The Critic's Corner: Music Journalism

From concert and album reviews to one-on-one interview and features, music journalists play a vital role in informing the general public about music, equipment and artists. Students will learn the importance of pre-interview research, and the basics of writing and reporting on music-related topics. Plus, get insights from a songwriter as we discuss what inspires them and how lyrics and musical composition are woven together. Recommended for grades 6+.

Richelle Putnam is an author and freelance writer from Meridian, Mississippi. She is a talk radio host for "Behind the Scenes" and "Looking Back" on Supertalk Meridian 103.3, the managing editor of The Bluegrass Standard magazine, and the author of several books on subjects including Mississippi and the Great Depression, the inspiring life of Eudora Welty, legendary locals of Meridian, and a brief history of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Richelle is also the founder of the Mississippi Writers Guild, and the coordinator of the Highway 80 Songwriters Festival. She is on the Artists Roster of the Mississippi Arts Commission.

Susan Marquez is an author and freelance writer from Madison, Mississippi. She writes for magazines, newspapers, business journals and trade publications regionally and nationally. She is a regular writer for The Bluegrass Standard magazine. Susan is the current president of the Mississippi Writers Guild and founder of the Middle Mississippi Chapter of the MWG. She is alson on the Artist Roster of the Mississippi Arts Commission.