The Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist has one foot in traditional bluegrass and another in improvisational jam music. He has a new album, Live at the Legion, and he brought his guitar to our studio. He spoke with Sam Briger about healing himself through songwriting, performing the day his mom died, and how being a father has changed him as a musician. "I sing now from a place of freedom and joy in my belly," Strings says.
 
Also, jazz critic Martin Johnson reviews an album from harpist Brandee Younger. 

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At 87, Oscar-winning actor Jane Fonda is pouring her energy into activism. She’ll reflect on her decades-long career, and how she first began her fitness empire to fund her activist work. Also, we hear from  Spike Lee. His latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, but through the lens of modern-day America and hip-hop culture. Both guests spoke with Tonya Mosley. 
 

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After 11 seasons on ER, Noah Wyle thought he was finished with medical dramas: "I spent 15 years avoiding — actively avoiding — walking down what I thought was either hallowed ground or traveled road." But then COVID happened, and he felt compelled to tell more of these stories. He spoke with Dave Davies about the making of HBO's hit show The Pitt, the medical jargon, and his mom's feedback on the show.

Justin Chang reviews the new film Caught Stealing, from director Darren Aronofsky.

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CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta's new book examines the world of pain — why we feel it, and how we can treat it. He says distraction and meditation can be useful tools for managing pain. He spoke with Terry Gross about how the brain gets pain signals wrong, alternatives to painkillers, and how a family of circus performers inspired a new drug. Gupta's book is It Doesn't Have to Hurt.

Also, TV critic David Bianculli reviews the HBO series Task, by the creator of Mare of Easttown, starring Mark Ruffalo. 
 

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We look at the stormy tenure of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. New York Times reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg discusses how RFK Jr.'s cuts to government staff and expert groups will impact everyday Americans. A vaccine skeptic, Kennedy fired the CDC director last week. 

Also, John Powers reviews the Prime Video thriller series Butterfly, starring Daniel Dae Kim.  

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Earlier this year, Fonda made headlines for delivering a fiery critique of the Trump administration during a SAG-AFTRA award acceptance speech. "This is not the time to go inward," Fonda says. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her career onscreen and off, as an activist. 

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All week we're revisiting

archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and

R&B. We listen back to a 2000

interview with former teen idol Dion. Plus we’ll hear an interview Terry Gross

recorded in 1988 with New Orleans songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint. And

jazz critic Kevin Whitehead profiles

jazz saxophonist Art Pepper, who was born 100 years ago today. 

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All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key

figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. We listen back to a 1989 interview with singer and pianist

Charles Brown. Brown is

credited with creating an expressive style of music that blended rough Texas

blues with the soft glamour of Hollywood. And we revisit a 1998 interview with

soul singer Ray Charles, who helped shape American music, beginning with his

1955 hit, “I Got a Woman.”

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All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. Soul singer Ben E. King began his career in the ‘50s with The Drifters but it was the '61 hit "Stand by Me" that sealed his musical legacy. He spoke to Fresh Air in 1988. We also listen back to a 1991 interview with lyricist Jerry Leiber and composer Mike Stoller, who wrote and produced music for King. Plus, we'll revisit Terry Gross' 1993 interview with Jerry Wexler, the hitmaker who coined the term "rhythm and blues."

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All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. Singer, songwriter, producer and talent scout Johnny Otis got his start leading a big band that had the 1945 hit “Harlem Nocturne.” Later,

as a talent scout, he discovered such performers as Big Mama Thornton, Esther

Phillips and Etta James. James' career took off in the '60s with hits including “At Last," “A Sunday Kind of Love” and “I’d Rather Go Blind."

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