Terry Gross

Another edition of our American Popular Song Series, profiling composer Jerome Kern. He wrote the songs "All the Things You are," "Can't Help Lovin' That Man," "I'm Old-Fashioned," "Ol' Man River," and "The Way You Look Tonight." A number of those songs are from the broadway musical "Showboat" which he wrote. We'll focus on the music he wrote before then, before 1927.

Victoria Price is the daughter of actor Vincent Price, who was best known as the "King of Horror" for his performances in horror films. Victoria is the author of the new book: "Vincent Price: A Daughter's Biography." (St. Martins).

Soul singer Barry White, the sweet-talking, deep-voiced performer who rhapsodizes about love. His hits include "My First, My Last, My Everything," "Never Never Gonna Give Up," and "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More." Before he became a hit as a solo performer, White put together the female vocal trio, Love Unlimited and founded the Love Unlimited Orchestra, a 40 piece ensemble to accompany himself and the trio. White has a new autobiography, "Barry White: Love Unlimited." (written with Marc Eliot, published by Broadway books).

Violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. Born in Russia, she emigrated to Philadelphia with her family when she was eight so that she could attend the Curtis Institute. Later her unorthodox playing, and unconventional attire on stage earned her a reputation as the "bad girl" of classical violin. In 1994 she nearly sliced the tip of her finger off chopping onions, and after surgery and painful practicing, she returned to the stage. Sonnenberg has played with just about every major orchestra and has recorded 15 albums.

Documentary director Dean Ward. His new film, "Let Me In, I Hear Laughter: a Salute to the Friars" is about the Friars club, the place where show business entertainers meet and then roast each other. Such comic luminaries as George Burns, Groucho Marx, Bob Hope, as well as entertainers Will Rogers, George M. Cohan, and Irving Berlin were members. Then we meet two current members of the Friars. The documentary premieres on Cinemax tomorrow, Tuesday, October 26th. Also Comedy Central features the Friars' Club roast of comic Jerry Stiller, Wednesday, October 27th.

Dean of the New York Friars' Club, Freddie Roman, and comic Jeffrey Ross, are both featured in the documentary, and the roast of Jerry Stiller.

Journalist Bill Minutaglio writes for The Dallas Morning News. He's also just written a biography of presidential hopeful and Texas Governor George W. Bush. It's called "First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty" (Times Books).

Journalist Allan Nairn has covered U.S. foreign policy since 1980. In September after most journalists, UN officials, and independent observers were forced out of East Timor, Nairn stayed to report on events there. He witnessed the destruction and violence in Dili by the militia following the vote for independence by East Timorese. He was then arrested, detained, and deported. Nairn writes for "The Nation", Pacifica Radio and The New Yorker.

Writer Rick Whitaker has written a new memoir about the two years he spent as a male prostitute in New York City: "Assuming the Position: A Memoir of Hustling" (Four Walls Eight Windows). At that time Whitaker also was writing a novel, addicted to drugs, and indulging in his love of highbrow culture. Whitaker is a graduate of Hunter College, with a degree in philosophy.

A rare interview with the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. She's won fifteen Grammy awards and is the first woman to be inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The state of Michigan has proclaimed her voice a natural resource. Her hits include "Respect," "I Say a Little Prayer," and "You Make me Feel Like a Natural Woman." She's just written an autobiography with David Ritz, entitled "Aretha: From These Roots" (Villard Books).