Music

Smith's debut album ushered in a new era of rock and roll. Critic Ken Tucker reviews the new anniversary edition of Horses, plus we listen back to Terry Gross' 1996 and 2010 interviews with Smith.

Critic Lloyd Schwartz tells a story about Lezhneva, a Russian singer he "discovered" a few months ago — without realizing he already owned a 2015 recording of her rendition of Handel's early oratorio.

For years, singer and musician Laufey knew she wanted to be a performer but struggled to find an audience. The child of an Icelandic father and a Chinese immigrant mother, Laufey sometimes felt out of place in Iceland. That's when Laufey began posting videos of herself singing jazz standards while also playing cello, guitar or piano.

Swift's previous albums focused on the love she yearned for. The dozen songs on her latest release combine to form a picture of true love found, tested and proven strong.

Enter In 1973, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, then struggling musicians, released an album that inspired Mick Fleetwood to invite them to join his band. Buckingham Nicks has just been remastered.

When he was 18, Ronson began DJing in the clubs of New York City. In the new memoir, Night People: How to Be a DJ in '90s New York City, Ronson reflects on the 1990s club scene and his journey to becoming a music producer. He's gone on to work with some of the biggest names in pop, including Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and more.

Big Thief has a new album, as does Zach Top, a young country singer with roots in old country. And the Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey brings a classical-music and jazz influence to her pop songs.

Bluegrass singer-songwriter Billy Strings talks with Fresh Air producer Sam Briger. Though he never took formal lessons, Strings learned to play the guitar by hanging around with his dad and listening to him play Doc Watson. Strings' newest album is a collaboration with bluegrass guitarist Bryan Sutton called Live at the Legion.

Sept. 1 marks what would have been Pepper's 100th birthday. Kevin Whitehead offers an appreciation of the jazz saxophonist, who started on clarinet at age 9. Pepper died in 1982.

Dion, a former teen idol, was deeply influenced by blues and country music. He had his first hit, "I Wonder Why," in 1958, with the doo-wop group The Belmonts. Originally broadcast in 2000.