Terry Gross

Rock and roll songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They're responsible for many of the greatest hits in rock history, among them "Hound Dog," "Yakity Yak," and "Stand By Me." Rhino records has a collection of their songs, called "There's A Riot Goin' On." (Rebroadcast from December 19, 1991).

Songwriter and Producer, Ellie Greenwich. She co-wrote some of the most popular songs of the early 1960's for the girl groups produced by Phil Spector: songs like "Leader of the Pack" and "River Deep, Mountain High". She got her start out of the Brill Building with the songwriting team of Lieber and Stoller. In the 1980's, when she was writing songs for Cyndi Lauper and Irene Cara, she performed some of her hits in a Broadway Review called "Leader of the Pack." (Rebroadcast from 1986).

In the 1960s, King wrote hit songs like "Up on the Roof" and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" But in the 70s, she achieved lasting fame with songs like "Natural Woman" and her album "Tapestry," which was the best-selling album of the decade. Terry spoke to her in 1989. (Rebroadcast.)

Spector, who in the 1960s was a member of the girl group The Ronettes. She left the music business for several years, but recorded new music in the 1980s. Terry spoke to her in 1987. (Rebroadcast)

Costello cowrote with Bacharach the song "God Give Me Strength" for Allison Ander's newest movie, Grace of My Heart. Costello spoke with Terry Gross earlier this year. (Originally aired 6/4/96)

Anders talks about her new film, "Grace of My Heart," based on the lives of songwriters who worked out of the Brill Building in New York. Her other movies include: "Four Rooms," "Mi Vida Loca," and "Gas Food Lodging."

The Nobel Prize winner and activist talks with Terry about his newest book "The Open Sore of a Continent: A Personal Narrative of the Nigerian Crisis." It's been nearly a year since the Nigerian military government executed dissident writer Ken Saro-Wiwa. The killing sparked international protests that today has left Nigeria politically isolated. The events that led up to the execution in November 1995 mark Nigeria's decline from a thriving post-colonial state to its present military dictatorship.

Chicago Tribune science writer Ronald Kotulak talks with Terry about his new book "Inside the Brain: Revolutionary Discoveries of How the Mind Works." It is published by Andrews and McMeel. Kotulak has interviewed more than 300 of the leading researchers and reveals the latest theories on how the brain thinks. Kotulak received the Pulitzer Prize for two related newspaper series on brain research: "Unravelling the Mysteries of the Brain" and "Roots of Violence."

Martin talks with Terry Gross about his life on stage. Next month, his new book "Picasso at The Lapin Agile and Other Plays" will be published by Grove Press. It contains one full length play and three one-acts. Martin is also author of a collection of short stories, "Cruel Shoes." His screenwriting credits include "L.A.

Wuhl talks with Terry about his new HBO comedy series "Arli$$." It is about the life of Arliss Michaels, a high powered Los Angeles sports agent. The cable sitcom began airing last month and airs Wednesday nights. Wuhl also played Larry in "Bull Durham," Alex Knox the investigative reporter in the movie "Batman," and D.J. Marty Driewitz in the film "Good Morning Vietnam."