Spotlight On: Ann powers

ABOUT this week’s podcast guest + radio hour featured interview:

This week I’m super excited to welcome a fellow SHERO of the public radio airwaves - longtime music critic, journalist, and author, Ann Powers. Many will know Ann for her work with NPR where she has both appeared regularly on the All Songs Considered Podcast, All Things Considered, and Morning Edition, as well as her extensive writing and coverage of music and culture. She has also written for publications including the L.A. Times and the New York Times, and authored several books - Good Booty: Love and Sex, Black and White, Body and Soul in American Music; Piece by Piece with Tori Amos, and a memoir called Weird Like Us: My Bohemian America. Ann has just released her newest book, called Traveling: On The Path of Joni Mitchell, a work that has been nearly a decade in the making. While she couldn’t have predicted the extraordinary renaissance of Joni Mitchell, which began with her return to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival in 2022, the arrival of her book feels perfectly timed to coincide with the recent renewed adulation and recognition of Joni. Not only that, the book came out the day after the anniversary of Joni’s first announced concert in 20 years at the Gorge Amphitheater on June 10th 2023 (if you missed it you can read Ann’s article on it on NPR.ORG). In both instances, Joni was surrounded by trusted musician friends, led by Brandi Carlile, and billed as the Joni Jam. In a year in which Joni Mitchel performed for the first time at the Grammys after winning her 10th career Grammy for the live album Live At Newport and we will see the Joni Jam return to the stage of the Hollywood Bowl in October. All of us Joni Fans are excited to be traveling on the path of Joni Mitchell, and Ann’s book is a great way to do just that. It’s a pleasure to welcome Ann Powers as our SHERO in the spotlight.