Search results for

Pedro Quezada sent $57 million of his $338 million lottery winnings to the Dominican Republic. It's a high-profile example of an everyday phenomenon where immigrants to the U.S. send billions back to their home country.

The recent settlement between New York's attorney general and Sony exposed schemes to boost airplay for certain artists. But the practice of payola has persisted from the days of Tin Pan Alley's "song pluggers."

For some musicians good song writing is elementary. For others it's elementary school. A CD called Kid Pan Alley collects tunes created in classrooms around the country and recorded by top Nashville artists, including Amy Grant.

Already home to the World Chess Hall of Fame and the national chess championships, the city has now attracted an entire collegiate championship team.

Spain will play Portugal, France will play Peru, and Brazil will play Switzerland — but the draw for the Russian-hosted tournament lacks an obviously imposing group.

Details about high-ranking Republicans and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol continue to emerge.

Over the second half of the 20th century, radio gave music its deepest connection to Americans. By splitting the dial into different formats, it produced a pop scene of striking diversity.

Steve Masakowski has worked with Allen Toussaint, Mose Allison, Dianne Reeves, and many others. He’s a Blue Note recording artist, member of the fusion group Astral Project, inventor of the keytar, and professor of Jazz Studies at the University of New Orleans. Steve is also father to professional musicians Sasha and Martin Masakowski. In 2018, we spoke to all three about their home life, solo careers, and performing together as the Masakowski Family.

I've known pianist, songmaker, and performer Heath Allen for over fifty years. We met at Penn in Philadelphia where Heath studied under composer George Crumb. Heath Allen is originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but stayed on in West Philly, building a career as a cabaret band leader, in musical theater, and creator of the Popera, Andy, an opera about Andy Warhol, among many other activities. Over the years, Heath has worked with performers ranging from singer-songwriter Susan Werner to a legendary troupe called the Bearded Ladies. Today, at home in the large light filled piano room of his stately West Philadelphia row house, surrounded by electronic keyboards, books, and paintings, Heath Allen sits barefoot at his Steinway Grand Model A, looking out over Japanese maple and Juneberry trees.

Each year, Mardi Gras Indians greet the day on the city streets to sing and strut. This has been going on since the late 19th century. The call and response sounds of the Indians often carry the Congo beat, fundamental in New Orleans' musical fabric. The beloved Indian Chief Monk Boudreaux has been masking Indian for more than 70 years. We visited him at home, where he quietly sewed his new suit.