KENTUCKY TO THE WORLD PRESENTS A UNIQUE EVENT FEATURING A DYNAMIC COMBINATION OF MUSICAL, AND CONSERVES AS PART OF THE REPUBLIC BANK FOUNDATION SPEAKER SERIES.

THIS CONVERSATION WILL EXAMINE THE ROLE OF MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME AS THE SONG THAT REPRESENTS OUR STATE AND THUS OURSELVES FROM ITS PROBLEMATIC ROOTS TO ITS MODERN DISCONNECT.

BY COMBINING THEIR MUSICAL INTERACTIONS WITH ON STAGE PERFORMANCES AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION, THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS REWRITING KENTUCKY'S SONG TO THE WORLD.

>> WHAT IS GOING ON EVERYONE?

HOW IS EVERYONE DOING TODAY?

GOOD?

ARE WE DOING GOOD?

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

WHO IS EXCITED TO BE HERE?

[ APPLAUSE ] YEAH!

ALL RIGHT.

SO ON BEHALF OF KENTUCKY TO THE WORLD, WELCOME TO STATE OF SONG WITH OUR SPECIAL GUEST EMILY BINGHAM, HANNAH DRAKE, HARRY PICKENS AND BEN SOLLEE.

YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM AND INTERACTING WITH THESE FOUR AMAZING TALENTS IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS.

MY NAME IS MUMINA DARUR.

LIKE MANY OTHER UP AND COMING ADULTS I'M IN THE POSITION OF BEING THE STUDENT.

IN BEING THE STUDENT, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS.

ASIDE FROM THE LAST MINUTE CRAMMING AND QUESTIONING OUR SANITY, WE PLACE A ON THE OF OUR HOPE AND TRUST IN THE FUT-- IN THE PEOPLE WHO TEACH US.

THAT INCLUDES INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOURSELVES WHO CHOOSE TO LISTEN AND PEOPLE LIKE THE ONES HERE TODAY TO CHOOSE TO SPEAK.

I HOPE TO LEARN A LOT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE.

AND HOPEFULLY GAIN SOME PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT KENTUCKIANS THINK OF REPRESENTATION, EQUALITY AND THE FUTURE OF KENTUCKY.

SO, WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO ALL MY LEARNERS IN THE BUILDING.

LIKE YOU, I HAVE HAD TO CONSTANTLY NAVIGATE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THE FUTURE.

WE ARE ALWAYS TOLD THAT THE NEXT GENERATION IS WHO WILL MAKE THE DECISIONS.

BUT TO WHOSE STANDARDS AND TO WHOSE CONCERNS?

IS IT THE CONTENT OF KENTUCKY OR THE FACE?

ARE IDENTITIES BOTH PRICELESS AND UNIQUE WHAT WILL SHAPE OUR FUTURES AND UP TO US TO DECIDE IF THEY'RE BEING REPRESENTED PROPERLY.

WE ARE HERE TO ASK SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HELP SET THE STAGE FOR THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE IT ABOUT OUR 100-YEAR-OLD STATE SONG.

THAT'S PRETTY BIG.

SO WE ARE HERE TO ASK, IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE FOR ALL OF US TO SING ONE SONG?

WHO DOES OUR STATE SONG REPRESENT AND WHY?

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE LIKE ME AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU CARE?

AND HOW WILL THIS IMPACT AND SHAPE THE NEW KENTUCKY THAT WE HAVE IN MIND?

TODAY, OUR SPECIAL GUEST Ms. BINGHAM, Ms.

BREAK, Mr. PICKENS AND Mr. SOLLEE WILL GUIDE US IN HAVING THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

OUR EVENT TODAY INVOLVES KENTUCKIANS ALL OVER.

SO PLEASE, PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT CULTURES, AGES AND TRAUMAS, BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF THESE IDENTITIES THAT YOU SHARE 24 SPACE WITH.

IT IS DESIGNED FOR TO YOU PARTICIPATE-- ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR THAT?

WE HOPE SO.

LET'S GET THIS CONVERSATION STARTED WITH A CALL IN RESPONSE SONG AS THE LOUISVILLE LEOPARDS IN COLLABORATION WITH LLC INVITE US TO GATHER AND CELEBRATE.

[ APPLAUSE ] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ *FUNGA ALAFIA,&FUNGA *FUNGA&ALAFIA,&FUNGA FUNGA&ALAFIA,&ASHE,&ASHE FUNGA&ALAFIA,&ASHE,&ASHE FUNGA&ALAFIA,&ASHE,&ASHE ASHE,&ASHE ASHE,&ASHE (DRUMS) [ APPLAUSE ] [ CHEERING ] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (INSTRUMENTAL).

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME INSTRUMENTAL VERSION) >> YEAH, HARRY.

>> WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS SONG.

[LAUGHTER] >> WELL, YEAH, I MEAN WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT FEELS A LITTLE-- DOESN'T FEEL QUITE RIGHT.

>> IT'S SO INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS SONG IS RIFE WITH PARADOX, YOU KNOW?

AND ON THE ONE HAND, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL MELODY.

>> IT IS.

>> IN FACT, I MEAN STEPHEN FOSTER, CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST COMPOSERS OF HIS TIME, REALLY PRECEDED AND WAS ONE OF THE CENTRAL INFLUENCERS OF WHAT WOULD BECOME AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATER.

>> CERTAINLY.

IT'S EVERYWHERE.

>> HE WAS COMPARED TO THE GERMAN COMPOSER SHUBERT IN THIS INCREDIBLE GIFT FOR MELODY.

IN FACT, EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS SOUND...

THIS IS THE SCALE, RIGHT?

AND THERE ARE EIGHT NOTES.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

WOULD YOU SING THAT WITH ME?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ♪ >> MARVELOUS.

LET'S TAKE THE FIRST FIVE NOTES.

1, THE, 3, 4, 5.

>> 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ♪ >> SO THAT BASIC SOUND, MAJOR TRY TRIAD MAJOR SCALE IS BAKED INTO OUR CULTURE.

IT'S PART OF OUR BODY, OUR SOUL, OUR BRAIN.

WHAT FOSTER DID WAS TAKE THAT BASIC SOUND... (PLAYING THE FIRST PART OF MY MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME) AND CREATED THIS LOVELY MELODIC ARC THAT AUTOMATICALLY, LYRICS ASIDE, HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR BODY AND BEING.

LIKE MUSIC CONNECTS US IN THESE DEEPER KIND OF ALMOST UNCONSCIOUS WAYS.

SO THE PARADOX OF THIS BEAUTIFUL ARTISTIC, PERFECTLY STRUCTURED MELODY, THEN THERE IS THE OTHER PART.

>> YEAH, PUT WORDS TO IT.

>> IT'S PARADOXICAL BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT A MELODY, A REALLY LOVELY MELODY, LIKE IF I DID 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1 SING THAT, PLEASE.

WHEN YOU SING THAT,HOW DO YOU FEEL?

KIND OF COMFORTING AND HAPPY AND WHATEVER.

AND THEN IF I SAID BEN YOU ARE A DOOTY HEAD, YOU BIG DOPE ♪ WHATEVER.

>> I FEEL LIKE I'M LOST IN A PARADOX RIGHT NOW.

THE MELODY FELT SO GOOD BUT THE WORDS FELT SO BAD.

>> YEAH, AND THAT'S SORT OF WHERE WE ARE.

>> I SUPPOSE SO.

YOU KNOW, I'VE CERTAINLY FELT THAT SINGING IT SOMETIMES WHERE I'M SINGING IT TO A BIG CROWD OF FOLKS OR, SHOOT, EVEN OUT ON A HORSE TRACK AND I'M LIKE, HMM, THIS FEELS, SOMETHING FEELS OFF.

>> YEAH, AND IMAGINE IF YOU WERE LIVING IN THIS BODY, WITH THIS SKIN, YOU KNOW?

>> TRUE.

>> AND KNOWING THE HISTORY CONNECTED TO THAT, AND WHAT WAS STANDARD PRACTICE 150, A COUPLE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, WHICH WE'LL LEARN MORE B.

ISN'T IT INTERESTING HOW, BECAUSE MUSIC TOUCHES US ON A LEVEL OF OUR EMOTIONAL BRAIN, OUR LYMPHIC SYSTEM, THIS UNCONSCIOUS COMMUNICATION.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY YOU TALK TO A TODDLER, YOU KNOW, HELLO, DARLING, OR THE WAY YOU TALK TO YOUR DOG OR YOUR CAT, OR MY MOM HAD DEMENTIA AND THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF HER LIFE, SHE DIDN'T REALLY RECOGNIZE A LOT, BUT I COULD TALK TO HER EMOTIONAL BRAIN IN THIS REALLY LOVING KIND OF WAY.

THAT'S WHAT MUSIC DOES.

THE ARC OF THE MELODY AUTOMATICALLY BYPASSES ALL OF YOUR INTELLECT TO CONNECT WITH THIS SENSE OF, AAH, I FEEL AT HOME.

>> BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PROCESSED DIRECTLY BY YOUR BRAIN.

IT CAN GO DIRECTLY INTO YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM.

>> IT'S NOT PROCESSED BY YOUR CORTEX.

IT'S PROCESSED BY THE EMOTIONAL BRAIN THAT YOU FEEL IN YOUR HEART.

>> IT'S SPECIAL BECAUSE IT CAN TRANSCEND DIFFERENT MUSICAL STYLES.

THE INTEGRITY OF THE MELODY... >> RIGHT, WE CAN DO... (UPBEAT MUSIC) OR YOU CAN DO A VARIATION.

(SLOWER JAZZ) OR YOU CAN REHARMONIZE IT.

THERE ARE A MILLION THINGS YOU CAN DO.

>> OR YOU CAN PLAY A DARK SPOOKY HALLOWEEN VERSION OF IT.

>> YEAH, I MEAN...

I THINK EARLIER YOU HAD LIKE ALMOST A HONKY TONK VERSION OF IT.

>> WE CAN DO... (HONKY TONK).

>> AT THE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, I DO A VERSION GUITAR VERSION OF MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME WITH THE JIMI HENDRIX GUITAR BECAUSE THE MELODY AND THE STRUCTURE IS SO SOUND.

LIKE AS A JAZZ MUSICIAN, YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A SOLID STRUCTURE TO IMPROVISE ON.

>> YES.

>> AND IT PROVIDES THAT.

>> AND YOU KNOW, I FIND THAT AS I TRAVEL AROUND AS A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, WHETHER I'M JUST RECENTLY I WAS IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA AND PEOPLE WERE ASKING ME TO PLAY THIS SONG.

AND PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME TO PLAY THIS SONG IN INDIA.

IT HAS BECOME A BANNER TO WAVE AS A KENTUCKY TROUBADOUR AROUND THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY CONNECT TO THE TRADITION AND MEMORIES OF HAVING THIS SONG.

>> HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN THEY ASK YOU THAT?

>> LATELY I HAVE JUST BEEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD.

I TRY TO SPEAK FROM MY HEART AND SAY I'VE RETIRED THIS SONG.

I'M NOT GOING PLAY BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REPRESENT THE KENTUCKY THAT I KNOW AND LOVE AND IT DOESN'T REPRESENT, YOU KNOW, THE KENTUCKY THAT I WANT TO SEE BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO-- THE TRICK IS, AS YOU HAVE LAID OUT, HARRY, IS THAT WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL MELODY, THIS LONG HISTORY WITH THIS SONG THAT PEOPLE ASSOCIATE WITH THAT MELODY.

IT'S HACKING OUR BODIES, IT'S HACKING OUR BRAINS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF GRIEF WITH THAT.

THEY'RE LIKE OH, BUT I LOVED THAT.

>> IT'S SUCH A DIFFICULTY AND I THINK WE ARE IN THIS TIME AND CULTURE WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT, OKAY, THE ARTIST AND THE ART AND ARE THEY CONGRUENT AND HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE ART?

DO WE LAUGH AT BILL COSBY ANYMORE OR THE MUSIC OF EVALUATE VAU DIS BNER.

HE WAS AN ANTI-SEMITE BUT HE WROTE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE PARADOX.

>> OR R KELLY.

DO YOU ENJOY R KELLY'S MUSIC KNOWING WHO HE IS?

YOU KNOW.

>> THIS IS THE QUESTION THAT I FIND MYSELF ASKING WHEN I SIT DOWN AND PEOPLE WANT ME TO PLAY THIS SONG EVEN THOUGH I'VE GROWN UP AND IT'S BEEN IN THE ETHOS OF GROWING UP.

I WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE THAT TONIGHT.

>> I REMEMBER ONE TIME I WAS DOING A GIG WITH FRANK X WALKER APPALACHIAN POET.

CHECK HIM OUT.

AND I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO PLAY MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME IN A WAY THAT REPRESENTED THE WAY I FELT IT AT THE TIME.

IT WAS LIKE... (HAUNTINGLY) >> I MADE IT ABSTRACT LIKE THAT.

IT WAS A WAY OF SPEAKING TO THE CONTRADICTIONS.

>> THE DISSONANCE.

