Search results for

Fresh Air's resident rock historian remembers soul singer Lorraine Ellison, who recorded a handful of albums and dozens of singles in the '60s and '70s; though she charted a few R&B hits, she never quite broke through to stardom. Her biggest success was with the string-saturated ballad "Stay With Me," which topped out at No. 11 on the R&B charts and has since been covered by everyone from Bette Midler to teenybopper idol Rex Smith.

Christopher O'Riley, host of NPR's From the Top, considers Elliott Smith to be one America's greatest songwriters. Smith died in 2003 before ever achieving massive fame. O'Riley's latest release, Home to Oblivion, is a classical translation of Smith's work.

In 1959, jazz pianist Dave Brubeck topped the pop charts and shook up the notion of rhythm in jazz with an odd-metered song called "Take Five." On the occasion of its golden anniversary and a new reissue of Time Out, Brubeck explains why it was such a hit.

President Bush's top getaway, his ranch in Crawford, Texas, is also the place where Laura Bush seems to find the most solace. NPR's Ketzel Levine gets a rare tour of the ranch with the first lady, who discusses her efforts to restore native grasses and plants to the 1,600-acre property. See photos of wildflowers at the Bush ranch.

Folk artist Mose Tolliver's subjects were nature, people and animals. His medium was house paint. His canvasses were cabinet doors and discarded table tops. His paintings put him at the forefront of the Outsider Art movement.

The Senate Banking Committee grills top regulators and several of the nation's largest lenders about problems with sub-prime mortgages — and what regulators did and did not do to address them. About 14 percent of outstanding subprime loans are now delinquent by 30 days or more.

The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympics are just over a month away — leading NPR and other media to cover the intense preparations for the games. That also means the Paralympic Games are up next, as athletes with disabilities round into top form for the Aug. 29 opening day.

Hurricane Sally strengthened to a category 2 storm during the overnight hours of Tuesday with top sustained winds of 105 mph. The northern and eastern...

More conservative federal judges and a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage top the agenda for President Bush's second term, according to a conservative author. NPR's Renee Montagne speaks to Richard Viguerie, co-author of America's Right Turn.

Vice President Gore today asserted that he remains optimistic as his appeal of a Florida circuit court ruling goes forward. The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of yesterday's lower court ruling that rejected Gore's call for hand counts of ballots in key counties. The court said it would take written briefs from the lawyers on both sides on Wednesday and hear oral arguments on Thursday. While Florida's top court hears that case, it has also been asked by the U.S. Supreme Court to explain its decision extending a deadline for counties to submit their vote tallies to the state for certification. That decision allowed hand counting to go forward in several Florida counties, counting that cut into the election lead held by Texas Governor George W. Bush. Robert talks to NPR's Melissa Block about the issues before the Florida Supreme Court.