Music Genres
Joe Temperley’s Ageless Sax
The Scottish baritone saxophone musician recalls his 60-year career and the famous singers he’s accompanied
October 13, 2011 |
By Jeff Greenwald
New Orleans Beyond Bourbon Street
From out-of-the-way jazz joints to po' boy shacks, a native son shares his favorite haunts in the Big Easy
September 2011 |
By Randy Fertel
A Musical Tour Along the Crooked Road
Grab a partner. Bluegrass and country tunes that tell America's story are all the rage in hilly southern Virginia
September 2011 |
By Abigail Tucker
Levon Helm’s Rocking Rambles
In the mountains of upstate New York, the ’60s bandleader plays host to musicians old and young with sets that play far into the night
July 19, 2011 |
By Anne Miller
Q and A with Eddie Van Halen
The rock guitarist talks about his custom-made Frankenstein 2 that is now in the collections of the American History museum
June 2011 |
By Beth Py-Lieberman
The Top 10 Moments of Bob Dylan’s Career
In honor of the folk singer’s 70th birthday, we have selected 10 of the many pivotal events that have shaped his tumultuous life
May 20, 2011 |
By Jim Morrison
Maria Anna Mozart: The Family’s First Prodigy
She was considered to be one of the finest pianists in Europe, until her younger brother Wolfgang came along
March 28, 2011 |
By Elizabeth Rusch
Gene Krupa: a Drummer with Star Power
Rising to fame with the Benny Goodman band, Gene Krupa was the first superstar drummer
March 2011 |
By Owen Edwards
Forty Years of Philadelphia Sound
Songwriters Leon Huff and Kenneth Gamble composed tunes with political messages for chart-toppers like the O’Jays and Billy Paul
February 18, 2011 |
By Jim Morrison
Alvino Rey’s Musical Legacy
As the father of the electric guitar and grandfather of two members of Arcade Fire, Rey was a major influence on rock for decades
December 03, 2010 |
By Anne Miller
The Smithsonian's Ambassador of Jazz
Music curator John Edward Hasse travels the globe teaching the genre that revolutionized American music
September 2010 |
By Erica R. Hendry
The Soul of Memphis
Despite setbacks, the Mississippi River city has held onto its rollicking blues joints, smokin' barbecue and welcoming, can-do spirit
May 2010 |
By Jamie Katz
The Rock Concert That Captured an Era
Featuring acts such as the Beach Boys, James Brown and the Rolling Stones, The T.A.M.I. Show defined popular music for a generation
March 19, 2010 |
By Daniel Eagan
Woody Guthrie's Music Lives On
More than 40 years after the celebrated folk singer's death, a trove of 3,000 unrecorded songs is inspiring musicians to lay new tracks
January 05, 2010 |
By Jim Morrison
The Glorious History of Handel's Messiah
A musical rite of the holiday season, the Baroque-era oratorio still awes listeners 250 years after the composer's death
December 2009 |
By Jonathan Kandell
Hazel Scott’s Lifetime of High Notes
She began her career as a musical prodigy and ended up breaking down racial barriers in the recording and film industries
October 16, 2009 |
By Karen Chilton
Motown Turns 50
For years, the recording industry excluded black artists. Along came Motown, and suddenly everyone was singing its tunes
September 29, 2009 |
By Marian Smith Holmes
Jewish Bluegrass
Lovers of the banjo, fiddle and mandolin blend cultural identity and religious faith to create a uniquely American sound
September 24, 2009 |
By Jen Miller
Arlo Guthrie Reminisces About Woodstock
The folk musician talks about his new album – a lost recording of a solo concert held days before the legendary music festival
July 31, 2009 |
By Jeff Campagna
Jukebox: Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger is still singing the ballads that popularized folk music and transformed the genre into a call for action
May 2009 |
By Joseph Caputo
