I was twelve with an attitude, riding in the passenger seat of my dad’s ancient white Toyota that he’d had since college, having been conned into a trip to the video rental store where I’d no doubt endure the inevitable argument with my dad over which movie to rent (twelve wants and needs no part of Blazing Saddles or Dr. Strangelove, and you can still turn out to be a complete and interesting and fulfilled person, a person who even studies film, despite spending your tween years watching Blue Crush.)

So we’re in the car, cruising around the Philadelphia suburbs on the way to pick up a movie for me and my sisters, and today’s spontaneous, unsolicited knowledge-imparting lecture turns out to be on the greatness of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel (you may have heard of them), whose song had just come on the radio. Read More »

Public Interview, which has been bringing local luminaries (including the founder of Brightest Young Things, the managing editor of Washington City Paper, and Jim Lehrer of PBS’ Jim Lehrer News Hour) to the WGTB studios to chat this summer, will be hosting two more this Monday night at 7:30 pm: Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, and Andrea Weckerle, the founder of CiviliNation. Read More »

It’s Sunday. It’s muggy, bright, approaching 100 degrees in Washington. It’s mid-June, two weeks out from Memorial Day, and the next long weekend isn’t until July 4th, which, with all of its exuberance and sociability and rah-rah red white and blue seems lightyears away from this slow, hot Sunday morning bookended by slow, hot weekdays.

WHAT DO WE LISTEN TO?

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I’ve been into these historical birthdays, lately. A few weeks ago it was the centennial of Robert Johnson, the musician, and then last week was number 70 for Bob Dylan, a musician and a poet, and this week marks what would have been the 192nd birthday of Walt Whitman, a poet and a patriot. One hundred and ninety-two years! Think about how long before the Civil War this dude was born, and then think about how relevant and readable and accessible he still is, and then kick back in a hammock and listen to these tunes I am quite sure he would enjoy while you read some of his invigorating, thoughtful, and exquisitely-worded work. Read More »

Just a reminder that tonight’s episode of Public Interview, hosted by Lauren Hodges, will feature an interview with Jim Lehrer of PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Tune in at 9 pm at www.georgetownradio.com (“Listen Live”) or via iTunes (Radio > College Radio > WGTB) to hear the interview. Lehrer will step down as anchor of NewsHour on June 6, but will continue to moderate segments and stay involved in the production of the show.

The June 6 episode of Public Interview will feature Svetlana Legetic, the editor and founder of Brightest Young Things, in the WGTB studio.

Yesterday would have been Robert Johnson’s 100th birthday, a landmark which has not gone unnoticed — even my mom called me over the weekend to tell me about this “great NPR story” she heard on the legend of ol’ RJ. And it’s only right that we commemorate him here as well. Robert Johnson’s fame would be enough to celebrate as an arbiter of musical change, the roots of blues and rock music, America’s only indigenous sound. But what truly makes him special is the least true part about him: the myth. We’ve all heard the story: a young Robert Johnson approached the crossroads in the Mississippi Delta at midnight, met up with the Devil himself, and sold his soul for the ability to play sizzling blues guitar. He later became member of the even more mysterious 27 club. And this legend launched a century of rock ‘n’ roll lore.

I got a chance this semester to visit Johnson’s crossroads myself, and to meet with some folks that knew him. Yes, literally knew him. It seems like forever ago to us, for whom rock music has been as naturalized as The Simpsons and public libraries, that he could have been walking around, strumming those blues — but that’s part of the legend. Read More »