N.C. State grad teaches through song

Dr. Lodge McCammon always loved music and decided to use it as a classroom tool. He is now writing songs about all 50 states.
Posted 12/31/2015, 10:42:20 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:05 PM

THE BELL IS RUNG AT MIDNIGHT ON

NEW YEAR'S EVE.

ALL OF ARROGATES TODAY ARE

LOCAL MUSICIANS -- ALL OF OUR

GUESTS TODAY ARE LOCAL

MUSICIANS.

>> LYNDA LOVELAND STARTS OFF

LIVE IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH WITH

DR. LODGE MCCANNON.

>> Reporter: OUR FIRST GUEST

ISN'T YOUR TRADITION MUSICIAN,

AND AFTER TALKING WITH HIM, HE

IS NOT TRADITIONAL AT ALL.

WE'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME OVER

HERE.

HE IS AN EDUCATIONAL MUSICIAN.

DR. LODGE THANK YOU FOR JOINING

US.

YOU'RE AN NC STATE GRAD.

GO PACK.

UNFORTUNATE LOSS BUT GO PACK.

AND YOU LIVE IN RALEIGH.

>> YES.

>> Reporter: AS A KEYNOTE

SPEAKER.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO THIS WHOLE

THING.

>> WHAT GOT ME INTO MUSIC,

MUSIC FIRST, THEN EDUCATION

NEXT.

I STARTED PLAYING VIOLIN WHEN I

WAS 2 YEARS OLD AT A MUSIC

SCHOOL IN CHICAGO THAT MY MOM

WAS THE DIRECTOR OF, AND THEN

MY DAD HAD RECORDING STUDIOS IN

CHICAGO AND SO I GREW UP IN A

TRADITIONAL CLASSICAL MOSTLY

SUNNY SCHOOL AND ALSO -- MUSIC

SCHOOL AND ALSO UNTIL THE

RECORDING SCHOOL.

THIS COMBINATION OF BIG MUSICAL

INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE, AND

AFTER I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE,

I WANTED TO ATTACH.

I LOVED THE CLASSROOM.

I LOVE HELPING KIDS.

I LOVE WATCHING KIDS LEARN.

VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT, SO

CONNECTING THOSE TWO IS A

NATURAL FIT.

IT'S A VERY POWERFUL WAY TO

TEACH.

>> Reporter: WE HAVE VIDEO OF

YOU DOING ONE OF YOUR SPEECHES,

SO LET'S LOOK AT YOU AS A

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

>> C3PO, GET IT.

>> Reporter: VERY NICE.

YOU TELL ME YOU ARE WRITING

SONGS ABOUT ALL 50 STATES, IS

THAT RIGHT.

>> I AM.

I FINISHED 23 OF THE 50 STATES

SO FAR, AND I'M CALLING IT THE

50 STATES ALBUM, AND I'M

WORKING ON IT LARGELY WITH MY

PARENTS, SO I HAVE PULLED THEM

BACK IN, AND WE'RE RECORDING

THIS TOGETHER.

BOTH MY PARENTS ARE MUSICIANS

AND WE'RE WORKING ON THIS 50

STATES PROJECT TOGETHER.

>> Reporter: AND YOU HAVE ONE

FROM NORTH CAROLINA.

>> I HAVE FINISHED THE NORTH

CAROLINA SONG.

OF COURSE IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST

STATES I DID.

>> Reporter: EXCELLENT, CAN WE

HEAR IT.

>> YOU BET.

IT'S CALLED THE OLD NORTH STATE

THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE

ORIGINAL 13, PARTS OF CAROLINA,

CHARTED TO SERVE IN RALEIGH,

THE LAST TO SECEDE, COUNTY THE

MANY WHO DIED FROM LINCOLN

SOUTHEAST.

THE OLDEST STATE IN THE

SOUTHERN WAY.

WE WERE THE OLDER CAROLINA

DURING THIS LOOK BACK IN THE

DAY, AFTER SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S

LOST COLONY PHASE NORTH

CAROLINA WAS MADE THE 12th

TARGETED STATE.

THEN WE GRABBED THE WRIGHT

BROTHERS AND THE FIRST TO FLY

AWAY, HEY.

THE POPULAR PIEDMONT MOUNTAINS

AND COASTAL PLAINS, HOME OF THE

OUTER BANKS, GRAVEYARD, AND THE

ATLANTIC HOLDS BLACK BEARD'S

FAME, THEN GO WEST TO CLIMB

BLACK MOUNTAINS, AS HIGH AS THE

EASTERN RANGE.

THE OLDER STATE IN A SOUTHERN

WAY, WE WERE THE OLDER CAROLINA

DURING THE SPLIT BACK IN THE

DAY, AFTER SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S

LOST COLONY PHASE NORTH

CAROLINA WAS MADE THE 12th TAR

HEEL STATE, AND WE BROUGHT THE

WRIGHT BROTHERS AND THE FIRST

TO FLY AWAY.

ALL ALONG, THE DOGWOOD AND THE

CARDINAL HEADS, TO MOUNT

MITCHELL OUR HIGHEST PEAK.

HEY. OLD TOBACCO, AND COT

COTTON, TOURISM SHOWED BEACHES

AND THE 1990s, THE OLDER STATE

IN A SOUTHERN WAY.

WE WERE THE OLDER CAROLINA

DURING THE SPLIT BACK IN THE

DAY, AFTER SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S

LOST COLONY PHASE, NORTH

CAROLINA WAS MADE THE 12th TAR

HEEL STATE, THEN WE GROUND THE

WRIGHT BROTHERS AND THE FIRST

TO FLY AWAY, HEY

>> Reporter: ALL RIGHT.

VERY NICE.

VERY NICE, EVERYONE.

YEAH, I LIKE THAT.

NOW, IF PEOPLE WANT MORE

INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR MUSIC

WHERE SHOULD THEY GO.

>> GO TO LODGE MCCAMMON.COM.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING

WITH US, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

>> HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU.

>> MORE GREAT GUESTS AND

MUSICIANS TO LOOK FOR IN 2014.

THAT'S COMING UP IN THE NEXT

HALF HOUR ON WRAL.