Music

Music & Culture

'White Christmas': A Concert With Rosemary Clooney

4:29pm December 24, 2012

To celebrate Christmas, Fresh Air listens back to a concert given by the late singer and actress on Feb. 11, 1997. Clooney spoke then with Terry Gross about her childhood, being on the road as a young performer with her sister, and working with Bing Crosby and Billy Strayhorn.

Queue Listen Now

Music & Culture

A Musical Montage, As Hosted By Guy Raz

5:02pm December 23, 2012

On his last day as the host of weekends on All Things Considered before moving to NPR's TED Radio Hour, Guy Raz looks back at some of his memorable music interviews from the past 3 1/2 years.

Queue Listen Now

Music & Culture

Remembering Von Freeman, Lol Coxhill And Sean Bergin

2:00pm December 21, 2012

by Kevin Whitehead

Jazz lost many great saxophonists in 2012, including David S. Ware, John Tchicai, Byard Lancaster, Faruq Z. Bey, Hal McKusick and Red Holloway. Critic Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to three more of his favorites.

Queue Listen Now

Director David Chase and Executive Producer and Music Supervisor Steve Van Zandt on the set of Not Fade Away.

'Not Fade': Rock 'N' Roll, Here To Stay

12:58pm December 21, 2012

In his new film, Sopranos creator David Chase tells a coming-of-age story about Jersey boys in the 1960s who dream of riding the wave of the British invasion all the way to stardom. Chase teams up with Steven Van Zandt — of the E Street Band and The Sopranos — to make the movie's music rock.

Queue Listen Now

Joe Strummer performs with his solo project, The Latino Rockabilly War, in 1989. The Clash frontman died of heart failure in December 2002.

Music & Culture

Joe Strummer's Life After Death

11:37am December 20, 2012

by Tom Vitale

They were called "the only band that matters." In the late 1970s and early '80s, The Clash pioneered punk rock — then went on to expand its possibilities in witty songs that critiqued the world. Strummer, the group's lead singer and songwriter, died 10 years ago this week.

Queue Listen Now

Sammy Kershaw's new album of Cajun holiday songs is called A Sammy Klaus Christmas.

Music & Culture

Country Singer Sammy Kershaw's Cajun Christmas

5:44am December 20, 2012

by NPR Staff

On his newest album, the Louisiana artist plays classic holiday songs infused with the sounds of the bayou.

Queue Listen Now

Music by guitarist Fields Ward appears in the new collection Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard: Hard Time, Good Time & End Time Music, 1923-1936.

Music & Culture

Tunes To 'Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard' To

9:32pm December 19, 2012

by Milo Miles

Critic Milo Miles says that in this new collection of music from between the world wars, "the currents of long-ago lives come through: the drudgery of the work that demanded the release of the party, which then required the penance of prayer."

Queue Listen Now

Music & Culture

Ken Tucker's Top 10 Albums Of 2012

9:25pm December 19, 2012

by Ken Tucker

From the inescapable "Call Me Maybe" to Fiona Apple's intricate word puzzles to the strikingly gorgeous return of Iris DeMent, the Fresh Air critic counts down his favorite albums and musical moments of the year.

Queue Listen Now