Now, the theremin—a strange little invention that translates hand gestures into pitch and volume—could make a comeback The “Play It Loud” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art spotlights the star instruments that made music electronic, from Muddy … Continued
The artist gave the “cloud” guitar to the Smithsonian in 1993, but only now do we know it’s the same instrument used in the iconic movie It’s hard to imagine an artist more committed to a singular vision … Continued
With screws and bolts placed between its strings, the ‘prepared piano’ offers up a wide range of sounds Every musician has a particular set of tasks and warm-ups before a performance or practice session—oiling the valves, rosining the … Continued
The USPS, a $70 soup pot and whole lot of effort went into finding the perfect zip-up cardigan for Fred Rogers In his three decades on public television, Fred Rogers greeted his neighbors each day with his familiar theme song … Continued
As the spooky clan makes a new appearance on the big screen, a look back on the mystery of their longevity. n the summer of 1938, a determined salesman dropped in on a haunted mansion to peddle his … Continued
The Shelby family is fictional, but a real street gang operated in Birmingham at the turn of the 20th century. British screenwriter Steven Knight took inspiration from his father’s stories of “incredibly well dressed,” “incredibly powerful” gangsters active in turn-of-the-century England when … Continued
Thomas Wiggins, an African-American musician marketed as ‘Blind Tom’, had a lucrative career—but saw none of the profits himself During a tour of Georgia some 40 years ago, jazz star Dizzy Gillespie made an unexpected stop at a … Continued
Bandleader Glenn Miller, who was lost at sea 75 years ago, played and replayed the song before troops serving in World War II At 1:45 p.m. on December 15, 1944, an overcast Friday afternoon at the Royal Air … Continued
Massive hits at the time, the films that brought Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy and more to life also tapped into societal fears and traumas. In a memorable scene from the 1931 horror classic Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein stands over his sentient … Continued
The 1989 Disney movie musical may have saved the Disney corporation, but it also sent important messages about identity to its young audiences A drag show? Gay rights? Body image issues? Hardly the stuff of Disney animation, but … Continued