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‘Freedom Sings,’ First Amendment Center’s musical tribute By Tom Bennett Atlanta, April 7, 2006 -- Its creator, Ken Paulson, has moved on to be editor-in-chief of USA Today. That hasn’t stopped "Freedom Sings," the innovative musical production of Nashville’s First Amendment Center. It still is going strong and will perform Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at Glenn Memorial Hall at Emory University. It is for everyone in Georgia who loves the speech clause in the First Amendment, and it is free. The performers in "Freedom Sings" are actually stalwarts of the Nashville music scene whose goal is to protect our speech, including when we are singing. The South’s blues, pop and rock ‘n’ roll singers have faced more than their share of attempts to censor them. "Freedom Sings" traces these efforts in a disturbing, appealing and exuberant way. The net result is that more people learn what is in the First Amendment, and how it is at risk every day. This production "is appearing on America’s college campuses and at professional conferences and other events," according to the press release. "It features hit songwriters and Grammy Award winners devoted to sharing the power, passion and poetry of music." Reflecting its revival in the post-Paulson era, the 2006 play dates for "Freedom Sings" put these unique defenders of free speech at campuses in Iowa, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, New York, Kentucky, New Jersey, Georgia, South Dakota and California. In 2005, they were in Kentucky, Minnesota, Florida, Virginia and North Carolina. "Freedom Sings" band members vary from show to show, but the 10 performers include Craig Krampf, the Grammy Award-winning songwriter of "Eye of the Tiger" and "Bette Davis Eyes," and Jason White, the writer of Tim McGraw’s hit, "Red Ragtop." Ken Paulson moved to the editorship of USA Today in Arlington, Va., in 2004. His successor as executive director of the First Amendment Center in Nashville, Tenn., is Gene Policinski. He is producer and narrator of "Freedom Sings." |
