Music

Music & Culture

Committed's 'Home For Christmas' Has Fun Songs And Some Classics

7:00am December 25, 2014

David Greene talks to members of the a cappella group Committed about their new holiday album, Home For Christmas. Committed won season two of NBC's a cappella competition series, The Sing-Off.

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Every year, David DeBoy and The Hons (Wendy Savelle, center, and Karen Fitze) perform a live — and often sold-out — show in the upstairs cabaret of a Baltimore restaurant.

'Crabs For Christmas': A Tuneful Baltimore Tradition (Really!)

5:09pm December 24, 2014

by Neda Ulaby

More than 30 years ago, David DeBoy wrote a hit holiday song about a local delicacy. Its success led to other Baltimore-themed Christmas songs, then to albums and finally to a live show.

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The Waitresses' members were in the middle of a tour behind "I Know What Boys Like" when "Christmas Wrapping" took over the radio in 1981.

Music & Culture

Couldn't Miss This One: Behind 'Christmas Wrapping'

8:02am December 24, 2014

It's a short story about a woman who just wants to spend the holiday alone, from a band that had no interest in writing what would become a holiday classic.

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Michel Martin with five Latino influencers from the Charlotte business community. Alina Bartlett, Jorge De La Jara, Carlos Salum, Deborah Aguiar-Vélez, and Milagritos Aguilar.

'Going There' In 2014

1:57pm December 23, 2014

by Michel Martin

Michel Martin has spent much of the last few months on the road, and she has been moved by the people she's met and the stories they've shared with her. She remembers her Top 5 moments of 2014.

Los Aldeanos' Aldo Rodriguez (left) and El B.

What A Failed Hip-Hop Experiment Can Teach Us About The Future Of U.S.-Cuba Relations

11:55am December 23, 2014

A report suggests that USAID infiltrated Cuba's nascent hip-hop scene several years ago. Now that Cuba-U.S. relations have officially begun to thaw, what is the future of programs like these?

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Music & Culture

Moreno's 'El Burrito Sabanero', Welcomed Update To A Holiday Song

7:28am December 23, 2014

by Felix Contreras

"Mi Burrito Sabanero" is about a little donkey making its way to Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born. We hear about a reimagined version of the classic Latin American Christmas song by Gaby Moreno.

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Music & Culture

Charismatic Singer Joe Cocker Dies At 70

5:54pm December 22, 2014

by Neda Ulaby

The British singer, who won American hearts for his performance at Woodstock, died of lung cancer.

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Singer Joe Cocker, famous for his powerful and raspy voice, has died at age 70.

Music & Culture

Singer Joe Cocker Dies At Age 70

4:02pm December 22, 2014

by Bill Chappell

Joe Cocker, the raspy-voiced British singer famous for hit songs such as "Feelin' Alright" and "Up Where We Belong," has died, his management agency says.

Nick Lowe's Christmas album is called Quality Street. He's currently touring the U.S.

Music & Culture

Nick Lowe Brings His 'Quality Holiday Revue' To America

1:31pm December 22, 2014

"We think it's all a bit vulgar, you know, cashing in on Christmas," Lowe says of the British. He says he took it as a challenge: Quality Street tackles old classics and adds originals to the mix.

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Music & Culture

When The Beatles Gave Fans A 'Crimble' Present

9:08pm December 21, 2014

In the 1960s, the Beatles sent their most loyal fans a Christmas gift every year — a flexi-disc. NPR's Rachel Martin talks to music writer Colin Fleming about the annual holiday single.

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