12:00: Bluegrass Ambassadors: How one band is bridging cultural divides through music
1:00: 'Connections Summer Sessions:' An economist reviews his biases
"Diplomacy isn't just for diplomats." That's according to the bluegrass band, the Henhouse Prowlers. The band has traveled to more than two dozen nations through its non-profit arm, the Bluegrass Ambassadors. The goal is to use the common language of music to promote cross-cultural collaborations, breakdown misconceptions and misunderstandings, and create a more empathetic world. As the band passes through Rochester, they join us on "Connections" to discuss the impact of their work and to play some music. In studio:
- Ben Wright, banjo and vocals for the Henhouse Prowlers
- Jon Goldfine, upright bass and vocals for the Henhouse Prowlers
- Jake Howard, mandolin and vocals for the Henhouse Prowlers
- Chris Dollar, guitar and vocals for the Henhouse Prowlers
Then in our second hour, "Connections Summer Sessions" continues. This week's special rebroadcasts explore the state of the economy. The first year of the new Trump administration has been a chance to test a slew of economists’ conventional wisdom — on tariffs, on markets, on trade alliances. Kent Gardner has been an economist for decades, and we wanted to know: has anything in the past year surprised you? Has anything caused you to reconsider a long-held belief? Vice President Vance says economists are out-of-touch eggheads. We examine that claim, too, during this special rebroadcast. Our guest:
- Kent Gardner, former chief economist at the Center for Governmental Research
"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
