Fresh Air
Weekdays at 3 pm
The Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. The one-hour program features Terry Gross' in-depth interviews with prominent cultural and entertainment figures, as well as distinguished experts on current affairs and news. Fresh Air opens the window on contemporary arts and issues with guests from worlds as diverse as literature and economics. Terry Gross is known for her extraordinary ability to engage guests of all dispositions.
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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. -
Toussaint was an important behind-the-scenes figure in New Orleans R&B during the '50s and '60s. He later became known for his own recordings. He died in 2015. Originally broadcast in 1988.
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Dion, a former teen idol, was deeply influenced by blues and country music. He had his first hit, "I Wonder Why," in 1958, with the doo-wop group The Belmonts. Originally broadcast in 2000.
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Brown created an expressive style of music that blended rough Texas blues with the soft glamour of Hollywood. Charles shaped American music since the 1950s with hits like "Georgia on My Mind." -
Wexler produced hits for Atlantic Records by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett, and is credited with coining the term "rhythm and blues." He died in 2008. Originally broadcast in 1993.
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Leiber and Stoller met in LA when Leiber still was in high school. They went on to write and produce songs for artists like Elvis Presley, The Drifters and Ben E. King. Originally broadcast in 1991.
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Ben E. King was the lead singer of The Drifters, and later went solo with such hits as "Stand By Me" and "Spanish Harlem." He died 2015. Originally broadcast in 1988.
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Brown started out in the '40s and influenced a host of singers, including Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. Her hits include "Teardrops from My Eyes." She died in 2006. Originally broadcast in 1997.
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Baker was one of Atlantic Records' first big success stories, with a series of hits in the 1950s, including "Bumblebee" and "Jim Dandy." She died in 1997. Originally broadcast in 1991.
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Otis, who died in 2012, started out leading a big band. Later, as a talent scout, he discovered such performers as Big Mama Thornton, Esther Phillips and Etta James. Originally broadcast in 1989.
