Alison Krauss & Union Station will be in Washington, DC today (7/21) to help the Obamas celebrate American country music, and demonstrate the music to middle and high school students.

There will be a workshop from 2:00-3:00 p.m. at The White House where 120 music students from all over the US will learn more about bluegrass and country music from Alison and her band, along with country superstar Brad Paisley. Songwriting as well as instrumental and vocal performance will be covered, and there will be a song performed from student and professional songwriters who collaborated through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Words and Music program.

Then at 7:30 p.m. (EDT), there will be a concert in the State Room, emceed by Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs, and including remarks from the President. It will be broadcast live online via The White House streaming video site.

This event will be hosted by Michelle Obama in her role as First Lady, and presented in association with The Country Music Association, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, produced by the Grand Ole Opry and Great American Country Television. One imagines that a TV special may be forthcoming?

We will have more details about this afternoon and evening’s goings on after the fact.