connecting the culture

Viola Davis just put the G in EGOT. She accepted the audio book, narration and storytelling recording award for Finding Me during the 65th Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony at Microsoft Theater on Sunday, in Los Angeles. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for The Recording Academy Viola Davis has achieved EGOT status, after picking up her first Grammy. The 57-year-old actor won the award for the best audiobook, narration and storytelling recording for […]

The first decision I made was to do this. The second decision I made was to take you along with me. Why have you on my journey of self- discovery? Because I wanted to inspire. I wanted others to take their own journey into their family's past and discover who they are. One of the great things about this particular journey was that it dispels the myth about black intelligence […]

This is part of a series of features from All Things Considered on first-time Grammy nominees, ahead of the February 5 awards. Read the profiles on Molly Tuttle and Omar Apollo. Muni Long takes her Grammy nominations to heart. Grace Widyatmadja/NPR To hear Muni Long tell it, the success of her hit single "Hrs & Hrs" owes much to a coincidence of timing – and one of mistaken identity on […]

To hear the broadcast version of this story, use the audio player at the top of this page. J. Ivy, "the suave poet" from Chicago CTZN Chance/Burnculture/CTZN Chance/Burnculture For decades, the Grammys' spoken-word awards have gone to audio books, narrated by people like Barack and Michelle Obama, Carrie Fisher, Stephen Colbert and others – "Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording" is the official title for the statue. But this […]

A few years after winning a prestigious jazz vocal competition while still a college student, 23-year-old Samara Joy is now a multiple Grammy nominee for her album Linger Awhile. Meredith Truax/Courtesy of the artist Samara Joy stood gently swaying, within a rare circle of calm late last year, as a Hammond organ purred in sanctified accord. It was four days before Christmas. Joy was at Ardmore Music Hall just outside […]