Music

The singer/songwriter is one of the 2024 Kennedy Center honorees. In 1996, Raitt spoke to Fresh Air about about the musicians that inspired her, including Mississippi Fred McDowell

Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell. As you probably know, they're siblings who write songs together. She sings on their albums; he produces and plays several instruments. Their latest album, "Hit Me Hard And Soft," is now nominated for six Grammys, including all the major categories. Each of its tracks reached over 150 million streams on Spotify.

The British actor and singer played abolitionist Harriet Tubman in Harriet, and Aretha Franklin in Genius: Aretha. Now she's defying gravity as Elphaba in Wicked. Originally broadcast Oct. 18, 2021.

Jon Batiste joins Terry Gross from behind the piano to talk about his new album Beethoven Blues, in which he re-imagines Beethoven's compositions.

Paxton plays guitar, banjo, piano and harmonica — among other instruments. He's known for performing music from the 1920s and '30s. Paxton's new album of original songs is Things Done Changed.

Years ago, the acclaimed cellist asked a high school student to help him name his instrument. He brought his cello — aka "Petunia" — in for music and conversation during this May 2024 interview.

Gershwin wrote lyrics for enduring jazz standards, including "I Got Rhythm" and "Embraceable You". We talk with Michael Owen, author of Ira Gershwin: A Life in Words, and listen to some of his hits.

Petty's classic album is being rereleased as Long After Dark Deluxe, including seven previously unreleased songs. Petty, who died in 2017, spoke to Fresh Air in 2006 about his influences.

The new animated film, Piece By Piece, uses Legos to trace Pharrell Williams’s early life as a boy fueled by creativity and drawn to music. Directed by Academy Award-winner Morgan Neville, the unusual biopic charts Pharrell’s trajectory to becoming a Grammy-winning songwriter, performer and producer who's collaborated with artists like Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Britney Spears and Beyoncé.

Kristofferson, who died Sept. 28, was a Rhodes Scholar and an Army Ranger before taking a chance at songwriting. "Me and Bobby McGee" is perhaps his most famous song. Originally broadcast in 1999.