the room.
“That's why it is so important for me to open up these doors, to have you guys come from all over the country to sit in the same chairs that kings and queens and ambassadors and senators have sat in,” she said. “I want you all to believe that anything is possible for you all.”
In addition to the first lady’s words of encouragement, the young musicians got a quick history of the blues from Bob Santelli, the executive director of the Grammy Museum who has helped direct the White House’s “In Performance” series commemorating American music.
He guided the students through the blues’ inception in African-American folk music, to its big-city migration as rural African-Americans found work in places like Chicago, Detroit, and Newark during World War II, to its discovery by some “kids on the other side of the Atlantic” like Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, who eventually brought it back stateside.
Santelli said that the blues belongs to all Americans, regardless of one’s background.
Related: Obama belts out the blues with B.B. King, Jagger and Buddy Guy
“This is our music form,” he said. “Whether you're white or black or Native American, it's all part of the American music spirit.”
The students also heard from three blues musicians who offered advice before putting on a mini-performance themselves.
Troy Andrews, better known as the New Orleans brass player Trombone Shorty, urged the young musicians to become versatile in the styles of music they play, because one never knows where one’s next gig might come from.
“You never know who's going to call you,” said Andrews, who honed his craft in the “second-line” parades of New Orleans. “As soon as I graduated high school, I got a call to join Lenny Kravitz's band. But because I was educating myself and learning different things, I was able to approach that music authentically because I knew a little something about it.”
Singer/guitarist Keb Mo, who Obama noted grew up as “little Kevin Moore” in south-central Los Angeles - performed his song “Government Cheese,” a parody ode to the standard welfare fare.
He then accompanied singer Shemekia Copeland, the daughter of blues guitar great Johnny Clyde Copeland, as she crooned “My Turn, Baby,” a song about turning the tables on a man who’s done her wrong.
Finally, Trombone Shorty - who gave up Mardi Gras in his native New Orleans - got the students on their feet with a rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” with the brassy instrument, so frequently stuck in the backup section, front and center carrying the tune.
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See kids, if you promise to give people money, and make white people feel better about themselves, you can be president one day too!
Moose,,,, We can see which end of the Moose you came out of
Really? This was an educational event? You have got to be kidding me. What a waste of time and taxpayer money.
Apparently inspiring young kids to be who they want to be is a waste of resources, huh Karen??? Why don't we just screw public schooling and let kids get home-schooled???
And if you want a REAL waste of time and taxpayer money, here's only a few: Medicare Part D, Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, Bush tax cuts, trickle-down economics. Ring a bell????
Ah, Moose. Saying that shows how bigoted you are.
OBAMA BIDEN 2012
That was a really misleading headline. The message was good but to tell kids that the Blues had to trecked across the pond before it re-emerged to a broader American audience (white People) is a miss for accuracy. Elvis was inspired and famous for his Gospel and Blues style and influence long before Jagger wa on the US Radar..
Here's a thought- If the spread of American culture is an educational priority, why not create a recorded program that school districts can download and let children outside of the White House get to experience? It's a great treat to go to the White House for a lesson, but how many kids get to do that? 20?
That being said, it would be important to get a proper analysis of culture, not a politically, revisionist version. I'm not saying that this one was, I'm just saying that the "history" I'm hearing our kids being taught isn't too close to the history that we were taught as kids.
I thought this was a story about them having to pay for all the mistakes of everyone that voted before them for the next sixty years.
Now that's the blues.
Cool. Somebody is actually telling young people that it's OK to be different, to overcome hardship, to do something that will make you feel worthwhile, to sing the blues.
I think so too: Great that the White House is used for such an event! “I want you all to believe that anything is possible for you all.” Yes!
what a waste! who fing cares! nice to see my tax money going for the good of the people. the US highway in front of my house still stinks. Who knows, maybe the paid for it themseleves.
