NPR : World Cafe

Filed Under:

Loudon Wainwright III On World Cafe

Loudon Wainwright III has the makings of a great legacy many times over. His children — including Rufus and Martha — are successful musicians in their own right, and Wainwright's body of work has obviously influenced them. Though he's developed a diverse repertoire of songs, movies, plays and dialogues, Wainwright has focused largely on music since he saw Bob Dylan play the famous Newport Folk Festival in 1962.

Wainwright wrote his first song after being inspired by an old lobsterman named Edgar in a Rhode Island boatyard, and since then, he's recorded more than 20 albums. His witty, self-deprecating style — mixed with a current of easily understood sentimentality — has attracted a large fan base. Wainwright's latest album is a meditation on life, death and family; appropriately, it's a family affair. The title, Older Than My Old Man Now, references his late father, and the record features each of Wainwright's children.

Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

NPR

Fictional 'Mothers' Reveal Facts Of A Painful Adoption Process

After years trying to conceive, novelist Jennifer Gilmore and her husband decided to adopt. What they thought would be a relatively simple process was instead a long and painful one. In her latest novel, Gilmore channels these autobiographical experiences into fiction.
NPR

In Raw Milk Case, Activists See Food Freedom On Trial

Activists say the case against Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger is about raw milk — and much more. His supporters have turned the case into a rallying cry for personal food freedom and the rights of farmers and consumers to enter into private contracts without government intervention.
NPR

Lois Lerner's Brief And Awful Day On Capitol Hill

The IRS bureaucrat showed up long enough at a House hearing into the scandal engulfing her agency to declare her innocence and her constitutional right to say no more.
NPR

How That 'Nigerian Email Scam' Got Started

You've probably seen it in your inbox before: Someone who claims to have come into a fortune needs your help. You can share in the profits — if you send along a deposit or your bank account number. Boston Globe correspondent Finn Brunton talks about the history of the "Nigerian prince" or "419" scam, which actually got its start long before email.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.