Nov 10 Watch 6:17 Inside Milan’s Casa Verdi, where musicians retire in harmony By Christopher Livesay When Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi in the late 1800s built a neo-Gothic mansion in Milan, he envisioned a bustling sanctuary for professional musicians who were not earning livable incomes. Since then, Casa Verdi has hosted 1,500 residents and become an… Continue watching
Nov 09 Watch 3:54 This great-grandfather lost his sight but became a rock star By Frank Carlson Robert Finley, a 64-year-old blues guitarist and singer, relaunched his career in music after years of working as a carpenter. Before he knew it, he was playing with Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys and other prominent artists. Finley spoke… Continue watching
Aug 16 Watch 13:31 Remembering Aretha Franklin, the soulful voice of our time By Judy Woodruff, Anne Azzi Davenport A legend is gone. Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul,” died Thursday at age 76 in Detroit from pancreatic cancer. One of the best-selling musical artists of all times, she defined a generation of music with countless hits like “Think”… Continue watching
Jul 13 Watch 8:05 Lost recordings uncover John Coltrane’s timeless talent By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport The lost recordings of jazz titan John Coltrane have been rediscovered and shared with the world. Jeffrey Brown visits the jazz great’s recording studio where the mystery began to take a listen to "Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album,"… Continue watching
Oct 19 Watch 8:19 How Trombone Shorty is training the next generation of musicians in his hometown By PBS News Hour Troy Andrews, better known as Trombone Shorty, grew up with music all around him in New Orleans, first playing on the streets at age 4. Now with a Grammy, an international following and a new album, Andrews also devotes himself… Continue watching
Oct 03 Watch 2:41 Remembering Tom Petty, a rock legend who connected By PBS News Hour Rock legend Tom Petty died at the age of 66 late Monday. Emerging in the late ‘70s, he and his band the Heartbreakers became a major fixture in rock ‘n’ roll with catchy songs like “Free Fallin’” that bridged both… Continue watching
Sep 04 Watch 1:56 Walter Becker, introspective rocker of Steely Dan, dies at 67 By PBS News Hour Steely Dan co-founder and guitarist Walter Becker died Sunday at 67. He formed Steely Dan in 1971 and introduced a unique sound in rock, with hits such as “Do it Again” and “Reeling’ in the Years.” John Yang remembers the… Continue watching
Jul 06 Watch 7:16 Chuck Berry’s final album tops off legacy as rock pioneer By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Jul 05 Watch 6:34 Blues greats Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ team up to make some joyful noise By PBS News Hour It's called the blues, but Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo' are feeling nothing but joy. The two musicians have been writing and performing music a long time, but never together -- until now. Jeffrey Brown sits down with the two… Continue watching
Sep 06 Mumbai meets Muddy Waters in a bluesy tribute to Bollywood By Kelly Whalen San Jose bluesman Aki Kumar has just released an album that combines old songs from Indian blockbuster films of his childhood with Chicago-style blues. Continue reading