Widespread Panic musician to lecture at Vanderbilt University, John “Jojo” Hermann will speak to History of Rock class

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt University students will learn about the evolution of the piano in rock music when one of the leading musicians in the field delivers a guest lecture on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

John “Jojo” Hermann, keyboardist with the group Widespread Panic, will speak to Vanderbilt‘s History of Rock class at 11 a.m. in Sarratt Cinema on the Vanderbilt campus.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

“Jojo is a smart and kind-hearted musician who will give us a presentation of the way three blues and New Orleans-style piano players — Otis Spann, Professor Longhair and Charles Brown — inspired what he does with Widespread Panic,” said History of Rock instructor Jen Gunderman, formerly keyboardist with The Jayhawks.

“I‘m thrilled at the prospect of Jojo coming to my class.”

Widespread Panic is a leader in the jam band rock scene, a movement inspired by the Grateful Dead and dedicated to frequent touring, live improvisation and always-changing set lists. The band is at the end of a year-long hiatus and will return to performing shortly after Hermann‘s appearance at Vanderbilt.

History of Rock is part of an expanding roster of courses being offered by Vanderbilt‘s Blair School of Music to classical music majors and students across campus. Classes on the blues, musical theatre and country music were added in the past year to periodic offerings that include African music, the music business, computer music and film soundtracks.

“Music is a huge, broadly inclusive discipline that includes classical and also popular folk music,” said Mark Wait, dean of the Blair School of Music. “As a true music school, we want to be looking at all of it.”

Media contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
Jim.patteson@vanderbilt.edu

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