Daniel Johnston recorded songs in his parents' basement in rural West Virginia that would eventually inspire artists such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Wilco, and Sonic Youth. In this award-winning episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores the life, art, and enduring legacy of the late singer-songwriter and visual artist whose creative genius and struggles with bipolar disorder made him one of America's most influential outsider artists.
Us & Them: Bridging Divides After A Brutal Election
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In the aftermath of Election Day 2024, Us & Them host Trey Kay reflects on the increasingly divided American landscape and how the tone of political campaigns has changed since 2016.
In this special episode, he recounts the heightened polarization marked by unprecedented events like two assassination attempts and a last-minute nominee switch. Kay considers the “us versus them” rhetoric that defined Donald Trump’s campaign and what his victory could mean for American unity.
Us & Them host Trey Kay speaks at an event on the campus of Marshall University to hear from Generation Z voters in the leadup to the 2024 election.
Drawing on past experiences, Kay considers how Us & Them’s aim of bridging divides by fostering empathy and understanding might continue during a second Trump administration.
This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council, and the CRC Foundation.Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.
“There’ve been three presidential elections since Us & Them first launched and Donald Trump has been a candidate in every one. With each cycle, the sense of division in our country only seems to deepen. Each time I reflect on this, I recall the words of my producing partner after Trump’s first election. He said, “I think our stock just rose.” And in a way it’s true. Again, this year, with a narrow margin of victory in races across the country, we need to find a new way to help the part of the nation who feel they’ve lost. Maybe part of that is to encourage those who have won to listen with empathy.”
— Trey Kay, Us & Them host
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Daniel Johnston recorded songs in his parents' basement in rural West Virginia that would eventually inspire artists such as Kurt Cobain, Beck, Wilco, and Sonic Youth. In this award-winning episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores the life, art, and enduring legacy of the late singer-songwriter and visual artist whose creative genius and struggles with bipolar disorder made him one of America's most influential outsider artists.
The late singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston grew up in West Virginia and came onto the indie music scene in the 1980s. Last year, Johnston was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame and he’s featured in the next episode of Us & Them. In this award-winning show, host Trey Kay learns about Johnston’s legacy which was partly shaped by his challenges with mental illness.
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