To me this when paired with the Tavis Smiley appearance, Alison Krauss’ appearance on the NY Times Arts & Leisure Weekendlast night, forms a high point for our field in exposure to new markets.

Even though Tavis (being  radio guy) constantly looking at his tablet bothers me, I thought he had the more interesting questions as a whole than Dana.

On the other hand, the bunch of college girls who showed up together last night, totally blown away being able to ask the questions they had been working on for some time was the best moments from either. Especially powerful was the young African-American woman talking about loving AKUS music despite what her friends thought. Also the woman who said Alison had provided the soundtrack to her life.

This was elevation of Alison into the ranks of major American cultural figure, something Monroe could only partially achieve as his family did not at all prepare him and that Steve achieved independent of his banjo artistry and before he returned to professional-level playing.

Monroe could never have pulled off what Alison did with Dana and Tavis with his monosyllabic answers. She was charming, engaged, and interesting. And it looked to me like she out drew David Cross (“Arrested Development,” “Scary Movie Two”) who followed her.

These moments don’t happen for us every day.