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Night Train to Nashville
Most Americans think of Nashville as the citadel of country music, but the R&B scene that emerged there in the post-World War II years was outstanding. Michael Gray of the Country Music Hall of Fame has produced a new compilation called Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970. Then, musicians Ruth Brown, Bobby Hebb, and Clifford Curry talk about making their way in Tennessee R&B culture.
Michael Gray
Nashville's R&B was as good as, and in some ways closely related to, the country music that made the city famous. Michael Gray produced the two-disc compilation from CMF Records called Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970, which dovetails with the Country Music Hall of Fame's 2004-05 exhibit of the same name.
» More about the exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame
» Make a $120 pledge today and the Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues Double CD is our gift to you.
Music: Arthur Alexander - "Anna (Go To Him)"
Christine Kittrell - "L&N Special"
Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson - "Soul Shake"
Gene Allison - "You Can Make It If You Try"
Robert Knight - "Everlasting Love"
Ruth Brown, Clifford Curry , Bobby Hebb
Ruth Brown ("Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean"), Clifford Curry ("he Shot a Hole in My Soul"), and Bobby Hebb ("Sunny") are R&B artists featured on the Night Train to Nashville album. Ruth Brown had numerous Top Ten hits, and her success at Atlantic Records in the 1950s led some to call the label "the house that Ruth built." Clifford Curry released his single on Elf Records, an independent he started with Bobby Russell; he barely made the Top 50 on the R&B charts but still gained a loyal following. Bobby Hebb is a member of a well-known family of Nashville musicians. "Sunny" was a smash hit and landed him a slot on the Beatles' final tour.
Music: Bobby Hebb - "Sunny"
Ruth Brown - "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean"
Clifford Curry - "She Shot a Hole in My Soul"
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National Book Award Winners
The Leonard Lopate Show
A number of this year’s National Book Award winners have appeared on The Leonard Lopate Show. Click here to see the list!
Tributes: Jeanne-Claude
The Leonard Lopate Show
Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.
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The Leonard Lopate Show
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Please Explain: Eco-Labels
The Leonard Lopate Show
Your broccoli, shampoo, and air conditioner might bear labels declaring them to be organic, cruelty-free, or energy efficient, but what do those labels mean and are they true? Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Project Director for Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices.org and Consumers Union’s Senior Scientist for Policy Initiatives, and Dara O'Rourke, founder and CEO of GoodGuide.com, took a look at what eco-labels indicate, how standards are set, and what they mean for consumers and manufacturers around the world.
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Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award
The Leonard Lopate Show
On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.