BECAUSE THERE IS THE RESONANCE THAT PEOPLE HAVE WITH THE SONG AND THEN THERE IS THE DISSONANCE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE WITH THE SONG.

>> AND, AGAIN, IT'S THIS PARADOX BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, IF I ONLY THINK ABOUT THE MUSICAL ARTISTRY OF IT, RIGHT?

THIS... ♪ ♪ >> LIKE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PHRASES OF A POPULAR SONG EVER IN THAT BRIDGE.

BUT THEN THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH...

IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT WE ASSOCIATE WITH THE SOUND AND CAN WE SEPARATE THE ASSOCIATIONS FROM THE REALITY.

AND IS IT ETHICAL TO SEPARATE THE ASSOCIATIONS?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AND I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION BUT I THINK WE MAY HAVE SOME OTHER FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO.

>> WHO DO YOU THINK... >> I THIS I WE CAN USE SOMEONE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WORDS.

A WORDSMITH.

SO IT WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO INVITE AUTHOR POET HANNAH DRAKE OUT ON STAGE.

>> COME ON DOWN, HANNAH.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND I THINK WE COULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM AN HISTORIAN'S PERSPECTIVE.

>> TO ARE SURE.

>> LET'S INVITE EMILY BINGHAM.

>> LET'S DO IT.

[ APPLAUSE ] WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU ALL.

>> WOW.

THAT WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR YOU GUYS BREAK IT DOWN.

>> BECAUSE IT IS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, BUT BESIDE JUST THE MUSIC AND THEN OF COURSE THERE ARE THE WORDS.

THERE IS ALSO JUST GOSH, THE CONTEXT, RIGHT?

LIKE WE DON'T LIVE IN A BUBBLE.

WE LIVE IN A STATE WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, SHAPES AND COLORS.

AND I THINK YOUR BOOK THAT YOU PUT OUT ABOUT MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, IS A REVELATION FOR ME.

I JUST DIDN'T KNOW AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS INFLUENCED ME TO JUST REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING WHEN I'M PLAYING THIS SONG.

>> IT'S MADE ME REEVALUATE THE ROLE OF BEAUTY AND ESTHETICS.

>> I HEAR THAT.

>> BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE AN INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT'S ARCHITECTURALLY PERFECT THAT WAS CREATED BY A SOCIOPATH.

SO GHOST BUSTERS PROVED THAT.

>> WHEN YOU GO HANG OUT IN THAT BUILDING... >> WHAT?

>> I SAID GHOST BUSTERS PROVED THAT.

>> RIGHT?

WHAT DO YOU DO?

HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THAT?

>> SO I THINK WE HAVE SLIDES TO START THIS CONVERSATION.

AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE LYRICS OF MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, JUST IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO TAKE THEM IN, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE OR BE ABLE TO READ THEM ALL RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE IN THE STARTING SPOT, WHICH IS THAT THIS WAS A SONG THAT'S VERY OLD AND IT HAS THREE VERSES AND IT HAS THIS AMAZING MUSIC ATTACHED TO IT, OF COURSE, AS WELL.

THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO START.

I LOVE THIS SONG.

HERE I AM.

I'M ABOUT 6.

I'M LOOKING AT A PICTURE OF MY GRANDFATHER, AND HE TOOK ME TO THE TRACK TO LEARN HOW TO PLACE BETS ON THE PONIES WHEN I WAS ABOUT THIS AGE.

>> CHURCHILL DOWNS.

>> CHURCHILL DOWNSth.

JUST ON REGULAR DAYS, NOT DERBY.

BUT I DID HEAR THE CALL TO THE POST AND I FELT VERY CALLED.

AND WHENEVER I HEAR THE CALL TO THE POST AND MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME BECAUSE HE LOVED THAT SONG, TOO, I JUST THINK OF HOW HE MADE EVERYTHING FUN, RIGHT?

AND I THINK ALL OF US BRING THESE ASSOCIATIONS TO MUSIC.

AND MANY OF US TO THIS PARTICULAR SONG ABOUT TIME WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, PARTIES, ANTICIPATION, ALL SORTS OF EMOTIONS.

>> I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE BEAUTY OF MUSIC.

IT CONNECTS YOU TO A MEMORY.

SO JUST AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, HARRY, ABOUT R KELLY, MANY OF US HAVE HEARD A STEP IN THE NAME OF LOVE, AND WE THINK ABOUT FAMILY REUNIONS, FAMILY GET TOGETHERS.

WE THINK ABOUT WEDDINGS.

BUT NOW WE KNOW THAT R KELLY HAS CERTAINLY BECOME PROBLEMATIC.

>> TO SAY THE LEAST.

>> IT GIVES A KIND OF SHADOW ACROSS THIS.

SO WHO WAS THIS GUY STEPHEN FOSTER?

I THINK MOST OF US ASSUME THAT HE WAS FROM KENTUCKY.

I MEAN THIS IS KENTUCKY'S SONG, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> IN FACT, HE WAS BORN, RAISED AND SPENT ALMOST HIS ENTIRE LIFE IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

HE WAS ONLY 22 WHEN HE WROTE O'SUSANAH WHEN I LEARNED TO PLAY ON A RECORDER IN MY MID GRADE SCHOOL AND HE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHEN HE COMPOSED MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME.

HE HAD SOME REAL SUCCESS WITH SOME OF THESE SONGS, BUT IT WASN'T AN EASY LIFE FOR HIM AND HE DIED IN DEBT, NOT A DOLLAR TO HIS NAME, ALONE IN NEW YORK CITY.

SO IT'S KIND OF A SAT STORY, BUT WE ALSO DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT HIM.

HE WAS SO EMBARRASSING TO HIS FAMILY AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, THAT THEY DESTROYED ALMOST ALL OF HIS LETTERS AND RECORDS.

>> HE WAS EMBARRASSING BECAUSE HE WAS A MUSICIAN OR WHAT?

>> YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY BAD, I KNOW.

[LAUGHTER] NO, THE EMBARRASSING PART WAS THAT HE WAS ALCOHOLIC.

HE WAS SEPARATED FROM HIS WIFE AND CHILD.

AND THAT HE WAS POOR.

YEAH, THOSE WERE ALL NOT GOOD THINGS.

BUT THE OTHER THING THAT WAS CONTROVERSIAL ABOUT HIM, EVEN FOR HIS FAMILY TO SOME DEGREE, IS THAT MOST OF HIS HITS WERE WRITTEN FOR THE BLACK FACE MIN STRAL STAGE.

AND WHAT YOU HAVE HERE.

HE HAD A BIG DEAL WITH THE BIGGEST MIN MINSTREL STAGE TO GET THEIR HANDS ON HIS SONGS, INCLUDING MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, AND PERFORM THEM BEFORE ANYONE COULD GO BUY THEM ON THE MARKET.

