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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Billy Crystal, Dionne Warwick, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, Renée Fleming and Queen Latifah were given the star treatment as they received their Kennedy Center Honors. -
If the pets in a 5th grade classroom could talk, what would they say? That's the premise of Leo, the new coming-of-age movie musical from Netflix.
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The pop music icon is taking a stand against the libraries and classrooms around the U.S. that have removed books due to claims of inappropriate content related to sexuality, gender identity and race.
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One of the first female rock DJs Dusty Street passed away recently. She was outspoken about the corporatization of music radio which ultimately lead to her being laid off from KROQ.
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When security told Juan Lastra to sit down, Adele told them to leave him alone. The incident sparked a debate about concert etiquette. Stand when others are sitting? Tell a fan to sit down?
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A fan at an Adele concert stood, sang and filmed himself during her show, even though many of the people in his section were seated. A security guard — and Adele herself — got involved.
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For Smithsonian Folkways' 75th anniversary, Cass McCombs and preschool teacher Greg Gardner wrote a collection of new folk songs for children. One of them is a tribute to gay activist Harvey Milk.
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Entertainment mogul Scooter Braun discovered Justin Bieber and has managed the careers of Ariana Grande and K-pop star Psy. Now some of his biggest stars are reportedly parting ways with him.
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"This Land Is Your Land" isn't just a campfire song for school kids. It's a celebration of the American landscape — but it's a celebration with an edge.
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One of the shining voices of bossa nova, the Brazilian artist made both herself and the song world famous with her beguiling rendition, kicking off an illustrious career.
