Tune up the fiddle, strike up the band, switch on your radio! We're making music, this afternoon at three on To the Best of Our Knowledge. Join us for songwriting tips from Jimmy Webb, the man who wrote "MacArthur Park." Also, what happens when a record producer discovers fresh new talent. And, how to compose the most-wanted and most un-wanted songs.

Music producer Lee Townsend and one of his latest discoveries, young singer-songwriter Noe Venable, talk with Judith Strasser about their collaboration: how they met, what Townsend heard in the music, and what changes he made. We also hear excerpts from the CD - Noe Venable's "No Curses Here."

Songwriter Jimmy Webb has composed countless country and popular songs, including "MacArthur Park," and "Up, Up and Away." Now he's written a book - "Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting." He talks with Steve Paulson about inspiration, and song construction drawing examples from another of his hits - "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Also, music educators Lyle Davidson and Larry Scripp tells Jim Fleming about Arts Propel, their novel approach to teaching music. We also hear some clips from an elementary school classroom that uses the Arts Propel technique: second and third graders talk about making rhythm patterns based on the messages on Valentine's Day candy hearts.

Composer Dave Soldier collaborated with artists Komar and Melamid and the Dia Center for the Arts to take public opinion polls and, based on the results, create the most wanted and most unwanted songs. Soldier tells Judith Strasser what people really want to hear, and why he loves the most unwanted music. And, of course, we hear bits of both!

Distribution dates:

• week of 2/6/2000 - hour 2
• week of 11/29/98 - hour 3