Jonathan Blalock

Jonathan Blalock? “PRESENT!” As a student with perfect attendance, I became quite familiar with this ritual. In kindergarten I remember being pretty confused during the roll call. I had no idea why I had to exclaim this particular word whenever the teacher called my name every morning, because I thought that “present” only meant a gift. Gradually my vocabulary expanded, and I learned that I was wrong. Or was I? The most common definitions of present on dictionary.com are,

Maya Angelou is a national treasure; she’s one of the most brilliant, talented, prolific and successful authors in recent history. I first fell in love with this woman when I heard her delightful and profound interview with Diane Rehm a few years ago. I immediately purchased and read a copy of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and I have been a devoted fan of Ms. Angelou ever since. As someone currently pursuing a life in music, I’m particularly compelled to draw lessons from