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Artist:Mike Miller Title: Two Lectures Release #: MIF103 Format: Online Release 01. Lecture One [MP3] 02. Lecture Two [MP3] Regarding Mike Miller’s visit to the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in the Fall Semester of 2008: 45 students of composition at UPJ read Russell Banks’ novel / Rule of the Bone / (1995), Kevin Prufer’s collection of poetry / National Anthem / (2008), and listened to Endless Mike and Beagle Club’s 2008 release / We Are Still At War. The novel, the collection of poetry, and the CD are linked, I believe, in that they all reflect classic themes in Americana and traditional folk art. The students had the good fortune of hearing Mike Miller (primary singer/songwriter of Endless Mike) play a couple of songs live and were able to ask him questions about his artistic process, the “do-it-yourself” culture, and the importance of the Americana themes relevant to his work. Students examined /We Are Still At War /in the context of arguments of evaluation (songs as arguments, songs as social commentary, etc.) and were asked to make connections to Banks’ novel and Prufer’s poetry. They then wrote reviews of the CD. P. K. Harmon Visiting Professor of Writing University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown |