Apr 18 Watch 7:01 Sam Amidon mines the 'intensity & strangeness' of tradition to make music uniquely his own By Tom Casciato Sam Amidon is a singer-songwriter on the fiddle, banjo, and guitar, but he’s mostly known for recasting traditional American folk songs into vibrant contemporary soundscapes. He spoke to NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Tom Casciato about his Vermont upbringing and how… Continue watching
Apr 16 Watch 7:46 Long excluded from country music, Black women are breaking through By Amna Nawaz, Gretchen Frazee This weekend, Mickey Guyton will become the first Black woman to co-host the Academy of Country Music Awards. She was the only Black woman to be nominated for an award this year. But as Amna Nawaz reports, a number of… Continue watching
Apr 11 Watch 8:02 COVID-19 didn't stop these musicians from performing—here's how By Christopher Booker Over a year of COVID-19 shutdowns continues to be particularly hard for artists who rely on live shows and events to make a living — and despite streaming platforms like Spotify drawing more business than ever, many independent performers have… Continue watching
Apr 08 Watch 9:02 How Gabby Giffords is using music to rewire her brain after being shot By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport President Joe Biden reached out to, and fist-bumped, former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords at the White House Rose Garden Thursday -- A moment to mark a new push to curb gun violence. Giffords was shot in the head in 2011,… Continue watching
Apr 04 Rapper DMX on life support after heart attack, lawyer says By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Dave Collins, Associated Press DMX’s longtime New York-based lawyer, Murray Richman, said the rapper was on life support Saturday evening at White Plains Hospital. “He had a heart attack. He’s quite ill,” Richman said. Continue reading
Apr 04 Watch 3:17 Vinyl sales prop up independent music By Christopher Booker Even with the popularity of streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, last year saw a resurgence in sales of vinyl records—for the first time since 1986, there were more vinyl sold than CDs. The boost in sales couldn’t… Continue watching
Mar 24 Works by Janet Jackson, Kermit the Frog, among recordings added to Library of Congress By Associated Press The library selects titles for preservation because of their cultural and historic importance to the American soundscape. The titles have to be at least 10 years old. Continue reading
Mar 21 Watch 6:00 Music had a tough year in 2020. This band managed to thrive By Christopher Booker Despite a year at a standstill for the music industry — a world without tours, concerts or crowds — musical duo the Black Pumas somehow managed to be seemingly everywhere in 2020: on late-night television, the inauguration of President Biden,… Continue watching
Mar 14 Yo-Yo Ma serenades newly-vaccinated at inoculation clinic By Associated Press Newly vaccinated Massachusetts residents were treated to a mini concert over the weekend when famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma brought out his instrument after getting his second coronavirus shot. Continue reading
Mar 14 Who run the Grammys? Beyoncé, Taylor Swift make history By Mesfin Fekadu, Associated Press The Grammys are drunk in love with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift: the singers both made history at the 2021 show. Continue reading