Dee Snider of Twisted Sister Shares Rock Wisdom with Station Camp Students

GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — A unique learning experience unfolded when students from Station Camp High School's first-ever 'History of Rock and Soul' class had the opportunity to speak with a rock 'n' roll icon via Zoom. The session featured Dee Snider, the lead vocalist of the 1980s heavy metal band Twisted Sister, who engaged with the students about his life and career.

“Truth is, if you had told me in my 20s that I was gonna write Christmas songs, that I was gonna write books, that I was going to be on Broadway, I literally would have gotten in a fist-fight with you,” Snider shared with the class, prompting laughter. “Because I was metal! I wasn’t going to do that.”

Despite the semester ending, the students showed up for the special session, demonstrating their enthusiasm for the course. Teagan Brown, a sophomore, highlighted the importance of understanding the roots of music.

“I think it’s good to know where this music came from,” said Brown. “Where jazz came from, where the current artists that you see now, where did their music come from, or their inspirations.”

Brown, who reached out to arrange the conversation with Snider, expressed how meaningful the experience was.

“Being able to talk to him was something that I’m gonna remember forever and be able to tell everybody about how cool I am, that I was in that class. I was part of like 15 kids that were in there,” she said.

Drew Van Huss, the course instructor, praised the students’ engagement and their growing knowledge of music history.

“I think it’s just going to get better and better,” Van Huss said. “The level of talent and the amount of people we can have to come in and talk to this class… to talk about how they’ve witnessed history through a musical artist perspective, it’s unlimited.”

Van Huss noted that many of the students had little knowledge of early rock legends before the course began.

“Some of these kids, before we started the class, they didn’t know who Chuck Berry was,” he explained. “They didn’t know who Buddy Holly was. And now they know, and they know why some of these people were so important. So it’s a really cool thing.”

The course, offered by the nonprofit TeachRock, aims to educate students on the history of rock and soul music. Founded by Steven Van Zandt, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and member of the E. Street Band, the curriculum is free and used by over 80,000 teachers nationwide.

Snider emphasized the importance of perseverance, sharing how his band faced rejection from record companies.

“The band was getting rejected by every record company; every company in America rejected us 5 times!” he recalled. “Just keep on pushing back.”

This unique approach to education not only enriches students' understanding of music but also fosters a deeper appreciation for its cultural impact. As the class continues to grow, the potential for future interactions with industry icons remains vast.

Station Camp High School plans to offer the course again next fall, continuing its mission to inspire the next generation of music enthusiasts.