Music

In 'Beeswing,' Richard Thompson Revisits A Big Life Just Shy Of The Mainstream

April 11, 2021 - 7:00am

Richard Thompson has been making music for a very long time. From his days in the late 1960s as a teenage guitar player and songwriter with the seminal British folk rock group Fairport Convention to his roaring partnership with then-wife Linda Thompson, and his many years as a solo artist...

Costa Rica and Its Music

April 10, 2021 - 10:00am

Costa Rica, a part of Central America, connects North and South America. It aligns itself with Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. And because of its geographical proximity to other countries, Costa Rican music styles from Reggae, Rock, Ska, Punk, Metal, Rap, Hip Hop, and Reggeaton are popular.

#1398 April 10, 2021 Live Broadcast

April 10, 2021 - 10:00am

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A Melting Pot Of Traditions: Regina Carter Talks With Lara Downes

April 10, 2021 - 4:01am

When Duke Ellington famously coined the phrase "beyond category," he was talking about freedom — of choice, of expression, of belonging. He meant following your heart and your instincts into an artistic territory without borders. And that's the place where violinist Regina Carter makes her home. She plays...

Help Was On The Way For Shuttered Venues. Then The Website Crashed

April 9, 2021 - 2:23pm

The Small Business Administration yesterday launched with great fanfare a long awaited portal that would allow arts venues closed down by pandemic to apply for grant money to cover rent, utilities, insurance and other accumulated expenses. The site went live at noon, but was wracked with so many technical issues...

Rapper And Actor DMX Dead At 50

April 9, 2021 - 11:23am

Updated April 9, 2021 at 1:47 PM ET

Earl Simmons, better known as the rapper DMX, died Friday at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, N.Y., according to a statement from his family. He had been on life support for the past few days following a heart...

April 9, Creative Economy Update

April 9, 2021 - 10:00am

Mural in downtown Stevens Point painted by Alexander Landerman

Shereen Siewert welcomes representatives from the Waupaca Community Arts Board, Create Portage County and ArtStart Rhinelander to discuss the innovative ways they're boosting the local economy.

Upcoming Classical Music Concerts

April 8, 2021 - 8:00am

With summer around the corner and vaccination numbers rising, more classical music performers are considering concerts with in-person audiences. WPR host Lori Skelton discusses upcoming shows. Then, two musicians describe their experiences navigating the pandemic.

Lovely Songs From The Big Hold, Inspired By Bureaucracy

April 8, 2021 - 4:08pm

A year ago, when people were losing jobs left and right, millions called their local unemployment agency. Like many states, Texas struggled to deal with the volume of people applying for unemployment — which meant busy signals and long hold times. When you're dealing with the soul-crushing inefficiency of a...

For Operators Of Shuttered Arts Venues, Financial Assistance Arrives At Last

April 8, 2021 - 12:06pm

The long-awaited lifeline for live venues impacted by the coronavirus shut downs is finally here. Owners of small music venues, independent movie theaters and some museums can now apply for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant — a $16 billion grant program set up and run by the Small Business...

Regina Spektor On Mountain Stage

April 8, 2021 - 10:20am

Regina Spektor is a name synonymous with the melting pot of music that rose out of New York in the early 2000s. This Russian-Jewish-American, punk-rocked, classically-popped songwriting prodigy has the Bronx Walk of Fame sign to prove it. The music phenom even had her own "Regina Spektor Day," proclaimed by...

Spectrum West, April 8, 2021

April 8, 2021 - 10:00am

Musician, Reporter, Annual Ball, and Pandemic Reflections- Pianist and Eau Claire native Geoffrey Keezer and Washington Post correspondent Phil Rucker are on "Spectrum West."

The Thistle & Shamrock: New Spring Sounds

April 8, 2021 - 7:01am

While creative industries, like everything else, are stilled by a global pandemic, it's reassuring to know that the stream of tradition and creativity is ever flowing and therefore always being replenished. We take a listen to what musicians have been up to in the way of new music to brighten...

Merry Clayton Bares Her 'Beautiful Scars'

April 8, 2021 - 4:02am

When the Rolling Stones released "Gimme Shelter" in 1969, everyone recognized Mick Jagger. But at the time, no one knew who that voice – you know the one – belonged to.

It was Merry Clayton, one of the most in-demand back-up singers of her day. From Bobby Darin...

Tiny Desk Meets SXSW: Clipping

April 8, 2021 - 4:01am

Every year, NPR Music participates in the SXSW music festival, whether it's curating a stage or simply attending hundreds of shows at the annual event in Austin, Texas. Last year, the festival was canceled due to the pandemic, but it returned this March as an online festival. We programmed...

How Joy Oladokun's Career Bloomed In An Uncertain Year

April 7, 2021 - 8:00am

The only true constants in the music industry during the tumultuous pandemic era have been fantastically sobering ones: lost livelihoods; interrupted career momentum; belated recognition of the brokenness of a system built on the exploitation of Black innovation and labor.

And yet, during this same period, Joy Oladokun's career...

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In 'Beeswing,' Richard Thompson Revisits A Big Life Just Shy Of The Mainstream

Costa Rica and Its Music

#1398 April 10, 2021 Live Broadcast

A Melting Pot Of Traditions: Regina Carter Talks With Lara Downes

Help Was On The Way For Shuttered Venues. Then The Website Crashed

Rapper And Actor DMX Dead At 50

April 9, Creative Economy Update

Upcoming Classical Music Concerts

Lovely Songs From The Big Hold, Inspired By Bureaucracy

For Operators Of Shuttered Arts Venues, Financial Assistance Arrives At Last

Regina Spektor On Mountain Stage

Spectrum West, April 8, 2021

The Thistle & Shamrock: New Spring Sounds

Merry Clayton Bares Her 'Beautiful Scars'

Tiny Desk Meets SXSW: Clipping

How Joy Oladokun's Career Bloomed In An Uncertain Year

Tiny Desk Meets SXSW: DUCKWRTH

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