Music

Yoakam has recorded a harmonious new duet with Post Malone. Morris is stretching beyond country's borders. And Thompson — half of the duo Thompson Square — looks back to the roots of honky-tonk.

The renowned arranger, composer and producer worked with countless artists, including Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson. Jones died Nov. 3. Originally broadcast in 2001.

Golson, who died Sept. 21, captured the sunny optimism of American in the late '50s and early '60s. He composed internal music for hit TV shows and appeared as himself in the 2004 film The Terminal.

Alex Van Halen is a founding member of the rock band Van Halen. His new memoir is called "Brothers."

Ken Tucker reviews Robert Hilburn's biography of Newman, A Few Words in Defense of Our Country. Plus, we listen back to a 1998 archival interview with the Grammy Award-winning artist.

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.

Houston, who died Oct. 7, started out on the gospel circuit as a child, sang backup for Aretha Franklin and later guided her daughter, Whitney, to superstardom. Originally broadcast in 1998.

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.

Dylan's 40-show 1974 tour with The Band produced a live double-album later that year. Now, the music available from that tour has increased dramatically with the release of a new 27-CD set.

Born Sept. 27, 1924, Powell helped set the style for jazz piano after WWII. While earlier pianists played busy bass patterns, he helped establish a more fragmented, punctuating role for the left hand.

Morgenstern, who died Sept. 7, directed the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies for 35 years, building a one-of-a-kind collection of recordings, memorabilia and writings. Originally broadcast in 2004.

Malone, who died Aug. 23, was one of the leading guitarists of his generation. Before starting his own group, he performed with Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr. and others. Originally broadcast in 2000.

Washington, who died in 1963, was born in Alabama and got her start singing in church. Throughout her relatively short, two-decade career, she boasted — and proved — that she could sing anything.

Ringwald represented teen angst in '80s films like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. She's also worked as a jazz musician, an author and a translator. Originally broadcast Feb. 12, 2024.

The recording sessions for Young's 1974 album were gloomy, drug-fueled affairs, but the end result proves that artists can make good work no matter how hemmed-in, churlish or depressed they may be.

Author Frank Guridy. His new book is called "The Stadium: An American History Of Politics, Protest, And Play."

Brittany Howard has returned to our show for a second visit to talk about her new solo album and more. She became well known as the singer guitarist and songwriter fronting the band Alabama Shakes. The band's second album, "Sound And Color," debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Though sales were lackluster, Too Much Too Soon captured the band's spirit. Less than a year after its release, the Dolls broke up in a combination of commercial failure and personal misbehavior.

The British band Roxy Music, led by singer/songwriter Bryan Ferry, released their fourth album in 1974. It would go on to crack the Billboard top 40 — and it remains thrilling today.