Elizabeth Blair
Elizabeth Blair is a Peabody Award-winning senior producer/reporter on the Arts Desk of NPR News.
Blair produces, edits, and reports arts and cultural segments for NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. In this position, she has reported on a range of topics from arts funding to the MeToo movement. She has profiled renowned artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Mikhail Baryshnikov, explored how old women are represented in fairy tales, and reported the origins of the children's classic Curious George. Among her all-time favorite interviews are actors Octavia Spencer and Andy Serkis, comedians Bill Burr and Hari Kondabolu, the rapper K'Naan, and Cookie Monster (in character).
Blair has overseen several, large-scale series including The NPR 100, which explored landmark musical works of the 20th Century, and In Character, which probed the origins of iconic American fictional characters. Along with her colleagues on the Arts Desk and at NPR Music, Blair curated American Anthem, a major series exploring the origins of songs that uplift, rouse, and unite people around a common theme.
Blair's work has received several honors, including two Peabody Awards and a Gracie. She previously lived in Paris, France, where she co-produced Le Jazz Club From Paris with Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the monthly magazine Postcard From Paris.
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Dozier died at 81. As part of the songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland, he co-wrote dozens of hits, including "Baby Love," "Heat Wave" and "Reflections," helping to define the Motown sound. -
He wrote acclaimed books about Harry Truman and John Adams, along with the Brooklyn Bridge and the Panama Canal. He also was the authoritative voice narrating TV films such as The Civil War in 1990. -
A new season of the hugely popular Australian cartoon Bluey is dropping on Disney+. With its made-up family games, high jinx and humanity, the series has hooked both kids and their parents. -
Ostin signed deals with major pop and rock talent over the decades, including Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac and R.E.M. He said the industry didn't have to prioritize sales over artistic freedom. -
A family of Afghan musicians in the U.S. wants to raise awareness about their plight. -
Composer Deborah Wicks La Puma has written music for Mo Willems' famous Pigeon, Elephant and Piggie - and now for Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed on HBO Max. -
The boy band announced their break during a dinner filmed for social media. The group officially debuted in 2013.
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The special copy of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale was auctioned by Sotheby's on Tuesday. Proceeds will help PEN America in its efforts to oppose book banning. -
Dave Smith, a pioneer of the synthesizer, revolutionized pop music in the 1980s. David Bowie and Madonna are among the legions who used his Prophet 5 synthesizer. Smith died last week at age 72. -
In celebration of Pride Month, almost all of the players on the Tampa Bay Rays sported jerseys and caps with the rainbow-colored Pride logo. Five Rays pitchers declined, citing religious reasons. -
Judith Viorst's best-selling kids' book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day was published 50 years ago. At 91, Viorst reflects on the book's legacy with the real Alexander. -
Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series, has issued a forceful response to criticisms of the decision to hire a person of color, Leah Jeffries, to play Annabeth Chase on TV.
