Thomas Hampson is a large man, with even bigger ideas. He stopped by Big Think to talk about his craft, as well as the current state of classical music. From remembering a childhood of singing and dancing, to his first operatic performance in Hansel and Gretel, Hampson let Big Think in on a few of his important experiences growing up. A champion of the American song, Hampson explained what that actually means, linking poetry and music together. He even talked about those days that he would rather not hear anything, since music has become something that constantly surrounds us.