>> LIKE EXCLUSIVE DEAL.

>> YEAH AND IT WAS A GREAT DEAL FOR CHRISTIES BECAUSE HIS SONGS WERE SO GOOD.

>> SPOTIFY DOES THE SAME THINGS THESE DAYS.

YOU GET EXCLUSIVE TRACKS ON SPOTIFY?

>> EXACTLY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE WAY HE WAS GOING TO MAKE MONEY BECAUSE THAT WAS THE MOST POPULAR FORUM AND FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT AT THE TIME.

CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE?

>> I SURE CAN.

>> THIS IS A REALLY UNPLEASANT PICTURE AND I ONLY PUT HERE BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING A TOUGH CONVERSATION HERE.

BUT WHAT IS THIS BLACK FACE PLIN -- MINSTREL HE WAS WRITING FOR.

YOU SEE HERE THOMAS RICE IN THE ROLE OF JIM CROW.

HE PIONEERED THIS WHOLE WAY OF ENTERTAINING.

HE WAS A WHITE MAN.

HE WROTE A SONG WITH SOME WILD AND CRAZY LYRICS.

HE PUT ON RAGGEDY CLOTHES AND DANCED AND DANCED HIS WAY TO BEING A VERY WEALTHY MAN BY ENTERTAINING PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY AND EVEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

WITH THIS SONG.

AND OTHER PEOPLE STARTED IMITATING THOMAS RICE AND CREATING OTHER SONGS AND OTHER SCENES AND THESE WERE ALL SONGS WRITTEN BY WHITE PEOPLE PRETENDING WHO WOULD DRESS UP AND PRETEND TO BE BLACK.

THEY WERE ABOUT ENSLAVED PEOPLE.

IT WAS THE 1850s, WELL STARTED IN THE 1830S AND GOES THROUGH THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD.

THERE IS NOTHING TODAY RESPECTABLE ABOUT THAT.

IT'S A PAINFUL PART OF OUR HISTORY.

AND VERY FEW OF US WERE TOLD IN SCHOOL GROWING UP, I CERTAINLY WASN'T, EVEN IN GRADUATE SCHOOL FOR HISTORY, THAT THIS WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ENTERTAINMENT ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.

THAT IT STARTED IN THE NORTH, NOT THE SOUTH.

AND THAT IT WAS OUR MAIN CULTURAL EXPORT TO THE REST OF THE WORLD AS AMERICANS UNTIL JAZZ.

NEXT.

THANK YOU.

HERE YOU HAVE ANOTHER DIFFICULT PICTURE.

THIS IS-- IT SHOWS AN AUCTION HAPPENING IN THE BACKGROUND.

AND IN THE FOREGROUND, A MAN LEAVING SOMEONE HE LOVES, A WOMAN HE LOVES, AND EYE NUMBER OF CHILDREN BEING TAKEN AWAY BY SOMEONE WITH A WHIP.

WHY AM I SHOWING YOU THIS?

THIS IMAGE ACTUALLY WAS PRODUCED TO ILLUSTRATE, FOR A SHOW, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY, ABOUT ILLUSTRATING THE SONG MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME IN A SLIDE SHOW FORM.

AND IT WAS SHOWING THE LINE "HARD TIMES COME AND THE D WORDS HAVE TO PART."

THEN "MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, GOOD NIGHT."

WHY?

BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, AND THIS IS WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW AS A CHILD, IS WILL SLAVERY.

IT'S ABOUT THE SLAVE TRADE.

AND THE REALITY IS THAT IN THAT TIME, FOR REAL PEOPLE IN KENTUCKY, THERE WERE, IF YOU HAD ABOUT A ONE IN TWO CHANCE OF LOSING A CHILD OR A SPOUSE OR A PARENT TO THIS ACTUAL TRADE OF TAKING PEOPLE AWAY FROM KENTUCKY TO OTHER LANDS WHERE THEIR LABOR AND BODIES WERE USED.

>> YOU ARE SAYING HALF THE PEOPLE HAD THIS HAPPEN?

>> THIS IS VERY-- I THINK IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO REALLY TAKE IN, BUT TO TRY TO LOOK TO SOMEONE NEXT TO YOU, PERHAPS A PARENT, A CHILD, A LOVED ONE, AND IMAGINE THAT THE CHANCE OF THEM BEING GONE IS ONE IN TWO.

AND THEN IMAGINE THAT EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T GET TAKEN, YOU WERE AFRAID THAT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT.

SO THE FEAR WAS PERPETUAL.

NEXT, PLEASE.

WHAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, EMILY, IS THAT THE OHIO RIVER IS THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN INDIANA, WHICH WAS A FREE STATE, AND KENTUCKY WAS A SLAVE STATE.

SO KENTUCKY DID, IN FACT, SELL 80,000 PEOPLE DOWN THE RIVER, SO THAT PHRASE... >> DID YOU SAY 80,000?

>> 80,000 PEOPLE, WHEN YOU HEAR THE PHRASE BEING SOLD DOWN THE RIVER, ORIGINATED IN KENTUCKY BECAUSE KENTUCKY WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SLAVE TRADE.

>> YOU ARE IT WAS A MAJOR SOURCE ESPECIALLY IN THE 1850s.

AND IF YOU THINK OF 80,000, PUT YOUR MIND TO THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN KENTUCKY.

THAT WOULD BE BOWLING GREEN.

THAT IS 72,000 PEOPLE.

IMAGINE A WHOLE CITY BEING WIPED AWAY OR ABOUT THREE TIMES THE SIZE OF FRANKFORT.

THIS WAS EXTREMELY LUCRATIVE.

THE PRICE OF THOSE BODIES WAS SO HIGH BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH MONEY BEING MADE IN THE DEEP SOUTH.

SO, YES, NEXT.

>> NOW IT'S GOT ME, TOO.

>> SO WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT 80,000 PEOPLE, WHAT I ALWAYS TRY TO REMIND PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WERE ENSLAVED AS PROPERTY, THESE WERE PEOPLE THAT HAD LIVES, AND THAT HAD FAMILIES.

AND THORNTON AND LUCY BLACKBURN WERE AN ENSLAVED COUPLE IN LOUISVILLE.

AND THEY ESCAPED TO DETROIT AND THEN MADE IT ALL THE WAS I TO CANADA.

-- MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO CANADA.

IT IS A LOVE STORY BECAUSE LUCY'S ENSLAVER WAS GOING TO SELL HER DOWN SOUTH AND THEY MADE THE DECISION TO LEAVE.

