Neil Diamond On Loving Christmas Music As A Jew
Diamond says that for him and other Jewish artists, Christmas music is a way to catch up on what they missed as kids.
Music Interviews
Just What Is An Album? In 2016, That Was An Open Question
This year, major pop artists changed the definition of an album with unconventional releases. NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen joined host Audie Cornish to discuss this phenomenon.
A Very Jon Batiste Christmas
The bandleader for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert has released a new album of "funkified" holiday classics. "I love remixing things and making them fit in a different context," he says.
'High Times' And High Notes: The Life Of Sebastian Bach
The former Skid Row frontman spent a lot of his glory years under the influence, but his first true high came from singing in Christmas mass as kid. He discusses his new memoir with NPR's Ailsa Chang.
For Mavis Staples, The Music Of The Civil Rights Era Couldn't Be More Relevant Today
The gospel legend is now a Kennedy Center honoree. She discusses developing an iconic voice at a young age, her family's confrontations with racism and why she's a big fan of Chance The Rapper.
The Life Of Danny Barker, Who Saw Jazz As 'A Ride On A Royal Camel'
Barker played with everyone from Billie Holliday to Cab Calloway to Jelly Roll Morton. Scott Simon speaks with Music Inside Out host Gwen Thompkins about the late banjo player and guitarist's legacy.
Born In Sudan, Based In Brooklyn. A Singer Remixes Her Identities
Please, says the singer-songwriter, don't pigeonhole her as some sort of "refugee artist." She calls her music "East-African Retro-Pop."
Dwight Yoakam Says New Album Was Inspired By Coal Mining And Mountain Music
The country star plays songs and talks with Fresh Air about his grandfather's work in the coal mines. Yoakam's latest album, Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars ... features bluegrass versions of his hits.
Marching Flute And Fantasy Fiction: The Education Of Lizzo
The Minneapolis singer and rapper spent her early life deep in the Pentecostal church — and shut away from secular music. When she moved to Houston, Texas, everything changed.
'O Emmanuel' Composer Mixes In Jazz To Provide 'Respite' Within Traditional Hit
Composer J.J. Wright combines sacred music with jazz for a project based on texts and melodies of Advent. NPR's Scott Simon speaks to him from Rome where he now interns with the Sistine Chapel Choir.