Music & Culture

Betty Wright in 1975, when she was 21 years old, stands with a display of some of her album covers. Wright was already a veteran by the time she was out of her teens, having released four studio albums that included multiple songs that would be career sig

Music & Culture

Betty Wright Packed A Career's Worth Of Music Into Her Youthful First Act

4:54pm May 11, 2020

by Oliver Wang

Already a veteran by the time she was out of her teens, the early career of Betty Wright, who died Sunday, produced many R&B hits, including a pair of songs that would become career signatures.

Lizzo performs on Saturday Night Live on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019.

Music & Culture

'SNL' Just Wrapped Its 45th Season: It's Time To Cruelly Rank Its Musical Guests

4:31pm May 11, 2020

by Stephen Thompson

It is vital that we reflect on the most recent season of Saturday Night Live and mean-spiritedly rank its 18 featured musical acts from worst to best.

Jenevieve collides with BENZIBOY for a bossa nova update to Groove Theory's "Tell Me."

Music & Culture

Heat Check: Shook Up, Shook Down, Shook Out

11:00am May 11, 2020

New tracks from Jenevieve, Yebba and Kehlani fall into the sweet spot of musical discovery that keeps you on your toes with every sample, flip and chord change.

Music & Culture

Our Daily Breather: Gregory Porter On Learning Russian And Cooking Creatively

10:01am May 11, 2020

by Gregory Porter

In Our Daily Breather, we ask writers and artists to recommend ways to find calm in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Gregory Porter has been honing his mother's knack for creative cooking.

Music & Culture

Jazz Community Comes Together To Help Unemployed Musicians

7:49am May 11, 2020

The Jazz Coalition Commission Fund is trying to help struggling musicians by doling out $1,000 micro-grants through a nomination and jury process. Winners will create new musical pieces.

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Augustin Hadelich plays a Tiny Desk concert.

Music & Culture

Augustin Hadelich: Tiny Desk Concert

5:00am May 11, 2020

by Tom Huizenga

Grammy-winning fiddler Augustin Hadelich brings one of the finest violins in the world to the Tiny Desk.

Betty Wright, Soul Icon Who Sang 'Clean Up Woman,' Has Died At Age 66

7:44pm May 10, 2020

by Jason Slotkin

The singer is known for a roster of hits that included the songs "Dance With Me" and "No Pain No Gain." She died following a battle with cancer.

Music & Culture

With Live Shows Canceled, Indie Artists Try To Adapt

6:04pm May 10, 2020

NPR's Don Gonyea talks to singer-songwriters Lilly Hiatt and Caleb Caudle about releasing new music during the coronavirus and how musicians are finding new ways to promote their work.

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Music & Culture

Remembering Andre Harrell

4:59pm May 10, 2020

Journalist and screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper talks about the life and legacy of Andre Harrell, the founder of Uptown Records, who died recently at the age of 59.

A veteran of the Chicago DIY scene, NNAMDÃ has played with everyone from Vagabon to Ratboys. His latest release, Brat, is about coming to terms with feeling selfish for deciding to pursue music.

Music & Culture

NNAMDÏ On 'Brat' And Channeling A Decade Of Chicago DIY Influence Into Pop Music

3:32pm May 10, 2020

The experimental artist Nnamdi Ogbonnaya talks about not limiting his creative ceiling when making his latest album and his conflicted feelings about pursuing music over taking a traditional job.

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