Dunstan Prial Gives Lecture at Lehman
by Sherica Nebar
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Prial visited Lehman on October 4th to discuss the process of writing his nationally-praised biography "The Producer: John Hammond and the Soul of American Music." From the soothing melodies of Lionel Hampton's xylophone, to Charlie Christian's jazzy electric guitar, attendees were submerged in Hammond's world. Hammond was responsible for discovering the legendary acts of Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and many others.
Hammond was the fifth child in a wealthy New York family. He studied music at an early age and explored music performed by black musicians in Harlem. In 1927, he saw Bessie Smith at the Alhambra Theatre and that ignited a passion that would carry him through his career at Columbia records. Hammond was also a member of the NAACP and helped break the color barrier in music. Towards the end of the 1930s, Hammond organized the "Spirituals to Swing" concerts, which brought black music into the white spotlight for the first time. After that, he invested in the first integrated nightclub.
Prial believes that Hammond was the ultimate talent scout. Nowadays, record labels can discover new talent via the Internet. According to Prial, musical talents are just a mouse-click away.
"In the day of YouTube and MySpace, there are very few people like Hammond left," Prial said.
Prial used his journalistic skills and experience to write the book. Prial, a New Jersey native, has had a 20-year career at the Associated Press and covered major events like 9/11.
Prial was always a fan of the music that Hammond produced and traveled to a variety of New York City hotspots to learn more about the music legend, including Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall. In Oklahoma City he found people who knew Hammond personally. The goal was achieved when Prial gained access to Hammond's personal papers from his estate. He interviewed several musicians that Hammond made into legends, including Bruce Springsteen.
"The best way to report [a story] is to report on the scene," Prial said.
Prial shared valuable advice for Lehman students interested in journalism. He encouraged writers to be aggressive when it comes to their career.
"Being a pest is overrated," Prial said. "In journalism, or in any other writing, you have to believe and be persistant."
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