SO PEOPLE NEED TO THINK ABOUT NOT JUST 80,000 PEOPLE BUT THESE ARE MOTHERS, FATHERS, SISTERS, BROTHERS, CHILDREN.

>> RIGHT.

>> THEY'RE HUMAN.

>> AND WE WERE ALL WRAPPED UP IN IT IN THIS COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME.

IF WE WALKED OUT OF THESE DOORS AFTER THIS PROGRAM, AND IT WERE 1853, MORE THAN HALF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE WHITE SKINNED, YOU WOULD PASS, WOULD BE PEOPLE WHO OWNED OR USED ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS JUST IN OUR-- YEAH, IT'S MORE AROUND US THAN WE HAVE MAYBE EVER WANTED TO LOOK AT.

THANK YOU.

WE ARE GOING TO JUMP FORWARD FROM THE DARK 1850s.

THIS IS THE HATFIELD CLAN, OKAY?

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GUN CULTURE HERE.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE MOST PROMINENT IMAGE OF KENTUCKY WAS AROUND THE TURN OF THE 19th AND 20th CENTURY.

KENTUCKY WAS READ ABOUT AS THIS PLACE OF FEUDING AND VIOLENCE.

THIS LOOKED LIKE A PRETTY DIFFICULT PLACE TO LIVE, A SCARY PLACE TO DO ANY BUSINESS.

AND EVEN TO VISIT.

ON THE OTHER HAND PEOPLE WOULD GO OUTSIEFD KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKIANS AND PEOPLE WOULD ASK THEM, WHAT ABOUT THAT SONG MY MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME AND IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR BUSINESS LEADERS TO FIGURE OUT, WHAT IF WE DO SOMETHING WITH THAT SONG TO TURN AROUND THIS IMAGE THAT ITSELF NOT SERVING US TOO WELL OUT THERE.

>> SO THIS WAS THE TURN OF THE CENTURY?

>> TURN OF THE 19th TO THE 20th CENTURY AND THE BEST IDEA THEY CAME UP WITH WAS AROUND 1920, THEY WERE HOW ABOUT A TOURIST ATTRACTION.

LET'S GET SOMEWHERE AND CELEBRATE STEPHEN FOSTER AND MY OLD KENTUCKY HO.

AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT THIS.

THERE WAS A LITTLE PROBLEM, THE ONLY HOME THAT MENTIONED IN THAT 1853 SONG IS A CABIN WHERE ENSLAVED PEOPLE LIVED.

DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO SHOWCASE THAT.

SO WE FOUND SOMETHING MORE APPEALING TO THE GENERAL POPULATION THAT WAS TAKEN UP WITH LOST CAUSENESS AND THIS WAS A PLANTATION OWNED BY PEOPLE WHO OWNED A LOT OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE.

SO THAT IS HOW OVER A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE DOORS IN THE LAST CENTURY OF THE OLD KENTUCKY HOME IN BARDSTOWN.

NOW, THEY SAID, WHEN THEY OPENED IT, THAT STEIVE FOSTER WENT THERE AND WAS SO MOVED BY EVERYTHING AND HOW BEAUTIFUL IT WAS THAT HE JUST HAD TO WRITE THIS SONG ABOUT KENTUCKY.

THAT WAS A LIE.

>> MARKETING.

>> A BIG MARKETING LIE.

HE DEFINITE THEIR NOT WRITE THE SONG THERE AND IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE THAT HE EVEN WENT THERE.

LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

SO THE REASON THIS WAS SO SUCCESSFUL, THIS TOURIST ATTRACTION AND THE SORT OF BRANDING IDEA IS THAT THE CULTURE WAS JUST STEEPED IN STEPHEN FOSTER'S MUSIC BY THIS TIME; INCLUDING HOLLYWOOD.

AND IN 1935, THE LITTLE COLONEL COMES OUT WITH SHIRLEY TEMPLE, GREAT STAR.

AND SHE AND BILL ROBINSON ARE IN A DUET, WHICH WE WILL SEE RIGHT NOW.

>> HOW COULD THERE BE A NEW WAY TO GO UPSTAIRS?

>> NOW YOU JUST WATCH.

♪ I WENT TO THE MARKET.

♪ FOR TO GET SOME PEAS.

♪ AND SOME TONGUE AND COULDN'T GET ENOUGH ♪ I PAID $5 FOR A HOG, THE HOG SO FAT AND I COULDN'T GET DOWN.

(HUMMING MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME) >> AGAIN, THANK YOU.

AND COLONEL SAND COLONEL SANDERS USED THIS SONG TO SELL FRIED CHICKEN AND WE'LL KEEP GOING.

YEAH.

>> AND MUHAMMED ALI, HE WAS AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING AND HE LEARNED ABOUT THE SONG AND WOULD NOT SING IT, ANY SONG THAT DEMEANED BLACK PEOPLE, CERTAINLY THIS SONG WHEN WE LISTEN TO THE LYRICS, HAS A DIFFERENT FEELING FOR MANY BLACK PEOPLE.

>> YEAH AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL I STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT AND ASKING QUESTIONS.

SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE ARE ON TWO PATHS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT AT TIMES.

THIS IS THE WESTERN HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR CHORUS, HELPING TO OPEN UP A SESSION OF OUR STATE LEGISLATURE, WHICH EVERY YEAR THEY DO, BY HAVING A SINGING OF MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME.

AND ALL ACROSS THE STATE, CHORUSES AND MARCHING BAND PLAY THIS SONG AT GAILS, GRADUATIONS, GAMES AND MORE.

AND THESE ARE THE FOLKS WHO MAKE OUR LAWS.

AND THEY REPRESENT US AS A PEOPLE.

AND A NUMBER OF THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS BACKSTORY OF THE SONG AND DO NOT STAND UP THE WAY WE ARE KIND OF SUPPOSED TO DO, RIGHT, AT MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME.

THEY ALREADY HAVE A HINT THAT THIS ISN'T A SONG THAT EVERYONE FEELS GOOD ABOUT HERE.

>> THEY SING THE ORIGINAL LYRICS?

>> NO.

THEY SING-- AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.

A VERY GRADUALLY, ACROSS THE STATE, STARTING IN THE 50s AND MOVING THROUGH THE 80s, THERE WAS A MOVEMENT TO TAKE THAT D WORD, THAT SLUR, OUT OF THE SONG AND EXCHANGE IT WITH PEOPLE.

SO THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO A LOT OF COMPLAINTS.

