Singing
'Schmigadoon!' star Cecily Strong and co-creator Cinco Paul embrace musical satire
SNL's Cecily Strong co-stars in the Apple TV+ satire series Schmigadoon!. It centers on a couple who gets trapped in a town where people burst into song. We talk with Strong as well as Cinco Paul, the show's co-creator.
'Fresh Air' Pays Respect To Aretha Franklin, The Queen Of Soul
To mark the debut of the biopic RESPECT, we listen back to archival interviews with Aretha, as well as with Jerry Wexler, producer of the hit "Respect," and Dan Penn, who co-wrote "Do Right Woman."
Tony Bennett Retires From Performing: Listen Back To His 'Fresh Air' Interviews
Bennett continued performing even after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Now, at 95, he will retire, following doctor's orders. Bennett spoke with Terry Gross in 1982, 1991 and 1998.
Leslie Odom Jr. Finds Sam Cooke's Voice In 'One Night In Miami'
Odom Jr. landed his first Broadway role at 16, and later starred as Aaron Burr in Hamilton. Now he's up for two Oscars, one for his role as Cooke in One Night in Miami.
Dusty Springfield's Manager/Biographer Describes Singer's Dance With 'Demons'
The late British singer had a number of hits in the '60s, many of which are included in a new Atlantic Records anthology. We listen back to a 2002 interview with Springfield's friend Vicki Wickham.
'White Christmas': A Holiday Concert With Rosemary Clooney
To celebrate Christmas, Fresh Air listens back to a concert given by the late singer and actress on Feb. 11, 1997. Clooney spoke about her childhood and working with Bing Crosby and Billy Strayhorn.
Jazz Singer Cécile McLorin Salvant Doesn't Want To Sound 'Clean And Pretty'
MacArthur fellow McLorin Salvant sings jazz standards as well as forgotten early songs. "In jazz, I felt I could sing these deep, husky lows," she told Terry Gross in this 2015 interview.
2 Broadway Stars Grapple With COVID And ALS: 'We're Adapting To A New Reality'
Married Broadway stars Danny Burstein and Rebecca Luker both contracted COVID in the spring. Burstein was hospitalized. Luker's case was less severe, but it came soon after she was diagnosed with ALS.
Christine Baranski On Putting Up A 'Good Fight' During 'This Dystopian Era'
Baranski started her career in theater and now stars as a progressive lawyer in The Good Fight. "I was a passionate acting student and nothing was going to stop me," the Emmy Award-winning actor says.
Rachael & Vilray Share A Mic — And A Love Of Old Swing Standards
Rachael & Vilray first met in 2003 when they were students at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, but didn't begin performing together until 2015. Now they are the duo Rachael & Vilray and they play original songs inspired by the music of the 1930s and 40s. They'll talk and sing in the studio.