To Be a Rolling Stone: A Partner for the Craziest 2 Hours

    How does it feel to be without a home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone? Taylor "Jay" Washington and Bella Porter took those deep, soulful lyrics by Bob Dylan and sang their hearts out. Having only one day to learn these difficult lyrics along with multiple other song lyrics, Jay and Bella did a great job considering the time crunch. Bella Porter's jazzy tones complimented Jay's deep, smooth notes. The chorus was the best part for the singers, because that was when the two singers truly connected and brought the crowd's energy up. When the two vocalists weren't singing the chorus, it felt like the two of them were trying to overpower the other's vocals. The band behind them did a great job of keeping the crowd interested and seemed excited to play the song. Where the band had a great stage presence and rocked out to the song, the vocalists lacked.

Taylor "Jay" Washington photo by Kimberly Hara

     Julie Hanse, Noah Jessup, and Emma DePuy had the very difficult challenge of taking the song that Rolling Stone named the no. 1 song of all time and creating a response. The songwriters took the angry and hurt parts of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," and made the response into a very political song. The writers did a great job of staying with the raw feelings that Bob Dylan always portrays. The songwriters had the piano accompany the guitar which created a soft, new approach to Bob Dylan's style. The trio took most of their inspiration from the words, rather than the actual sound of the song.  Considering the song the trio had to live up to, they did a worthy response.      

Songwriters: An insight into their Lives

GRAMMY Camp reaches all over the world and today two GRAMMY campers were interviewed about their experience so far. The Songwriting track is full of interesting and talented musicians who are ready to show everyone what they are able to do. Layne Putnam from South Dakota and Phillip Lucero from California were two campers who to sat down and talk to the Music Journalism track about their stay so far at GRAMMY Camp. Both of the teenagers are excited to be at camp and are ready for the days ahead of them.  


 Interview with Layne Putnam, Songwriting track

Q: What was your first day at GRAMMY Camp like?

A: We met everybody and I like everybody and the songwriters are really cool. There are a lot of them.

 

Q: are you looking forward to your first project?

A: Yeah, I think it will be fun. Last year it was to write a song in response to another song and I'm paired up with a really nice guy, Hayden [Cone].

Q: What is the song that you have to respond to?

A: I have to write a response to Katy Perry's Wide Awake

Q: What are you hoping to learn or gain from your time at GRAMMY Camp?

A: I am hoping to learn some better ways to market myself and to make sure I can get a job in the music industry.

Interview with Phillip Lucero, Songwriting track

Q: How did you find out about GRAMMY Camp?

A: I was at a jazz festival, in Anaheim, at the festival there was a GRAMMY Q and A session and someone gave a presentation and it seemed like something that I would be really interested in doing.

Q: What have you done so far at camp?

A: So far we have looked at a lot of different popular songs- current and not so current. We have also just kind of learned about the different components that make up a song and all the different nuances. Basically, the things that make these genres of music and these different songs hits.

Q: What is your favorite genre of music?

A: That is a hard one. I cannot just pick one, but my favorite genres are jazz, pop, blues, and classical.

Q:What do you hope to gain from GRAMMY Camp?

A: I hope to gain experience and I guess insight and different techniques to be in the business one day.