I LIKE TO SAY MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME WITH THE BIRDS SINGING AND SAYING THAT THINGS IN KENTUCKY WERE PRETTY NICE UNTIL SOMETHING KIND OF HAPPENS AND THEN WE DON'T REALLY DO THOSE OTHER TWO VERSES THAT EXPLAIN WHAT THAT SOMETHING IS, THAT THAT WAS SORT OF WHITE WASHING WHAT SLAVERY WAS IN KENTUCKY AND MAKING-- I MEAN WHEN THEY OPENED UP MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, THEY SAID IT WAS THE HAPPY HOME OF SLAVERY.

AS IF THERE COULD EVER BE SUCH A THING, RIGHT?

IT WAS IN THE DEEP SOUTH WHERE THIRD BASE THINGS WERE BAD.

SO KENTUCKY HAS KIND OF HELD ON TO THAT IDEA THAT MAYBE WE ARE DIFFERENT LIKE THE NATION LIKES TO THINK THEY WERE EXCEPTIONAL.

>> SO THE BRAND WAS THIS WAS THE HAPPY HOME OF SLAVERY.

THOSE WORDS WERE ACTUALLY USED?

>> YES.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST INVITED TO RECORD THE SONG, YOU KNOW, I WENT TO LOOK UP THE LYRICS AND THERE ARE 80 VERSIONS OF THE LYRICS.

YOU HAVE JOHNNY CASH VERSION AND ALL THESE PEOPLE, AND I'M LIKE, WHAT ARE THE REAL LYRICS?

THE ORIGINAL LYRICS.

I GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT AND STEPHEN FOSTER'S LYRICS.

MAYBE THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

MAYBE I SHOULD NOT RECORD THIS SONG.

I WANTED TO TAKE THE BEST OF IT AND CONTINUE THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS TALKING IN THOSE FOOTSTEPS UNTIL THERE I WAS WALKING.

SO, YEAH.

>> BECAUSE IT IS MARKETABLE, THE SELLING KEEPS ON GOING AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS TO CONSUME THIS ICONIC PIECE OF OUR CULTURE.

WE CAN PUT IT ON A PILLOW AND PUT IT ON OUR SOFA AND LEAN AGAINST IT OR SNUGGLE UP.

WE CAN PUT IT AGAINST OUR SKIN AND WEAR IT LIKE THIS T-SHIRT.

WE CAN EVEN DRINK FROM IT.

I CALL THIS MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME ECONOMICS.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS ABOUT KENTUCKY, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HEAR YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TRUTH ABOUT KENTUCKY.

THE TRUTH ABOUT KENTUCKY IS THAT KENTUCKY WAS A SLAVE STATE.

KENTUCKY DID, IN FACT ENSLAVE PEOPLE.

KENTUCKY SOLD 80,000 PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW OF.

DOWN THE OHIO RIVER SO THIS IS A PROJECT THAT I STARTED AND THIS IS CALLED THE UNKNOWN PROJECT WHERE WE TRY TO FIND THE NAMES OF BLACK PEOPLE WHO WERE ENSLAVED IN KENTUCKY.

WE HAVE FOUND OVER 800 NAMES.

AND I WANT TO SAY THOSE NAMES WERE GIVEN TO US BY PEOPLE IN KENTUCKY THAT SAID, IN FACT, MY FAMILY DID ENSLAVE PEOPLE.

THEY'RE NOT UNKNOWN.

THEIR NAMES ARE JUST HIDDEN FROM HISTORY.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY SILENCES ABOUT THIS SONG, OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BRING IT UP AT TIMES WHEN IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE.

SO I THINK THAT BRINGS US TO, WELL, WHAT NEXT, RIGHT?

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

>> WE HAVE GIVEN PEOPLE A LOT.

THIS IS PRETTY HEAVY.

>> WELL, I MEAN, IT'S TRICKY, LIKE WHAT DO DO YOU?

SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS, RIGHT?

I GUESS YOU CAN JUST KEEP ON IGNORING IT LIKE WE HAVE BEEN DOING.

YOU CAN REPLACE THE SONG?

YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORDS.

WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?

>> ONE THING WE CAN DO, EVEN BEFORE WE START AT THE SONG, IS TO LOOK AT THE HUMANITY OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

AND IF IT BOTHERS YOU, IT'S GOING TO BOTHER ME.

AND I MAY NOT EXACTLY UNDERSTAND WHY.

BUT I REMEMBER ONCE I HEARD COMPREHENSION VERY RARELY HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH COMPLIANCE, RIGHT?

SOMETIMES YOU JUST MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.

BUT IF I SAY THIS HURTS ME BECAUSE WE ARE IN KENTUCKY TOGETHER, YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO GET TO THE HUMANITY OF IT.

ONCE WE GET THERE, THIS SONG, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS SONG WOULDN'T EVEN HAPPEN BECAUSE IMMEDIATELY WOULD I KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE IT HURTS YOU.

>> I THINK YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MARKETING OF THE SONG, AND THE IGNORING OF THE SECOND VERSE, THAT IMPLIES THAT THAT SECOND VERSE AND THE WORD IN THE SECOND VERSE DIDN'T APPLY TO HUMAN BEINGS.

THERE WAS SOME KIND OF LEVEL-- I THINK THE DANGER THERE HAS BEEN AS BEN AND I WERE TALKING AT THE BEGINNING.

YOU HAVE A MUSICAL EXPRESSION THAT IS MUSICALLY ELEGANT.

AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH A SOCIETAL IMPULSE FOR DENIAL, IT'S LIKE A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD THAT'S PROFOUNDLY DANGEROUS.

>> AND NOSTALGIA IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL HUMAN EMOTIONS OUT THERE, RIGHT?

WE ALL KIND OF WANT TO REACH BACK AND HOLD ON TO SOMETHING FROM THE PAST AND THIS THING HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN WITH LOVE.

>> I THINK WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT THERE IS TRADITION BEHIND IT.

>> PASSED DOWN WITH LOVE BY WHO, FOR WHO?

>> THANK YOU.

>> RIGHT.

>> BY SOME FOR SOME.

>> BECAUSE EVEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LOVE, IS LOVE EXCLUSIVE WITHIN MY GROUP OR IS LOVE MORE EXPANSIVE WHICH DEFINITION OF LOVE DO WE TALK ABOUT?

>> AND SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE AN ACT OF LOVE TO LET SOMETHING GO.

>> THIS WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST EXAMPLE, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> OF A STATE OR A COMPANY, BEING LIKE HEY, MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE THINGS AND SURE WE HAVE 100 YEARS OF TRADITION BEHIND THAT JINGLE OR SONG OR STATE SONG, BUT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO CHANGE IT, RIGHT?

IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE.

>> WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES TO EVER FACE A SITUATION LIKE THIS.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, WE CAN BRING ONE UP.

MARYLAND.

