Brian Lamb
Encyclopedia
Brian Patrick Lamb is the founder and chief executive officer
of C-SPAN
, a television network dedicated to coverage of government proceedings and public affairs. Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, Lamb earned a degree from Purdue University
before joining the United States Navy
. After various jobs in the communications field Lamb pitched his idea of a non-profit channel to cable executives, which was approved in 1977—C-SPAN began broadcasts two years later. Lamb has conducted over 1,000 interviews in his lifetime, starting in high school and continuing on C-SPAN programs including Booknotes
and Q&A. He has compiled multiple books from his work on Booknotes. He is not registered as a Democrat or Republican. Lamb was married at age 63 and lives in Virginia.
, Indiana
. He describes his mother as "very religious" while his father—who was "very Irish"—was a beer distributor in Lafayette. Lamb's grandfather operated a tavern called Lamb's Place, also in Lafayette. Growing up Lamb wanted to be "an entertainer". He spent time as a disc jockey
and a drummer
in multiple local bands. In 1961, Lamb coordinated a television program titled Dance Date, similar to Dick Clark's ABC
series, American Bandstand
. He graduated from Purdue University
with a Bachelor of Arts
, then joined the United States Navy
. Lamb has said his time in the Navy "was probably the most important thing [he's] ever done". After two years at sea Lamb was transferred to the audiovisual office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
. In July 1967, he was transferred to Detroit to cover news conferences of Governor
George W. Romney
of Michigan.
In December 1967, after the Navy, Lamb "wanted to be involved in politics". He was a White House social aide to Lyndon B. Johnson
, and escorted Lady Bird Johnson
down the aisle at the wedding of Chuck Robb
and Lynda Johnson
. He later recalled, "For five years after I got out of the Navy and went back part of the time to Indiana, the only thing I was known to have ever done in my life was to escort Mrs. Johnson down the aisle." Lamb "came very close" to becoming the personal aide of Richard Nixon
during his campaign for the 1968 presidential election
, but instead returned to Indiana. In August 1968, after working at a local television station, Lamb spent ten weeks on the Nixon campaign in "the only campaigning [he's] ever done and or will ever do." He worked as a freelance reporter and a Senate press secretary, before a stint as a White House telecommunications policy staffer. While working for Cablevision in 1974, Lamb published a newsletter entitled The Media Report.
In September 2005, Lamb married Victoria Martin. The couple had dated in the 1970s, but split up—restarting their relationship in 1998. Lamb credits Warren Burger and Tom Wolfe
with increasing his interest in reading. He has been to the gravesite of every United States president and vice-president. Lamb is not registered as a Democrat or Republican and has voted for candidates in both parties during presidential elections. In July 2008, John McCain jokingly described his political affiliation as, "I think he's a vegetarian." In an interview Lamb stated he has "been listening to both sides so long that I don't know what I think anymore." When he is not working Lamb describes his life as, "simple things: movies, music, friends." His home in Arlington, Virginia
contains his collection of approximately 3,000 books.
. In November 2007, Lamb received the Presidential Medal of Freedom
for his work on C-SPAN. The C-SPAN archives are located in Lamb's alma mater at West Lafayette, Indiana
, Purdue. Lamb has coordinated a project to have the 120,000 hours of C-SPAN footage digitized to make them available online.
At age 17, Lamb conducted one of his first interviews, with the three members of The Kingston Trio
. After checking the tape, he discovered it was blank, and asked the group to redo the interview which they agreed to. "I'll never forget their kindness," he stated. A job at WASK radio gave Lamb the opportunity to interview musicians including Louis Armstrong
, Duke Ellington
, Nat King Cole
, and Count Basie
. In April 1989, C-SPAN began to air episodes of Booknotes
which was based on the format of "One author, one book, one hour." Lamb hosted the weekly show, which concentrated on non-fiction books. Books were not subject to Lamb's liking. He spent an average of 20 hours reading and preparing for each interview, though he spoke for less than five minutes over the course of each episode. Over the series' run until December 2004, Lamb interviewed 801 authors. Lamb has published multiple books which compile author's responses from their Booknotes interview, with Lamb's questions removed. In addition to Booknotes, Lamb also interviewed "heads of state, war correspondents, biographers, scholars, generals and peacemakers." "I don’t pretend I have the answers. That’s why I’m here asking the questions," Lamb said in 2008. He has interviewed every president since Lyndon Johnson. He complimented Bill Clinton
on pausing for 30 seconds before answering some questions. After Booknotes run ended, Lamb began hosting a new show entitled Q&A, which interviews authors, as well as educators, and media members.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
, a television network dedicated to coverage of government proceedings and public affairs. Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, Lamb earned a degree from Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
before joining the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. After various jobs in the communications field Lamb pitched his idea of a non-profit channel to cable executives, which was approved in 1977—C-SPAN began broadcasts two years later. Lamb has conducted over 1,000 interviews in his lifetime, starting in high school and continuing on C-SPAN programs including Booknotes
Booknotes
Booknotes is an American television series on the C-SPAN network hosted by Brian Lamb, which originally aired from 1989 to 2004. The format of the show is a one-hour, one-on-one interview with a non-fiction author. The series was broadcast at 8 p.m. Eastern Time each Sunday night, and was the...
and Q&A. He has compiled multiple books from his work on Booknotes. He is not registered as a Democrat or Republican. Lamb was married at age 63 and lives in Virginia.
