Popular music
Janelle Monáe Wants To Represent The Underdog — In Music And Onscreen
Janelle Monáe is interested in what it means to represent minority groups in art and music. She's currently starring in the Amazon series 'Homecoming.' And her 2018 CD 'Dirty Computer' was named one of the top albums of the year.
Remembering Ian Whitcomb, An Eccentric Singer-Songwriter Who Became An Author
Whitcomb, who died April 19, had the 1965 novelty hit, "You Turn Me On," but soon after devoted himself to writing books about early American popular music. Originally broadcast in 1988.
'Emphasize The Positive': James McBride On The Kindness That Shaped Him
James McBride is best known for his memoir, The Color of Water, about being the son of an African American father and a white mother. His new novel, Deacon King Kong, takes place in 1969, in a Brooklyn housing project, similar to the one he grew up in., and involves the wide consequences of a shooting.
'Fresh Air' Favorites: Catherine Russell
This week, we're listening back to some favorite Fresh Air interviews from the past decade. Russell sang tracks from her solo album, Strictly Romancin', during this 2012 interview and performance.
New Janis Joplin Biography Reveals The Hard Work Behind The Heart
In the 1960s, Janis Joplin was an icon of the counterculture, a female rock star at a time when rock was an all-boys' club.
Reporter Who Broke R. Kelly Story: Abuse Was In 'Full View Of The World'
Reporter Jim Derogatis describes how he came to investigate the story of the R&R singer R. Kelly and his sexual assault and abuse of underage girls. He's been covering the story for almost 20 years.