If you want that highway in front of your house repaired, maybe you should ask your rep in Congree to vote for the jobs bill that the Republicans called "welfare".
maybe you should talk with your senators in reference to your highways,OH! the highways(new/old) looks good in my state. HUH! maybe your senators are republicans/tea-baggers you are awared that they do not believe in giving money or putting Americans back to work by working on the highway problems in this Country that our President put into a job bill. As far as the music lesson in the White House was a great idea because in this Country education for the children are not a very important subjest and this are why our children finish school dumber than a box of rocks. Oh! you saying that not true,well stop and check out your kid, see if he or she can fill out a job apllication or read on a high school level???? Good job Mr. President Obama and Ms Obama.
Wow apparently most of the commenters believe art is a waste of time and money. Music is an integral part of our culture and I applaud the president for celebrating it.
Anyone know how many entertainers have performed for the President since he's been in office, and how that compares to other Presidents?
First off, I'm white. I think this is a great idea to expose as many kids as possible to the blues. The music is true American. It's all about the struggles of everyday life and the fun of everyday life. You won't ever listen to music as emotional as this. Robert Johnson's voice, Stevie Ray Vaughan bending notes, Etta James singing, it will make you say "Whitney who?".
My only complaint is now blues festivals will become really popular and much more crowded.
Wonder how much this cost the few of us left with jobs...
She forgot to tell them the day she was finally proud to be an American.
Hey, all of you, lighten up. The kids got some exposure. Don't play as if the media doesn't provide them opinions and conjecture - as do parents. Let it be that they were at a National Institution hearing some words of advice and consideration for their future lives. You all will hopefully be dead by the time they vote or becomepolitically involved anyway. So for now, can we leave the politics out of it and let the children just have a good learning experience.
As a "die-hard and lifelong student of Blues music", it needs to be "pointed out" that it was the British Rockers of the early 1960's that deserve MOST of the credit for bringing Blues to the attention of America.
"Race music" as it was originally known well in to the 1950's, was intentionally censored and ignored by American recording companies, with the exception of Leonard Chess at Chess Records, and American Radio stations well in to the 1970's, with the exception of when it was (often stolen) covered, recorded and popularized by White artists like Elvis in the 50's and then Eric Clapton's with the Yardbirds, John Mayall and then Cream, as well as the Rolling Stones, and many others. The music of Jimi Hendrix and other "American groups" like the Doors, the Grateful Dead and many others were based in the Blues in the late 60's.
Beginning with the "Band's Last Waltz film" and more recently with "Lightning in a Bottle", Martin Scorcese put Blues on "the Big Screen" and has played a major role in heightening Americans awareness of the dramatic foundational influence "Blues" continues to have on ALL American musical genres from Jazz, Country and good old Rock n Roll to Rhythm & Blues and Hip Hop.
The "idea" that "the White House" or Moochelle needs to find "some lame excuse" for getting her name, her face and massive butt in the news "on the premise of educating school kids is a pathetic joke".
Considering the "dollars BURNED" for this little "publicity stunt" for Moo-Moo, the "Blues Education concept" could have easily been promoted on a "national scale" and even turned in to part of the curriculum by the useless, ineffective and totally unnecessary Department of Education.
Of course, that could leave "Moo-Moo OUT of the picture?"
Ooops? And waste the opportunity for a photo op? Hmm... no, obviously that was not going to happen.
Remember, the "primary objective" is to KEEP Moo Moo's "image" in the news, helping her (in any way possible) to "at least APPEAR" concerned? Helpful and "sincerely trying" to make a difference ? Yeah, right?
Having Moo Moo "even suggest teaching anyone" about the Blues... is no different than her massive, big butt, french fry gobbling self "preaching about how to eat better?"
Pa-leeeeeeeeeeze?
All we want to hear is Obama singing the blues in November. That could be a really cool way to end his concession speech. Hopefully the last speech we will have to endure from the "community organizer"
They won't get lessons in math, science, economics or balancing a budget,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,maybe basketball and rap are all the guy knows how to do?
Speedy you are a little slow on your information. Yes British rock may have brought it back but New Orleans started the Blues way back in the 1800's.. Research and you will find the truth. They have already taken music class out of the curriculum so lets not beat up on the extra curriculum