Today is Chrissie Hynde's birthday, but she's the one giving us a gift: The Pretenders have announced 'Alone,' their first album since 2008, produced by Dan Auerbach.

The man who captured hundreds of jazz's greatest recordings -- by Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock -- died August 25 at his home studio. He was 91.

During their first headlining tour in a decade, the Dixie Chicks showed off the many ways they've always been more than the usual Nashville act. In her review of the Dixie Chicks' Nashville concert, NPR Music's Ann Powers gives fans a hint of what they may experience on August 27 and 28, when the Dixie Chicks play two sold-out shows at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand.

Ahead of Wilco's set at Historic Hall's Island, Jeff Tweedy joined Brian Oake and Jill Riley in The Current's broadcast trailer for a chat.

Esme Patterson played an in-studio session, and she wielded an ESP Ron Wood model, a guitar modeled after the Telecaster pattern. In addition to talking about her guitar, Patterson also talks about how she approaches songwriting, who some of her guitar-playing influences are, and which effects pedals she really likes. 'I support companies that I really respect and make things in a way that makes sense,' Patterson says.

The Dap-Kings' unstoppable lead singer looks back at her cancer battle, which was chronicled in the documentary 'Miss Sharon Jones,' and draws strength from soul songs.

Before her show in First Avenue's 7th St. Entry, Mitski stopped by The Current to chat with New Hot host David Safar about her new album Puberty 2.

Ralph Stanley was one of the early leaders of bluegrass music, and enjoyed an unexpectedly broad following after he sang a song for the Coen Brothers' film, O Brother, Where Art Thou.

When Adia Victoria visited The Current's studio for a recent session, she was rocking out on a near-mint 2001 Gibson SG. She took some time after the session to tell us about it.

Matt Darling, local trombone player with the Honeydogs and other bands, got a call 90 minutes before Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats took the stage at Rock the Garden. Darling was asked to fill in for Wesley Watkins, the Night Sweats' trumpet player who had fallen ill. 'Like everybody else, I love this music,' Darling says.