FRESH AIR
Singer Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, who helped bridge ’50s doo-wop and ’60s rock ‘n’ roll, are celebrated in a new four-CD box set called Jersey Beat. The group released two dozen Top 40 hits, including “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Sherry” and “Walk Like a Man.” Jersey Boys, the Tony Award winning Broadway musical, is based on the lives of the Four Seasons.
While Michael Moore’s new documentary SiCKO doesn’t tell the complete story of the our health care crisis, it does raise important issues about the failures of our system. Jonathan Cohn has been writing about health care for several years and his most recent book is SICK: The Untold Story of America’s Health Care Crisis?and the People Who Pay the Price. He joins us to talk about his findings and Moore’s.
THE WORLD CAFE
Amy LaVere has taken many roads on her journey to stardom: She’s not only a singer, songwriter and bassist, but she’s also acted — most notably
in Walk the Line, in which she plays rockabilly pioneer Wanda Jackson. Born in the Deep South and raised in Detroit, she once led a punk band but now lives in Memphis — a town that complements her blend of classic country, jazz and gypsy blues. LaVere’s 2006 debut, This World Is Not My Home, showcases her cathartic twang while drawing from influences as varied as Billie Holliday, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Dolly Parton. Her new Anchors & Anvils, recorded with legendary producer Jim Dickinson, expands on the sounds and themes of its predecessor, while continuing to demonstrate her talent for luminous, accessible songcraft.
in Walk the Line, in which she plays rockabilly pioneer Wanda Jackson. Born in the Deep South and raised in Detroit, she once led a punk band but now lives in Memphis — a town that complements her blend of classic country, jazz and gypsy blues. LaVere’s 2006 debut, This World Is Not My Home, showcases her cathartic twang while drawing from influences as varied as Billie Holliday, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Dolly Parton. Her new Anchors & Anvils, recorded with legendary producer Jim Dickinson, expands on the sounds and themes of its predecessor, while continuing to demonstrate her talent for luminous, accessible songcraft.AMY LAVERE: Nightingale