Episode #5: Dr. Kay Norton

Kay Norton is Professor Emerita of Musicology at Arizona State University. She has written and presented frequently about gospel music, hymns, and the Deep South (Sallie Martin, Mother of Gospel Music, 2016). Norton’s interest in synthesizing musicology with research in the health sciences is exemplified in Singing and Wellness: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Proof (Routledge, 2016). A lifelong community singer and pianist, she currently directs the music program at a Congregational UCC church.In this episode, we discuss Kay's path to graduate school experiences in piano performance and musicology, as well as how she discovered her passion for American music. Throughout our conversation, Kay shares some of her favorite projects throughout her 43-year career as a professor of musicology. In particular, she highlights insights from one of her books, Singing and Wellness: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Proof and discusses how singing can become a "way through" suffering and oppression. Kay also shares her thoughts on how the educational landscape is changing, how the contemporary university student is facing unique challenges, and how her perspective on aging and life changes are in constant evolution.   © Hunter Langenhorst, creator of The Language & Life Podcast. All rights reserved. Episodes, audio recordings, original music, and artwork are protected by copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited without written permission.