musician

Legendary entertainer Jack Benny was a pretty good violinist. In 1911 Benny was a 17-year old professional violinist playing in Chicago’s vaudeville theaters.

But Benny found more success with his comic timing than the violin. By 1921, his fiddle was more of a prop and comedy took over.

A running gag was his hopeless attempts to play the violin. He made the illusion seem real by trying to play pieces too difficult for his skill level.

Award-winning musician Gaelynn Lea is a one-woman show. The NPR’s 2016 Tiny Desk Concert winner plays whimsical and haunting violin lines, looping them while she sings both hopeful and somber lyrics over top. As she sings, Lea holds the violin in an original way—upright, like a cello—to accommodate her small frame.

Musician, writer and producer Leon Russell passed away November 13 at the age of 74. Russell’s wife, Jan Bridges, said in a statement that her husband died in his sleep at their Nashville home. Russell had heart bypass surgery in July and had been planning on resuming touring in January.

Leon Russell talked with Grady Kirkpatrick ahead of his show in Laramie Aug 6, 2013.

After public universities opened their doors to women, the chance to study music composition opened up as well. But the best known, highest paid composers still tend to be men. Composer Libby Larsen is one notable exception - she is the eminent musician-in-residence at the University of Wyoming for the 2016 – 2017 academic year.

She joined Wyoming Public Radio’s Caroline Ballard to talk about her distinctly American-sounding music and some of the biggest challenges still facing female composers.

CORRECTION: In the audio of this story, as in a previous Web version, musician Jalan Crossland suggests making a cake by using an Altoids tin and wiring it to a car battery. Crossland now says he was joking. To be clear: This should not be attempted. Short-circuiting a car battery can cause the battery to overheat and potentially explode.

For many Americans, summer means road trips. So Wyoming Public Radio’s Micah Schweizer checked in with a couple of touring musicians for some pro-tips you can use the next time you hit the open road.

Dan Hicks, musician singer and songwriter, died Saturday February 6, 2016 in Mill Valley after a long battle with throat and liver cancer. He was 74.

Mr. Hicks emerged in the San Francisco folk scene in the late ‘50’s and in 1965 became the drummer for the Charlatans, an early folk rock band. Two years later, he formed Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, the group with which he was best known.

WPR's Grady Kirkpatrick talked with musician, author, actor and painter Bobby Bridger about his new release Vagabond Heart.

12-year-old Laramie pianist James Wilson was one of only two Americans to compete in the prestigious Lagny-sur-Marne piano competition in Paris last month.

Sydney Dalis was given the opportunity to speak with musician Shakey Graves about his experiences in Wyoming, specifically Yellowstone Park. This aired during Morning Music with Grady Kirkpatrick.

Leon Russell talked with Grady Kirkpatrick ahead of his show in Laramie Aug 6, 2013.

Pinedale singer-songwriter Jared Rogerson has been influenced as a musician from 17 years of bronc’ riding in rodeos. He’s also explored thousands of miles in the remote Wyoming backcountry as a brucellosis biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. His new album, Dirt, was released April 17.