Music

Campbell co-wrote a number of hits for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. His new band is The Dirty Knobs, and their album is Mission of Mercy. Low Cut Connie's new album is Livin in the USA.

(1.) ROBERT KIMBALL, the musical historian who rediscovered and rescued music and manuscripts by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and others – and who co-wrote important books about George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Eubie Blake – died last week, at the age of 86. He was the artistic advisor to the Cole Porter and Ira Gershwin estates.

(1.) LENNY KAYE. He’s Patti Smith's longtime guitarist and his first solo album, called Goin’ Local will be released next week. It features his own songs. He’s written several books related to rock n roll history, including his latest, Lightning Striking, about ten transformative periods in rock history and the cities they originated in. His record anthology Nuggets: Original Artyfacts of the First Psychedelic Era,1965-68, inspired many first generation punk rockers.Early in his career, Kaye was a rock critic. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES THROUGH TO THE END OF THE SHOW).

(1.) Music producer PETER ASHER. In the 1960s he was part of the duo Peter and Gordon whose hits included A World Without Love, Nobody I Know, I Don’t Want to See You Again and I go to Pieces. After the duo split up, in 1968 Peter became the first A&R man at the Beatles new Apple Record Label. The first person he signed was James Taylor. ASHER soon after moved to LA, produced and managed Taylor and helped turn him into a star. He introduced Taylor to Carole King, and launched King’s performing career. He produced and managed Linda Rontadt.

Ibrahim, who died June 15, left South Africa in 1962 and lived in exile in the U.S. and Europe for many years. Kevin Whitehead offers an appreciation, and we listen to Terry Gross' 1989 interview.

O'Farrill is an introspective player whose solos insinuate themselves to listeners. His new album proves he's as adept at matching wits with his peers and elders as he is nurturing his protégés.

Rock critic KEN TUCKER reviews Kacey Musgrave's new album Middle of Nowhere and Jimmy McDonough’s biography of the 1970s-era singer Gary Stewart called I Am from the Honky Tonks.

The original stars of "The Book Of Mormon," Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. This week, as part of the show's 15th anniversary on Broadway, they're making cameo appearances in every performance.

Rollins, who died May 25, had for decades been hailed as the greatest living jazz musician. Kevin Whitehead offers an appreciation, and we listen back to Rollins' 1994 interview with Terry Gross.

Reid's quartet makes music that seems inspired by a variety of sources, ranging from modern dance to children's games. Her latest album is one of her most compelling.

Ann Marie Baldonado interviews Will Sharpe who stars in the new limited series "Amadeus"

We remember conductor, composer and musician MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS. He was a longtime music director of The San Francisco Symphony, known for his innovation, his ability to translate classical music for the general public, and for fostering contemporary music. He founded the New World Symphony for young players. He got his musical inheritance from his grandparents, who were stars of the Yiddish theatre. Tilson died last week at age 81. He had battled brain cancer since 2022. (THESE INTERVIEWS ARE REBROADCAST. THEY ORIGINALLY AIRED ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1995 and MARCH 28, 2012.)

Terry Gross interviews singer songwriter, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist ST. VINCENT, also known as Annie Clark. (REBROADCAST)

Jazz historian KEVIN WHITEHEAD reviews two new jazz biographies: Speakeasies to Symphonies: The Jazz Genius of James P. Johnson by Scott E. Brown; and Cosmic: Music: The Life, Art and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane by Andy Beta.

Jazz historian KEVIN WHITEHEAD marks the centennial of jazz pianist and composer Randy Weston.

A new documentary about Paul McCartney, his life after the breakup of The Beatles and the formation of his band Wings is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The film was made by our guest, Morgan Neville. He also directed documentaries about Fred Rogers, Anthony Bourdain and Orson Welles, as well as many prominent musicians, and has won an Oscar, Emmy and Grammy. Morgan Neville spoke with FRESH AIR's Ann Marie Baldonado.

There have been so many extraordinary iterations of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers that some remarkable editions have been overlooked — including Strasbourg 82, a newly discovered concert album.

Moroney's album arrives as a new kind of music from Big Pink: The Georgia-born singer/songwriter spins out tales of romantic revenge with a smooth fluency that's a stark contrasts to her raspy drawl.

Meyers, who died March 7, helped shape Tex-Mex music with the '60s band Sir Douglas Quintet and then with the Texas Tornados. His signature sound was on the vox organ. Originally broadcast in 1990.

(1.) Actor, writer, and producer RIZ AHMED. He stars in the new Prime Video series Bait, and in the upcoming film Hamlet, a modern reimagining of Shakespeare's *classic set in London's South Asian community (in theaters April 10th). Ahmed has built a distinctive career in film and television, from a rebellious intelligence officer in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a young Pakistani American on trial for murder in HBO's The Night Of, a performance that made him the first Muslim and first South Asian man to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor.