May 06 Watch 5:04 A contemporary composer considers the musical legacy of Johannes Brahms By PBS News Hour Saturday will mark the 183rd birthday of the celebrated German composer and pianist Johannes Brahms. A complicated and utterly self-guarded man, Brahms liked to claim that his music didn’t flow from his heart, but the soulful and passionate nature of… Continue watching
May 02 There’s more to Janis Joplin than tragedy By Joshua Barajas Amy Berg’s documentary complicates the public memory of Joplin as a cautionary tale of rock and roll excess. Continue reading
Apr 25 Watch 5:11 With ‘Lemonade,’ Beyonce shows she’s an artist in control By PBS News Hour Pop sensation Beyonce’s sixth studio album, “Lemonade,” made an immediate impact with its innovative release as a visual album on HBO and through the music streaming service Tidal. For more on the groundbreaking work, which addresses both her personal troubles… Continue watching
Apr 21 Celebrities pay tribute to Prince on Twitter By Erik Andersen Celebrities and musical artists spoke out online Thursday to pay tribute to musical icon Prince, who died Thursday at age 57. Continue reading
Apr 21 Prince, music icon whose influence spanned 4 decades, dead at 57 By Kenya Downs, Corinne Segal Prince, whose unique blend of funk, soul, hip-hop and pop earned him top honors in music and millions of fans worldwide, died Thursday at 57. Continue reading
Apr 03 Watch 6:36 Singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams talks finding ‘the joy’ later in life By PBS News Hour One of the most critically acclaimed singer-songwriters in America today is Lucinda Williams. She's a hard-to-categorize Southerner who transcends any one style, and has won Grammy Awards for rock, country and folk music. A late bloomer, it's taken Williams four… Continue watching
Apr 01 Watch 4:42 A trip to visit her family roots inspired this British singer By PBS News Hour, Frank Carlson British singer/songwriter Lianne La Havas describes how her heritage inspired her latest album in our series My Music. Continue watching
Mar 23 Watch 2:36 Hear what’s in the newest sonic time capsule from the Library of Congress By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Mar 21 Watch 6:19 50 years on, a Monday night tradition keeps the Village Vanguard swinging By PBS News Hour, Frank Carlson At the world famous Village Vanguard jazz club in New York City, Monday nights have meant big band music for 50 years, stretching back to the days of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis. For the jazz impresarios there today, playing… Continue watching
Mar 10 Watch 3:22 How does a singer-songwriter deal with self-doubt on stage? By PBS News Hour Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter has been performing music for nearly 20 years. But even today, he sometimes finds himself gripped by self-doubt -- both on and off stage. He copes by remembering the relationships he’s developed and the possibilities that lie… Continue watching