MARYLAND HAD, AS ITS STATE SONG FOR MANY, MANY DECADES, A CONFEDERATE BATTLE ANTHEM TO THE TUNE OF... AND GUESS WHAT?

IN THE FIRST VERSE LINCOLN IS A DESPOT SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY MARYLAND, MY MARYLAND, IT WAS ABOUT KEEPING THE UNION AT BAY AND BEING STRONG AS A SLAVE STATE.

AND DEFENDING OUR HOME OF MARYLAND.

>> THOSE WORDS, AVENGE THE PATRIOTIC GORE THAT FLED THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE.

THOU WILT NOT YIELD THE VANDAL TOLL, THOU WILL NOT QUICK TO HIS CONTROL.

>> THEY DROPPED THE SONG.

>> THEY D. AND THE FIRST ONES TO DROP IT AFTER MANY, MANY PROTESTS WAS PIMLICO RACETRACK BECAUSE IT WAS THE SONG THE HORSES WENT OUT TO IN THAT MOMENT OF EXCITEMENT RIGHT BEFORE THE RACE FOR MANY YEARS.

AND 2020 THEY MADE A CHANGE.

AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOLLOWED A YEAR LATER.

AN HISTORIAN SAID WHEN IT COMES TO STATE SONGS, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO HAVE A 10 MINUTE LECTURE FROM AN HISTORIAN OR A MUSICOLOGIST OR SOMETHING, TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

YOU JUST WANT TO SING THE THING.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEFORE THE GAMES THAT LIKE AT THE SOCCER STADIUM.

BEFORE WE ALL SING TOGETHER, WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS SONG.

YEAH, IT WOULD DEFINITELY CHANGES.

>> THERE IS ONE OTHER EXAMPLE THAT CAME TO MY MIND WHEN WE WERE PLANNING THIS.

GOOD HUMOR, ALL OF YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO HEAR THAT ICE CREAM TRUCK COMING ROUND.

YOU ARE LIKE OH YAY, RUN, WHERE IS IT?

I WANT TO GET MY MONEY AND GET A TREAT.

WELL, TURNS OUT THAT THAT SONG YOU MIGHT REMEMBER FROM THAT IS ALSO A BLACK-FACED SONG ♪ ♪ ♪ >> YEAH, THAT SONG.

>> TURKEY IN THE STRAW.

AND THE GOOD HUMOR COMPANY THOUGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN SELLING THESE ICE CREAM TREATS TO KIDS, AND YES, PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, BUT MAYBE THE TIME HAS COME IN 2020 TO DO SOMETHING.

THEY REACHED OUT TO A GREAT ARTIST, MUSICIAN FROM THE WU TANG CLAN AND SHE CAME UP WITH A NEW JINGLE FOR A NEW ERA.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (BELLS JINGLING) >> EVERYBODY GET YOUR ICE CREAM.

>> THAT'S THE NEW JINGLE.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD LOOK AT THIS AS OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT?

I MEAN RIZZA, COOL, I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH HIM.

AND MARYLAND, THEY'RE FIGURING IT OUT.

IT TOOK A WHILE, BUT THEY HAVE TAKEN SOME STEPS, RIGHT?

AND FOR 100 YEARS, KENTUCKY HAS PUT A LOT OF EGGS IN THIS BASKET, YOU KNOW.

STATE SONG, DERBY ANTHEM, SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, TEAMS, CHORUSES, MARCHING BANDS.

WE'VE ALL, YOU KNOW, TAKEN THIS IN.

AND THAT'S A LONG TIME TO MAKE SOMETHING YOUR BRAND.

>> IT IS.

WHAT I'M LEARNING THOUGH IS IT'S NOT THE LIES THAT ARE GOING TO SET US FREE.

IT IS THE TRUTH THAT WILL SET US FREE.

THE TRUTH WILL PUT KENTUCKY ON A BETTER PATH.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> YEAH AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY UP TO US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS OUR STATE SONG.

WHERE DON'T WANT IT TO BE?

AND WILL THAT ROAD LEAD US ON ONE TOWARD HEALING AND PERHAPS RECKONING?

>> EMILY, HANNA HARRY AND BEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS ENLIGHTENING CONVERSATION.

AND ME, PERSONALLY, I LOVE THAT ICE CREAM JINGLE.

[LAUGHTER] YOU'VE GIVEN US SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR OUR AUDIENCE'S QUESTIONS IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS.

AS WE CONCLUDE OUR PROGRAM TODAY, I HAVE TWO VERY IMPORTANT BUT YET TO BE ANSWERED QUESTIONS.

SO WHAT?

AND NOW WHAT?

WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?

HOW DO WE CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE WE HAVE STARTED TODAY?

FIRST, CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION WITH YOUR FRIENDS AFTER THE PROGRAM.

WHAT DID YOU LESCH AND LEARN AND WHAT DID YOU THINK?

THEN TELL US.

YOU KNOW THE DRILL.

FOLLOW OUR INSTAGRAM, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK.

RESPOND TO OUR PRESENTERS WITH YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS.

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITH OUR NEW STATE SONG.

SHOULD WE HAVE A IN YOU ONE?

IF WE DO, WHO IS GOING TO WRITE IT?

WHAT WOULD A NEW MORE INCLUSIVE SOUND LIKE?

HOW WILL WE CONVINCE OTHERS AND ABOVE ALL, OUR STATE OFFICIALS THAT WE NEED A NEW SONG THAT ALL OF US CAN SING?

TO STIMULATE THIS CONVERSATION, AND TO HELP US MOVE TO ACTION, KENTUCKY TO THE WORLD HAS BEEN COLLECTING SCRIPTIVE WORDS ABOUT KENTUCKY FROM KENTUCKIANS OF ALL AGES.

THROUGH KTW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WORKSHOPS AT SELECTED SCHOOLS AND TODAY, FROM YOU DURING THE RECEPTION AT THE LOBBY.

THESE WORDS ARE BEING DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN ABOVE WITHIN THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE OF SLIDES.

AND THEY REPRESENT ONE WORD RESPONSES TO THREE BASIC QUESTIONS.

QUESTION 1: WHEN YOU THINK OF KENTUCKY, HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?

QUESTION 2: WHEN WE HEAR MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?

QUESTION 3: WHEN YOU ENVISION A FUTURE KENTUCKY, WHAT DO YOU SEE?

AND IN THIS FINAL SLIDE, IT WILL SHOW ALL THE RESPONSES PLUS YOURS.

>> THESE ARE THE WORDS COLLECTED TONIGHT.

>> WOW.

>> AMAZING, RIGHT?

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE BUILT KENTUCKY WORD CLOUDS THAT ILLUSTRATE THESE RESPONSES.

