Arts and Culture
Conceptualizing Sol Lewitt's 'Wall Drawings'
Sol LeWitt was one of the pioneers of conceptual art. He saw it in his mind, then communicated it to others to complete. Dozens of people have done just that with his ideas for his famous Wall Drawings, which are now at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.
Christiane Amanpour: Reporting On Genocide
CNN's chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour has covered every major international and humanitarian crisis since the Gulf War. Her new documentary, Scream Bloody Murder, is about genocide — and the people who are working to end mass killing worldwide.
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Folk Legend Odetta Dies Of Heart Disease
Odetta's folk songs made her a symbol of the civil rights movement. She performed at the civil rights march on Washington in 1963 and sang "O Freedom." Her ballads and songs became, for many, the soundtrack to the American civil rights movement. Manager Doug Yeager says Odetta died Tuesday of heart disease at the age of 77.
Hartford Jazz Fest Is Singing The Blues
Obama: A Rebirth Of Cool?
President-elect Barack Obama presents the nation a new model of a successful black man. But will Obama's crisp and cool image trump the hip-hop infused style that many young men aspire to emulate? A group of moms talk about how Obama's image is resonating with their sons.
Financial Gift A Boon For Twain House
Artist's Works Inspired By Husband's Cancer Death
Music Journalist and Filmmaker Robert Gordon
His biography of blues legend Muddy Waters, Can't Be Statisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters, is now out in paperback. Waters is credited with inventing electric blues and creating the template for the rock 'n' roll band. Gordon also produced and directed an accompanying documentary of the same name which was broadcast on PBS in April as part of the American Masters series. Gordon's other books are It Came From Memphis, and The King on the Road. He also produced the Al Green box set, Anthology. This interview first aired October 3, 2002.
Etta James: Still Singing Her Song
After five decades in the music business, Etta James continues to draw fans. Her signature song, "At Last" remains a favorite and soon R&B singer Beyonce will portray the singer in a new movie, "Cadillac Records."
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Pete Best: The Original Beatles Beat
Drumming for The Beatles during the band's formative years, Pete Best was dismissed just before Beatlemania hit, for reasons that are disputed to this day. Best returned to the scene 20 years later with The Pete Best Band, delivering a savage '60s sound; he has a new CD out, called Haymans Green.
'Milk' Is Much More Than A Martyr Movie
Film critic David Edelstein says the Harvey Milk biopic, starring Sean Penn, is one of the most heartfelt portraits of a politician ever made. "The personal and the political aren't just hand-in-hand," he says: "They dance."
Beijing Not A Fan Of 'Chinese Democracy'
The Chinese government has spoken out against the new album by Guns N' Roses. The rock group calls it Chinese Democracy. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman says, "As far as I know, many people don't like this kind of music."
Chicago Symphony Tops U.S. Orchestras
The city of Chicago has one more thing to boast about: Its hometown orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, has been named America's top orchestra in a new critics' poll published in the venerable British magazine Gramophone.
National Book Awards Honor Matthiessen In Fiction
Peter Matthiessen's Shadow Country, a revision of a trilogy of novels from the 1990s, won the National Book Award for fiction Wednesday night in New York. Annette Gordon-Reed won the nonfiction award for The Hemingses of Monticello, about Thomas Jefferson's hidden slave family.
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Obama, Unplugged: Why Presidents Can't E-mail
President-elect Barack Obama will likely have to give up his well-worn BlackBerry and e-mail account when he takes office in January. For years, Obama has lived with his BlackBerry on his hip, but the Presidential Records Act would make all of his correspondence available for public review.
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Gear Heads Prepare For Los Angeles Auto Show
It's time for the Los Angeles Auto Show, the first major North American auto show of the season. It's known for presenting cutting-edge technology and design. Mark Phelan, automotive critic for the Detroit Free Press, talks with Renee Montagne about what will — and won't — be on the floor of the convention center this year.
Annie Leibovitz: The View From Behind The Lens
Whoopi Goldberg in a milk bath? Meryl Streep in a white mime face? After training her lens on some of the most notable faces of our day, the photographer reveals the stories behind some of her famous portraits.
'Australia' Endings Go Down To The Wire
The new Baz Luhrmann film Australia is coming out Nov. 24 ... but it's not clear how it ends. Luhrmann reportedly shot three different endings to the film.
China Dusts Off, Restores Emperor's Hideaway
American experts are at work in Beijing's Forbidden City, helping tp preserve a long-neglected treasure: the elaborate private retreat of the 18th century Chinese emperor Qianlong.
Taking The Comedy Of 'Basic Training' To The Stage
For actor Kahlil Ashanti, a screaming drill sergeant is ripe for laughs. His humorous portrayals of those he encountered while in the Air Force round out his Off-Broadway one-man show, Basic Training.
