Music & Culture

Bob Dylan in 1970, the year he released his 10th studio album, Self Portrait.

Music & Culture

Bob Dylan's 'Self Portrait,' Now In Vivid Color

2:36pm September 10, 2013

by Ken Tucker

A key to the ongoing allure of Dylan's music lies in its ability to stand apart from its time. A new collection of alternate takes and demos re-evaluates the critical flop that was 1970's Self Portrait.

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The Steinway Musical Instruments factory in Queens, N.Y.

Why Steinway Is Likely To Be Sold To A Hedge Fund Manager

11:16am September 10, 2013

by Ilya Marritz

Steinway Musical Instruments is on the auction block and a mystery bidder, rumored to be hedge fund manager John Paulson, appears to have the winning bid at $458 million. Ilya Marritz explains why the fairly healthy company is seeking a buyout in the first place.

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Music & Culture

When Duke Flirted With The Queen

9:35am September 10, 2013

by Kevin Whitehead

Duke Ellington's piece for Queen Elizabeth II is included in a new collection of late-period suites.

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Janelle Monáe's new album, The Electric Lady, features collaborations with Prince, Erykah Badu, Miguel and Esperanza Spalding.

Music & Culture

'Electric Lady' Janelle Monae On Creating The Unheard

5:15pm September 08, 2013

by NPR Staff

The 27-year-old singer's music is often called futuristic — in part because her early releases revolved around a robot love story, but also because her work so firmly resists classification. She discusses her new album, The Electric Lady, here with NPR's Jacki Lyden.

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Sandra Boynton's new children's album and songbook is titled Frog Trouble.

Music & Culture

A Children's Author Wrangles A Cowboy Soundtrack

6:11pm September 07, 2013

by Debbie Elliott

Writer and illustrator Sandra Boynton recruited some of rock and country music's finest to create an eclectic collection of tunes for her new album and songbook, Frog Trouble.

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Superchunk's new album is titled I Hate Music.

Music & Culture

On Its New Album, Superchunk Makes The Downtrodden Sound Upbeat

1:53pm September 06, 2013

by Ken Tucker

The long-running rock band's latest album is driven by themes of loss and grief, set against ferocious guitars and soaring vocals. Fresh Air critic Ken Tucker says the provocatively titled I Hate Music is full of typically superlative moments.

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The Prisonaires, a band formed in a Memphis-area prison, created one of Sun Records' early hits.

Music & Culture

The Dawn Of Sun Records: 15 Hours Of Blues

1:52pm September 06, 2013

by Ed Ward

In 1950, a red-haired Alabama boy who'd learned about radio and electronics in the U.S. Army opened a recording studio to document the blues and country music he loved. A new box set compiles the beginnings of Sam Phillips' Memphis Recording Service, and the record label he would soon create.

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John Zorn's latest album is Dreamachines, which is inspired by Brion Gysin and William Burroughs' cut-up techniques.

Music & Culture

At 60, 'Challenges Are Opportunities' For John Zorn

1:25pm September 03, 2013

At 60, New York City composer John Zorn is wiser, sure, but no less prolific, thoughtful and antagonistic than before. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross that, at his age, "there are no more doubts."

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American composer Irving Berlin sings his song "God Bless America" in front of Boy Scouts troop members and spectators gathered at a tent in Monticello, New York in 1940. Instead of collecting royalties from "God Bless America," Berlin created a fund that

From Peace To Patriotism: The Shifting Identity Of 'God Bless America'

10:47am September 03, 2013

by NPR Staff

In the new book God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song, author Sheryl Kaskowitz explores the lyrical evolution of Irving Berlin's enduring song and explains how its early popularity reflected the anxiety of the pre-war period and sparked a surprising anti-Semitic and xenophobic backlash.

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Jason Isbell was previously a member of Drive-By Truckers. His solo albums include Sirens of the Ditch and Here We Rest.

Music & Culture

Jason Isbell Locates His Musical Compass On 'Southeastern'

2:26pm September 02, 2013

The singer-songwriter earned a name for himself while playing with Drive-By Truckers and The 400 Unit, but on his new album — written after he got sober — Isbell finds a new level of emotional honesty. Here, he talks with Terry Gross about his life and plays songs from Southeastern.

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