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Music & Culture

Mail-Order Music Giant Columbia House Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

1:58pm August 12, 2015

by Andrew Limbong

The music and movie subscription company has been called "the Spotify of the '80s." Columbia House moved exclusively to DVDs but could not stay afloat in an industry crowded with streaming services.

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Music & Culture

A Decade After Katrina, Randy Newman's 'Louisiana 1927' Comes To Mind

9:44am August 12, 2015

After Hurricane Katrina, one Randy Newman song was played often. Renee Montagne talks to Newman about Louisiana 1927. (This piece initially aired on Sept. 9, 2005, on Morning Edition.)

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Sean Price onstage in New York City in September of 2014.

Music & Culture

Sean Price, Well-Loved Brooklyn Rapper, Dies At 43

11:30am August 11, 2015

by Frannie Kelley

The death of the highly respected hip-hop figure prompted an outpouring of tribute and personal stories from his community this weekend.

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Charlie McCoy and the Escorts perform at the Jolly Roger in Printers Alley, circa 1965. From left to right: Wayne Butler, Jerry Tuttle, Kenny Buttrey, Mac Gayden, and Charlie McCoy.

Music & Culture

The Real Charlie McCoy, A Musical Quarterback Of 1960s Nashville

5:34pm August 08, 2015

by Jewly Hight

McCoy is best known as a harmonica player, but the studio veteran also played a big role in the pivotal moment when counter-cultural folk-rock came to Music City.

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A mural asserts local music pride in Bristol, Va., one of the stops along The Crooked Road — a trail that connects music venues through the mountains of the state.

Music & Culture

We're Off To See Appalachia: The Crooked Road Links Rural Music Communities

12:13pm August 07, 2015

by Desiré Moses

The Crooked Road is a 333-mile driving trail in Southwest Virginia, along which a rich music community has been able to thrive and draw visitors from all over the country.

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Dr. Dre releases his first album in 16 years, Compton, on August 7.

Music & Culture

Dr. Dre's 'Compton': Who Are The Album's New Artists?

7:18pm August 05, 2015

by Timmhotep Aku

He gave us Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Now, the producer has a new crop of protégés.

Tenor Placido Domingo performs the title role in a 1994 performance of Verdi's Otello at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Metropolitan Opera To Drop Use Of Blackface-Style Makeup In 'Otello'

6:08pm August 04, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

The Met says it is committed to "colorblind casting" and that its production of Otello this fall will be the first without dark makeup since the opera was first seen at the company in 1891.

Dolly Parton on stage at the Ryman Auditorium on July 31, one of two sold out shows that marked her first headlining gigs in Nashville in 12 years.

Music & Culture

Dolly In Nashville: Authenticity That Makes Room For Rhinestones

1:37pm August 03, 2015

by Ann Powers

At her first headlining shows in Nashville in a dozen years, Parton turned the Ryman Auditorium into the Church of Dolly.

At age 12, pianist Joey Alexander has made fans out of some very accomplished fellow jazz musicians. His debut album, My Favorite Things, was released in May.

Music & Culture

A (Very) Young Jazz Pianist Takes Giant Steps Towards Musical Mastery

8:28am August 02, 2015

by Heidi Chang

In the midst of releasing his debut album and playing the Newport Jazz Festival, 12-year-old piano prodigy Joey Alexander is staying centered.

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Music & Culture

In The Middle Of A Whirlwind, Miranda Lambert Shares The Spotlight

10:13am July 31, 2015

by Jewly Hight

Forget tomatogate. Put aside the still-fresh news of her divorce. When Miranda Lambert played the tiny stage at Nashville's 3rd & Lindsley last week, she put the focus on fellow female songwriters.