Arts and Culture
Urban Divide: Arts & Economy
Over the last several months, there have been storm clouds on the Birmingham arts and culture horizon. Jefferson County faces a $30 million budget shortfall for 2008, and commissioners say some things may have to go. At the top of that list: eliminating $4.2 million in funding for the arts and culture. Les Lovoy examines how this could affect downtown Birmingham.
WBHM’s 30th Anniversary
Tom Godell was one of the first voices on 90.3 WBHM, when the station signed on the air more than 30 years ago. As part of our year-long look back celebrating WBHM's 30th anniversary, Godell -- who's now in Kentucky -- talks about the early days of public radio and what it was like to be in the studio when the switch was pulled and public radio in Birmingham came alive.
Chevalier Burning Bright
Author Tracy Chevalier rocketed to fame after the publication of her slim, stark novel "Girl with a Pearl Earring". The book was about the creation of the Vermeer painting of the same name. It went on to become an Oscar winning movie. Chevalier's newest novel, Burning Bright , also deals with the creation of a work of art. But this time the artist is more obscure.
WBHM 30th Anniversary
In celebration of WBHM's 30th anniversary year, meet some of the people who were there during the station's early years. WBHM officially signed on at Sunday, December 5, 1976 at 1 p.m. In this interview Michael Krall talks to Les Myers, WBHM's first Music Director...
The Bodon Family Secret
During World War II no one fought the Nazis longer than the Czechs. Even after Czechoslovakia was taken over by Hitler's Germany, the Czech's fought on; the resistance moving from havens in Poland to France and, eventually, to Britain. One UAB filmmaker's father was one of those fighters. The whole time he fought the Nazis, and for the rest of his life afterward, he was keeping an enormous secret.
Justin Brown
On November 17-18, guitarist David Starobin played contemporary music with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. One of the works is Paganini Variations by Poul Ruders. David Starobin spoke with WBHM's Michael Krall about the work.
The Secrets of Amarna
For more than eighty years King Tutankhamun (or Tut) has been the superstar of ancient Egypt. Tut's reign was only a short one, the pharaoh died while still a teeanger, but the glittering treasure found in his tomb captured imaginations the world over. All that gold has, for years, outshone one of the more astonishing bits of Egyptian history -- the Amarna heresy, which was sparked by none other than King Tut's father.
Mockingbird
She was a tomboy who would grow up to write one of the seminal novels of the 20th Century. Published in 1960, Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' catapulted her into fame -- a fame from which she made a hasty retreat. There's a new biography out about Lee and the creation of her only novel. WBHM's Rosemary Pennington spoke with the author, Charles J. Shields.
Howell Raines
Howell Raines says his leaving The New York Times was part of a long journey that brought him back to doing what he wants to do: write and fish. Over four decades, Raines climbed the print journalism ladder, starting in Birmingham and making his way to The Times. He tells WBHM's Steve Chiotakis that his new book, The One That Got Away, uses some scaley metaphors to highlight those turn of events.
Student Docs Debut
Documentary films are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. The big story at last year's box office, a documentary about penguins. UAB students are currently unveiling their forays into the format -- which include stories about Birmingham's Muslim community and one Native American group's struggle to retain its culture.
Marilynne Robinson
Marilynne Robinson's second novel, Gilead, is written in the form of a letter from a 76-year old Congregationalist minister to his young son. Gilead is a meditation on family relationships, religion, and finding meaning in life. Robinson's visit coincided with the selection of Gilead for the Mayor's Book Club of Vestavia Hills. She spoke with WBHM's Roseanne Pereira.
The Gospel According to Anne
Anne Rice has a rabid following; readers who've come to love her tales of vampires, witches and others 'outsiders'. But her days of writing about them are over. Rice is embarking on a new direction -- one that some think is a departure for the author. Rice talked with WBHM's Rosemary Pennington about the shift.
Young Zombies in Love
Zombie themes are very popular right now - and not just because of Halloween. There's been a resurgence in Zombie movies, including the locally produced hit Hide & Creep. And this weekend, Birmingham Southern College takes the genre to the stage, with a play called Young Zombies in Love. WBHM's Tanya Ott spoke with BSC's Theater director Michael Flowers about the play.
Lemony Snicket
For several years now fans have followed the story of the Baudelaire orphans. The latest and 'last before the last installment' in the Lemony Snicket 'Series of Unfortunate Events' has just hit bookstore shelves. There's been a lot of speculation as to the fate of the Baudelaires. WBHM's Tanya Ott spoke with Lemony Snicket's 'handler' -- Daniel Handler -- in hopes of clearing up some of the mystery. Judge for yourself whether it worked!
The Last Days
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
Germany Photos
WBHM's Rosemary Pennington took part in the RIAS/RTNDF German American Journalist Exchange. She spent two weeks in June traveling through Germany and Brussels. These are some photos from that trip.
Rosemary’s German Weblog
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
TR Pearson
T.R. Pearson has been compared to Mark Twain and William Faulkner for his Southern influenced prose and circuitous, anecdotal narratives. Pearson's first novel, 'A Short History of a Small Place' won rave reviews from readers and the praise of critics as well. 20 years later, he's out with its sequel: 'Glad News of the Natural World'.
Big FIsh
An appreciation of the fantastic is a requirement when reading Daniel Wallace's 'Big Fish'. The Alabama native struck gold with his tale of love, redemption and relationhips; it's been turned into a feature length movie by director Tim Burton. He recently spoke with WBHM's Rosemary Pennington.
Art as Business
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
A Modern Day Miortia
A man on a mission, a Devil cruising toward retirement and women. These three things dominate the landscape in Andrei Codrescu's novel Wakefield . WBHM's Rosemary Pennington spoke with Codrescu about the novel and his all too familiar Devil.
Mental Music
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
Evi’s New Look
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
Green Christmas
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
Alabama Bluegrass
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
Carillon: The Bells of the Season
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
Recycled/Remade: Folk Art at the BMA
NPR News and Classical Music for North Central Alabama
Buddhist Art in Birmingham
This week, at the Birmingham Museum of Art, this is what the art of patience sounds like… No, they’re not crickets. They’re ancient tools known as chakpus ‘ hollow, metal rods shaped like funnels. In the museum lobby, as onlookers come and go, seven Buddhist monks lean across a wide circular table, using the funnels […]
