Tate was a longtime staff writer at The Village Voice, where he documented Black art and culture. He eventually became a leading figure in cultural criticism.  Read more

Staines enjoyed a decades-long career as a singer and songwriter, and had cultivated a deep connection to Minnesota.  Read more

For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what Tom Waits covers do you want to hear?  Read more

Tom Waits was born, Carl Douglas was at the top of the U.S. singles chart with 'Kung Fu Fighting'; John Lennon's MBE medal he returned to the Queen was found; and David Bowie appeared in public for the last time, Today in Music History.  Read more

We lost many musical legends in 2021: unmistakable vocalists, celebrated songwriters, over-the-top personalities, and the rhythmic backbone of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s biggest bands. Read more

The former Chairlift vocalist chatted with The Current’s David Safar ahead of her First Avenue performance.  Read more

“Minneapolis is mourning the loss of the legendary 89.9 KMOJ and club DJ Brother Jules, who was a frequent presence at Prince's Paisley Park afterparties in the 1990s and whose scratching can be heard on the New Power Generation album 'Exodus,'” according to a statement from Prince’s official accounts. Read more

Julian Green has been named Content Director for The Current’s Urban Alternative Project, a new initiative from Minnesota Public Radio’s The Current, KMOJ-FM, and The ICE.  Read more

Lead Belly passed away, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck was born, Led Zeppelin had their first hit in the US, Sid Vicious lived up to his name, The Rolling Stones performed a free concert at the Altamont Speedway; and Pete Shelley passed away, Today in Music History.  Read more

For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what musicians do you want to hear that are known for their iconic eyewear?  Read more