NPR Music

Fiona Ritchie offers tunes to brighten the darkest days of the year.

Jon Batiste was born for show business. Hear him play an intimate set in New York and on our radio show as we trace his story to his current gig as band leader of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Bluegrass guitar legend Tony Rice died Christmas day, leaving behind an expansive catalogue devoted to exploring uncharted territory. Guitarist and fan Molly Tuttle picks his essential recordings.

Annye Anderson, the stepsister of Robert Johnson, whose life became a founding myth of American music, has written a memoir about the real life behind the legend.

Isolation and the disappearance of live music changed the All Songs Considered host's listening habits drastically in 2020. These albums offered not just calm, but richness and depth to explore.

Tony Rice first gained attention as a member of J.D. Crowe's boundary-pushing New South. Rice took it even further in the David Grisman Quintet. But the road took a toll on Rice.

Bird's holiday album is a collection of covers and originals that some might not view as Christmas material at all.

On this week's episode, hear Fiona Ritchie's reflections on this holiday season amidst such a challenging year, featuring Joel Mabus, Carlos Nuñez and The Gathering.

Explore a playlist full of 2020 highlights, including songs by big stars (Jason Isbell, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift) and up-and-comers (Bonny Light Horseman, Arlo Parks, Devon Gilfillian).

The leader of Low Cut Connie, tasked with writing a pandemic-era holiday song, thought back to a journal entry he wrote nearly 20 years ago, while working as a perfume spritzer at a local mall.