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Connections

Can music help teens and young adults struggling with mental health challenges?

Sara Passamonte, Kim Best, and Greg Best on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Thursday, March 23, 2023
Julie Williams
/
WXXI News
Sara Passamonte, Kim Best, and Greg Best on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Thursday, March 23, 2023

Five years ago, two suicides rocked the world of popular music. First, Chris Cornell died. He was the lead singer of Soundgarden. Two months later, his friend Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park, also died. Their deaths added urgency to conversations about mental health, particularly among teenagers and young adults.

This weekend, a kind of tribute event will focus on music and suicide prevention. So why are young people self-reporting such poor mental health? How much can music help? Our guests:

Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.