Terry Gross

Singer Emmylou Harris. She’s been making records for over 30 years with music that transcends the country-genre she started with, encompassing folk, rock, and pop. After decades of performing others’ songs, she has a new album of her own songs “Red Dirt Girl” (Nonesuch). She wrote 11 of the 12 songs on the CD. “Red Dirt Girl” will be released September 12. It’s her first solo album since her 1995 “Wrecking Ball” record. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

British actress Brenda Blethyn (like “Beth” – ‘BLETH-in’). She’s starring in the new comedy “Saving Grace” about a middle aged widow whose irresponsible husband left her in huge debt. She decides to start growing marijuana in her greenhouse instead of orchids. Blethyn’s other films include Mike Leigh’s “Secrets and Lies” (she was nominated for an Oscar) and “Little Voice.”

INT. 1: Washington Correspondent for The New York Times Melinda Henneberger. She’s writing a series of biographical profiles on Al Gore.