Vincent Bates works in the teacher education department at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. He received his PhD in music education from the University of Arizona and prior degrees from Brigham Young University. Vince currently serves as chair of the WSU Storytelling Festival, one of the largest youth storytelling and university-sponsored festivals in the US. He lives in Layton, Utah, with his wife (Kristin) and four children (Landon, William, Sophie, and Audrey). His research interests include rural music education, music education and social class, and critical social theories in music education.