For many, July 4 th wouldn't be the same without a trip to Riverbend Music Center for the annual Cincinnati Pops Red, White and BOOM! concert and fireworks. Joining Anne Arenstein with a preview of that concert and a look ahead at the Pops' 2019-20 season is Conductor John Morris Russell .

Richmond, Indiana native Jeff Hamilton is one of the most respected and sought-after drummers in jazz today. He's on the phone with Yemi Oyediran to talk about his June 26 appearance at Walnut Hills' Caffe Vivace with the legendary Blue Wisp Big Band .

Lafcadio Hearn was a popular writer in the 19 th century who spent time in Cincinnati as a reporter for the Enquirer. He wound up in Japan and wrote a series of fairy tales that have now been assembled into a new book titled, aptly, Japanese Tales of Lafcadio Hearn .

Banjoist/composer/bandleader Bela Fleck has reconvened his world famous Flecktones for a new album and tour. They will appear at Cincinnati's Taft Theatre on June 30, but first he's on the phone with Elaine Diehl with details of their 30 th anniversary and getting the band back together.

A new date, a new location, but the same quality blues return to the Cincinnati riverfront on July 13 when this year's Cincy Blues Fest takes over the Schmidlapp Lawn next to Moerlein Lager House at The Banks .

Acclaimed music journalist Peter Doggett recently released his much-anticipated biography of the seminal rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young . One of the early supergroups, the band's songwriting and harmonies took them to record heights of popularity. Brian O'Donnell is joined by the author on the phone from England to talk about the four very individual elements of this legendary band.

For Father's Day, Cincinnati's former Poet Laureate, Pauletta Hansel , reads two of the poems from her latest collection, Coal Town Photograph .

For 55 years, the Rosie Reds organization has been supporting the hometown baseball team, first existing as a way of getting women interested in the game, and today includes men and community fundraising efforts. A program celebrating the Rosie (Rooters Organized to Stimulate Interest & Enthusiasm) Reds happens on June 22 at the main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County , and joining John Kiesewetter with more are Dale Silver from the Rosie Reds and Brian Powers

Book Review: Roberta Schultz reviews Wild Yet Tasty: A Guide to Edible Plants of Eastern Kentucky by Dan Dourson and Judy Dourson .

Andrew Watts is a former naval officer and helicopter pilot from Cincinnati who has become a successful author and veterans' advocate. His latest book is Overwhelming Force and he joins our Barbara Gray to discuss his military service and how that led to his writing career.