Two Songwriters on Bridging Divides Across America

In the abstract, the phrase “bridging the divide” can sound like a trite NGO slogan or even the tagline for a company that re-skills Boomers for jobs in the digital age. But when music spurs a man to give his last dollar to an artist who played a song that moved him, “bridging the divide” has meaning. That vignette emerged from this Come Together Music podcast episode that features John Carroll from Nashville and Ben Caron from Los Angeles, co-directors of Braver Angels Music (and project of Braver Angels).

Braver Angels is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing political polarization in the United States by bringing people with differing political beliefs together to build understanding, trust, and constructive relationships. One feature of the Braver Angels model is that local chapters and workshops are co-led by two individuals, one from the “Red” team and the other “Blue.” The effort to strike a partisan balance is laudable and lets attendees know that they aren’t alone in the room.

That being said, after multiple conversations with each of them, I don’t know which color is attached to either Ben or John. It’s a testament to their humanity that neither is interested in scoring political points or showing off their argumentative prowess. Theirs is a partnership filled with asking questions, seeking commonality, and praising places of divergent strength in one another.

John’s musical journey was deeply influenced by Paul Simon, viewing him as a guiding star for his songwriting.Ben, from a small Iowa town, chose Brooks & Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road” to represent his roots and values, reflecting on life’s simplicity and the importance of community.

I won’t give away the rest of the episode but it explores how simple acts, like helping a neighbor, can avoid becoming rigid ideologues. From their personal histories to their visions for America, the conversation with John and Ben offers a deeper understanding of impact of music on societal connections.

The full episode is available on favorite streaming platform.