MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Spring triggers a self-renewal

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MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Tribute to a traditionalist

The late Piedmont Blues guitarist John Cephas an inspiration, teacher of area musicians

Friday, March 13, 2009

When I learned last week that John Cephas had died, I immediately remembered the first time I heard his beautiful and deeply felt music.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Funding of arts back in hot seat

Friday, Feb. 27, 2009

When times are tough, it's always both a delicate and a difficult task to convince lawmakers that the arts are worth continued support and funding.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Talking back to awards shows

Move the Grammys! The Boss was robbed!

Friday, Feb. 13, 2009

February is awards month. As in Grammys and Oscars. In these dark recession days, the Oscars are a temporary escape from all the bad, bad news that keeps coming.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Notes on an inaugural

Friday, Jan. 30, 2009

The signature drum rolls and majestic horns that begin Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" would have been enough to bring me to tears.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: The next best thing to live music

Friday, Jan. 16, 2009

Anytime one has the opportunity to listen to a favorite musical artist discuss his or her craft, it's a treat. When someone as jovial, knowledgeable and respected as Elvis Costello is interviewing that artist, it's a joy.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Season of grace is set to music

Friday, Jan. 2, 2009

As I write, we are in the middle of that dreamy week - after Christmas, but just before New Year's - when nothing gets done at work, parties take place on "school nights" and children go bonkers with freedom from school.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: What CEOs can learn from songwriters

Friday, Dec. 19, 2008

The recent visit to Capitol Hill by former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was a fascinating study in personalities; under intense grilling from members of Congress, these powerful men stonily refused to admit they had made mistakes while serving as chief executives of their respective companies.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: Mining memories with Marty and Guy

Friday, Dec. 5, 2008

We had our first snow of the season Thanksgiving week. Besides the snow, two other welcome sights drifted into town recently: Marty Stuart and Guy Clark.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: A campaign, a commercial

Intimations of 'Better Days' ahead

Friday, Nov. 21, 2008

I let a lot of things slide during this election season, and while I am not entirely proud of my 24/7 news cycle cravings, the race was a compelling episode of our political system at work that proved endlessly fascinating to me.