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Before pursuing a career in music, Lee was a Philadelphia schoolteacher. Then he started going to open-mic nights with a car stereo full of classic R&B records. He recently brought his folky, soulful style to NPR headquarters for a solo performance.

Twenty-five years after its first album, the New Jersey band is still selling out Madison Square Garden and putting out chart-topping singles. But these days, its sound is a little more country, and it's recording in Nashville. That may be because pop and rock songs have left behind the working-class, everyday guy, while country music sings straight to him.

The opera star died 30 years ago. But you'd hardly know she was gone, judging from the steady stream of releases from her record company. It's a testament to the lasting appeal of a great artist.

Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut and Elvis Presley aren't a likely pairing: Chestnut is one of the top pianists of a generation born many years after songs like "Love Me Tender" made Presley the king of rock 'n' roll. Hear an interview and performance from Studio 4A.

Fresh Air's jazz critic reviews Quartet, a live performance from the McCoy Tyner Quartet, featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts.

In the 1950s, no bluesman was more popular than Jimmy Reed. He wrote hits like "Bright Lights Big City" and "Big Boss Man" and pioneered the ubiquitous "thump" guitar riff. Two accomplished Texas bluesmen, Omar Kent Dykes and Jimmie Vaughan, pay tribute to Reed on their new CD.

Sinatra, Streisand, Rosemary Clooney and Tony Bennett — even Fred Astaire — have all recorded their songs: The husband-and-wife team of Marilyn and Alan Bergman has been writing irresistible tunes together for 50 years. Alan Bergman has recorded an album of their songs with the Berlin Radio Orchestra; it's called Lyrically.

He was a teenager when his band, The Stray Cats, had its first big hit. These days, Lee Rocker spends most of his time with his own group, which just released a new CD. And, true to his rockabilly roots, he still wields a mighty upright bass.

Two years ago, jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Matt Chamberlain spent a few days free-associating in the recording studio. Their extemporaneous jams were then sampled, cut up and mixed together to create an unusual album project called Floratone.

The launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik 50 years ago this week marked the dawn of the space age — and sparked songwriters' imaginations.