Life
Lamb spent the first twenty-two years of his life in his hometown of LafayetteLafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He describes his mother as "very religious" while his father—who was "very Irish"—was a beer distributor in Lafayette. Lamb's grandfather operated a tavern called Lamb's Place, also in Lafayette. Growing up Lamb wanted to be "an entertainer". He spent time as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and a drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
in multiple local bands. In 1961, Lamb coordinated a television program titled Dance Date, similar to Dick Clark's ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series, American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
. He graduated from Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, then joined the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Lamb has said his time in the Navy "was probably the most important thing [he's] ever done". After two years at sea Lamb was transferred to the audiovisual office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, or ASD is the principal staff advisor and assistant to the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense for public information, internal information, community relations, information training, and audiovisual matters in support of...
. In July 1967, he was transferred to Detroit to cover news conferences of Governor
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
George W. Romney
George W. Romney
George Wilcken Romney was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962, the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973...
of Michigan.
In December 1967, after the Navy, Lamb "wanted to be involved in politics". He was a White House social aide to Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, and escorted Lady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources and made that...
down the aisle at the wedding of Chuck Robb
Chuck Robb
Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb is an American politician. He served as the 64th Governor of Virginia from 1982 to 1986, and as a United States senator from 1989 until 2001. In 2004, he chaired the Iraq Intelligence Commission.-Early life:...
and Lynda Johnson
Lynda Bird Johnson Robb
Lynda Bird Johnson Robb is the elder of the two daughters of United States President Lyndon Baines Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird Johnson...
. He later recalled, "For five years after I got out of the Navy and went back part of the time to Indiana, the only thing I was known to have ever done in my life was to escort Mrs. Johnson down the aisle." Lamb "came very close" to becoming the personal aide of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
during his campaign for the 1968 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1968
The United States presidential election of 1968 was the 46th quadrennial United States presidential election. Coming four years after Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won in a historic landslide, it saw Johnson forced out of the race and Republican Richard Nixon elected...
, but instead returned to Indiana. In August 1968, after working at a local television station, Lamb spent ten weeks on the Nixon campaign in "the only campaigning [he's] ever done and or will ever do." He worked as a freelance reporter and a Senate press secretary, before a stint as a White House telecommunications policy staffer. While working for Cablevision in 1974, Lamb published a newsletter entitled The Media Report.
In September 2005, Lamb married Victoria Martin. The couple had dated in the 1970s, but split up—restarting their relationship in 1998. Lamb credits Warren Burger and Tom Wolfe
Tom Wolfe
Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...
with increasing his interest in reading. He has been to the gravesite of every United States president and vice-president. Lamb is not registered as a Democrat or Republican and has voted for candidates in both parties during presidential elections. In July 2008, John McCain jokingly described his political affiliation as, "I think he's a vegetarian." In an interview Lamb stated he has "been listening to both sides so long that I don't know what I think anymore." When he is not working Lamb describes his life as, "simple things: movies, music, friends." His home in Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
contains his collection of approximately 3,000 books.
C-SPAN
In 1977, Lamb submitted to cable executives his idea of a non-profit channel that would broadcast Congress. Said Lamb, "The risks weren't very significant. No one knew who I was. If I failed, so what?" The idea was approved and Lamb, three other men, and an annual budget of US$450,000 began broadcasting on March 19, 1979. "If you can't make decisions in front of us about how you use our money, then something is wrong." Lamb has described the network as "the antithesis of commercial television" because it does not attempt to make a profit. There is no effort to insert personal opinion into any C-SPAN interviews. In February 2003, Lamb was awarded the National Humanities MedalNational Humanities Medal
The National Humanities Medal honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities, broadened citizens’ engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to important resources in the humanities.The award, given by the...
. In November 2007, Lamb received the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
for his work on C-SPAN. The C-SPAN archives are located in Lamb's alma mater at West Lafayette, Indiana
West Lafayette, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
, Purdue. Lamb has coordinated a project to have the 120,000 hours of C-SPAN footage digitized to make them available online.
Interviews
Lamb's high school broadcasting teacher, Bill Fraser, taught Lamb the basics of broadcasing and interviewing. Fraser taught Lamb to "stay out of the way" while he conducted interviews.The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
. After checking the tape, he discovered it was blank, and asked the group to redo the interview which they agreed to. "I'll never forget their kindness," he stated. A job at WASK radio gave Lamb the opportunity to interview musicians including Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, and Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
. In April 1989, C-SPAN began to air episodes of Booknotes
Booknotes
Booknotes is an American television series on the C-SPAN network hosted by Brian Lamb, which originally aired from 1989 to 2004. The format of the show is a one-hour, one-on-one interview with a non-fiction author. The series was broadcast at 8 p.m. Eastern Time each Sunday night, and was the...
which was based on the format of "One author, one book, one hour." Lamb hosted the weekly show, which concentrated on non-fiction books. Books were not subject to Lamb's liking. He spent an average of 20 hours reading and preparing for each interview, though he spoke for less than five minutes over the course of each episode. Over the series' run until December 2004, Lamb interviewed 801 authors. Lamb has published multiple books which compile author's responses from their Booknotes interview, with Lamb's questions removed. In addition to Booknotes, Lamb also interviewed "heads of state, war correspondents, biographers, scholars, generals and peacemakers." "I don’t pretend I have the answers. That’s why I’m here asking the questions," Lamb said in 2008. He has interviewed every president since Lyndon Johnson. He complimented Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
on pausing for 30 seconds before answering some questions. After Booknotes run ended, Lamb began hosting a new show entitled Q&A, which interviews authors, as well as educators, and media members.
See also
- List of Booknotes interviews
- Steve ScullySteve ScullySteven L. Scully is the senior executive producer, political editor, and host of C-SPAN's Washington Journal, a three-hour early morning cable television public affairs program.-Background:Scully was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, to Hubert L...