World music critic Milo Miles remembers two musicians who were recently assassinated: Rachid Baba Ahmed, a producer and musician of Algerian Rai Music, and Tejano music's Selena.
Classical music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording of a major Tchaikovsky opera that hasn't gotten much attention in the United States. It's called "Mazeppa."
Terry Gross talks with the Croatian writer about her book Have a Nice Day: From the Balkan War to the American Dream. Part memoir, part short story collection, the book chronicles the writer's transplanted life as a lecturer in Middletown, Connecticut, a world away from the brutal Balkan war.
In light of the release of the first full-length biography on the African American baseball player, commentator Gerald Early reflects on the life Jack Robinson.
Biographer Tad Szulc has a new book called Pope John Paul II: The Biography. It details the Pope's early years in Poland through his climb to the papacy after being elevated to archbishop in 1963. Szulc traveled with the Pope extensively, had access to many of his private papers and interviewed many of the Pope's old schoolmates, friends and fellow priests. Szulc is a former New York Times bureau chief.
Simms is the creator of the new NBC sit-com "News Radio." He previously worked as writer for both the "The Larry Sanders Show," and "Late Night with David Letterman."
Rock historian Ed Ward looks back on the West Coast label SST, which was responsible for launching the careers of several seminal punk and alternative bands.
Fresh Air rock historian Ed Ward takes a look at the record label, which emerged as a subsidiary of All Platinum Records. It promoted rap music soon after it first emerged in New York nightclubs.
Kaminer's new book, It's All the Rage offers insights into our culture's larger questions of individual responsibility, victimization, punishment, innocence and guilt. Kaminer is also a contributing editor to the Atlantic Monthly and Public Fellow at Radcliffe College.
Haggard has been on the country music scene since the early sixties and has more number one hits than any country music star except Conway Twitty. Recently, two tribute albums of his songs were released: Mama's Hungry Eyes and Tulare Dust. Haggard was also recently inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Wertheimer has been with NPR since the network first went on the air with All Things Considered, May 3, 1971, which she now hosts. Wertheimer has come out with a book that looks back at some of the key events in American history as they were covered by NPR sations, called Listening to America.
Rock historian Ed Ward continues this week's five part series on the influence of several key record companies on the music world. Today, Ward looks at Casablanca, a big producer of disco hits, and its founder Nick Bogart.
We continue our interview with NPR reporter and All Things Considered producer/host Linda Wertheimer. In this segment, she talks about her experiences as a woman during the early days of her career.
Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead remembers the late Julius Hemphill, who died on Sunday. Hemphill, the saxophonist and composer, helped found the World Saxophone Quartet.
Rock Historian Ed Ward continues his five part series on what impact several small record companies have had on the music world. Today he discusses Island Records, founded in England by Jamaican-born musician Chris Blackwell.
