Remembering Pere Ubu's David Thomas, a frontman who preserved chaos
Thomas' April 23 death at age 71 brings to a close one of the most significant avant-garde experiments ever conducted within the confines of pop music. Rock critic Ken Tucker reflects on his legacy.
Remembering Baseball Hall Of Famer Frank Robinson
Robinson, who died Thursday, was the first player to win both the American and National League MVP awards. He later became the first black manager of a major league team. Originally broadcast in 1988.
Filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen On Singing Cowboys And Working With Oxen
The Coen brothers spoke to Fresh Air in November 2018 about The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a Western that often subverts the expectations of the genre. The film is up for three Academy Awards.
3 Hip-Hop Singles Represent A Diversity Of Sounds
Critic Ken Tucker picks three new hip-hop singles he has on heavy rotation: 21 Savage's fatalistic "A Lot," Lizzo's cheerful "Juice" and Lil Peep's melancholy "I've Been Waiting."
Environmental Photographer Focuses On Protecting The Climate — And Its People
The new documentary The Human Element follows James Balog as he captures the places and people affected by the rising oceans, wildfires and air pollution associated with climate change.
How 'A Star Is Born' Became One Of Judy Garland's 'Biggest Heartbreaks'
Judy Garland's daughter Lorna Luft talks about what her mother went through while making the 1954 film. The movie was produced by Sid Luft, who was Lorna's father and Garland's husband at the time.
Daughter Of A Numbers Runner Witnessed An Underground Economy In Action
Growing up, Bridgett M. Davis' mother booked and banked bets from their home in Detroit. She writes about her experience — and the role of "the numbers" in the black community — in her memoir.
Remembering Character Actor Dick Miller
"You don't have to be a leading man" to make it in Hollywood, Miller told Fresh Air in 1990. He appeared in more than 100 films, including Gremlins and The Little Shop of Horrors.