AND TODAY, HANNAH DRAKE HAS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED TO HELP US MAKE SENSE OF OUR KENTUCKY CLOUDS BY CREATING AN ORIGINAL POEM FOR KENTUCKY, ACCOMPANIED BY BEN SOLLEE AND HARRY PICKENS.

I HAVE BEEN YOUR HOST MUMINA DARUR.

THE STAGE IS ALL YOURS.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME.

WE ARE MORE THAN DERBY AND HORSES AND BOURBON.

PLAIN OUTDATED OLD TIMES THAT HAVE LEFT MANY FEELING STUCK AND DEPRESSED.

WE ARE MORE THAN NOSTALGIA, REMINISCENT OF A TIME WHERE SOME SIP DISAPPOINTMENT OVER CHILLED ICE, UNWELCOME TO ENTER THE FRONT DOOR AS IF WE WERE INVISIBLE.

WE WERE EMBARRASSED AND CONFUSED BECAUSE THIS IS OUR HOME, TOO.

ALTHOUGH AT TIMES WE WERE CONFLICTED, KENTUCKY IS NOT A PLACE WHERE ANY SHOULD FEEL UNWELCOME.

HOME SHOULD NEVER FEEL DISTANT.

OUR ROOTS ARE HERE, TOO.

THE BLUEGRASS AND BANJO ARE AS FAMILIAR AS THE BEAT OF THE DRUMS.

OUR ANCESTORS TILLED THE LAND.

YOU SEE, WE ARE KENTUCKY, TOO.

AT TIMES WE HAVE FELT UPSET AND UNSAFE.

HOME SHOULD BE PEACE.

BUT IN ISOLATION WE FELT STUCK AS OUR FAMILIES WERE SOLD DOWN THE RIVER TO AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE.

THE BLUE WATERS WASHING THEM AWAY.

WE WATCHED THEM DRIFT TO A LAND OF NOTHING: WE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE.

WE PRAYED THAT ONE DAY, IF LUCKY, WE WOULD SEE THEM AGAIN.

WE CONTINUE TO PLANT SEEDS TO THE LAND EVEN THOUGH WE FELTED UNCOMFORTABLE EMPTY AND DEPRESSED.

THERE WAS NO TIME FOR BLACK JOY, NO TIME TO BE HAPPY OR GAY.

WE WERE LEFT UNAMUSED AND HOPELESS, NERVOUS AND UNEASY THAT AT DAWN WE WOULD BE TORN APART FROM THE FAMILIES WE LOVED.

WE SANG SONGS IN A FOREIGN LAND.

ADAPTATION MEANT SURVIVAL.

TRYING DESPERATELY TO COVER OUR SADNESS WITH HYMNS, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT IS OKAY TO WEEP.

TEARS AIN'T FOG BUT AIN'T NOTHING BUT LIQUID PRAYERS.

WE PRAYED THAT ONE DAY THINGS WOULD BE DIFFERENT.

IF NOT THEN, WHEN.

WHEN IS THE TIME FOR KENTUCKY TO FACE ITSELF?

IF WE ARE GOING TO BE DISTURBED, I URGE YOU TO BE DISTURBED BY INJUSTICE.

BE DISTURBED BY SUFFERING.

BE ANNOYED BY INEQUITY.

BE RILED UP ENOUGH TO ASK YOURSELF WHAT CAN MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME BE?

PERHAPS NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO PAUSE.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TRADITION.

BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE OLD TIMEY AND OUTDATED.

THE DANGER IS IN REMAINING THE SAME.

THE DANGER IS IN BEING AFRAID OF IMPROVEMENT.

THE DANGER IS IN NOT MEETING THIS MOMENT THAT LIFE HAS GIVEN US.

THE DANGER IS GROWING BORED WITH FIGHTING FOR CHANGE.

THE DANGER IS IN BEING AMBIVALENT.

PEOPLE MAY BE SCARED OF CHANGE, UNSURE OF WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD.

BUT WORKING TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY IS THE ADVENTURE.

IT'S WHAT MAKES LIFE FANTASTIC, FULL OF EXCITEMENT AND FUN.

IT'S WHAT MAKES KENTUCKY WEIRD AND DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENT IS OKAY.

WHO ARE WE TO BE JUDGMENTAL?

OUR GREATEST FAILURE WOULD BE REFUSING TO NOTICE THE EBB OF THE TIDES.

WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT MUST EMBRACE CHANGE.

WE CAN TURN OUR CHAOS TO CALM.

WE CAN BE A KENTUCKY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS A SENSE OF DIGNITY.

PROUD TO SAY THAT THEY ARE KENTUCKY, TOO.

AND WHEN THE SUNSHINES THERE WILL BE BRIGHTNESS ALL THE WAY FROM LOUISVILLE TO THE HILLS OF APPALACHIA.

EVERYTHING AND EVERY ONE BASKING IN ALL ITS GLORY.

WE SHALL NOT REMAIN IN THE DARKNESS.

WE ARE NOT NOCTURNAL PEOPLE.

LET US STEP OUT TO THE LIGHT AND THE WARM.

AS THOMAS SAID, HOW DO I BEGIN TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE ALL WALKING AROUND SHINING LIKE THE SUN.

WE CAN BE A STATE IMPROVED, A STATE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS SAFE, WHERE ALL THINGS ARE EQUITABLE.

A STATE WHERE WE ALL FEEL PEACEFUL, THAT BUILDS POLICY WITH JUSTICE AT ITS FOUNDATION.

A STATE WHERE THE HEALTH OF MY NEIGHBOR IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS MINE.

A STATE WHERE WE CAN ALL THRIVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

A STATE WHERE WE UNDERSTAND IT IS IN OUR GATHERING AND NOT OUR SEPARATION THAT WE ACHIEVE GREATNESS AND GROWTH.

A STATE TRANSFIGURED.

WE CAN MAKE THOSE WHO FEEL INVISIBLE VISIBLE.

A PLACE WHERE THE OPPRESS ARE NOW FREE, WHERE THOSE UNWELCOME FEEL COMFORTED.

THAT IS A HOME WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRUSTWORTHY ENOUGH TO CALL FRIENDS, HOME SHOULD NEVER BE A DISTANT PLACE.

HOME IS IN OUR HEARTS.

WE CARRY KENTUCKY WITH US.

KENTUCKY IS US.

THIS CAN BE OUR OLD KENTUCKY HOME IF WE DESIRE IT TO BE SO.

AND FINALLY, ONE DAY, ALL OF US WILL FEEL AT HOME AT LAST.

THANK YOU.

[ APPLAUSE ] STAND UP AND TAKE A BOW.

[ APPLAUSE ] WELL DONE.