Fairleigh Dickinson University's Wamfest 2010: Words And Music Festival

New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Wamfest Website) - Fairleigh Dickinson University's Creative Writing Program kicks off WAMFEST 2010: Words and Music Festival, its annual series of readings, interviews, talks and performances, on May 3 at the College at Florham. The festival showcases top literary and music talents including Bruce Springsteen and former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, members of the legendary punk band X, Pulitzer Prize winning poet Paul Muldoon, and more - in ways audiences have never seen them before.

WAMFEST is an annual series hosted by FDU's Becton College and the Creative Writing Programs. WAMFEST is designed to celebrate the literary quality of popular music and to break down the barriers between the community and academia. It bridges the gap between the literature in universities and the literature of the people. Past guests have included Roseanne Cash, John Wesley Harding, and David Gates.

"The whole idea of WAMFEST is to allow students to have an intimate experience with people who are not generally available in that way," said David Daniel, WAMFEST originator and professor of creative writing. "By bringing together writers, poets, novelists, journalists and songwriters and starting a conversation, I hope that the festival creates a forum that bridges the gap between 'the people's art' and the 'art of the academy,' and that WAMFEST provides a model for teaching and celebrating the arts across the country."

WAMFEST artist in residence and host from the beginning John Wesley Harding is back to moderate these engaging presentations. Harding is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter and novelist. He has released fifteen music albums, ranging in style from folk to pop. Performing under his stage name of John Wesley Harding, he has also written two novels with a third due out this year under his real name, Wesley Stace.