Eleven-time Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and bandleader Christian McBride joins us for a conversation ahead of his performance with Ursa Major at Orchestra Hall on Friday, June 5. Throughout the interview, McBride highlights some of the music and artists that have inspired him, including selections from Wynton Marsalis, Four Tops, Junior Walker, and The Temptations. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 4, 2026 

• “OSAKA” – Athletic Progression 

• “Kneel” – Nilüfer Yanya 

• “Midnight Sun (king krule Remix)” – Nilüfer Yanya & King Krule 

• “Life Has Its Trials” – Dorothy Ashby 

• “T.R.O.Y.” – Heroes Of Limbo 

• “Little Child Runnin’ Wild” – Curtis Mayfield 

• “Life Is Beautiful” – Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist 

• “Make You Feel That Way” – Blackalicious 

• “Drifting? (Pts. 1-8)” – ThirdEyeBeats 

• “Home is Where The Hatred Is (feat. Lisa Fischer) [Main]” – Brian Jackson, Masters At Work, Kenny Dope & Louie Vega 

• “People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul” – James Brown 

• “Autumn Leaves” – Wynton Marsalis 

• “More Is” – Christian McBride & Ursa Major 

• “Homecookin’” – Junior Walker 

• “Cloud Nine” – The Temptations 

• “Bernadette” – Four Tops 

• “Red Ashes” – Allen Dennard 

• “The Fool” – Brigid Dawson and The Mothers Network 

• “Anemone” – The Brian Jonestown Massacre 

• “Sketch for Summer” – The Durutti Column 

• “Planted A Thought” – Arthur Russell 

• “A Figure in the Surf” – Mount Kimbie 

• “I’LL BE YOUR FRIEND” – Ruti 

• “Dog Days Are Over” – Florence + the Machine 

• “Sleeping Ute (Nicolas Jaar Remix)” – Grizzly Bear 

• “Everybody’s Gotta Live” – Love 

• “Fire and Brimstone” – Link Wray 

• “Zoom 97” – Kurt Vile 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

Ahead of bringing their shape-shifting sound to Detroit, Chicago duo Ray Bull stopped by In The Groove for a conversation about artistic instincts, unlikely influences and the long, winding road that turned two art school classmates into bandmates.

Made up of Aaron Graham and Tucker Elkins, the pair trace much of their creative chemistry back to those early days, saying their visual arts background still informs the way they write, collaborate and build songs together. 

As the pair tried to describe their sound, Graham admitted that finding the right label has never come easily. “Whenever people ask, I’m like, ‘It’s indie pop, indie rock,’ but then I say that and I hate myself.” 

Their sound lives somewhere between folk storytelling, pop melody and rock energy, occupying a space that feels difficult to pin down. Even their vocal chemistry wasn’t something carefully designed from the start. Instead, they say much of the band’s identity slowly developed through years of writing, experimenting and figuring things out together. 

The duo also reflected on the artists who helped shape their approach, citing Elliott Smith, Radiohead and The Strokes while repeatedly returning to folk storytellers like John Prine and Lucinda Williams. More than any specific genre or sound, they described being drawn to writers who can balance humor with emotional specificity, creating songs rooted in personal experiences that still resonate widely.

As Elkins explained, those storytelling instincts often become the foundation for their writing process. “We end up attempting to write from that folk writer space.” 

While their songs may begin with folk instincts and storytelling at their core, Ray Bull’s process seems less focused on fitting into a genre and more concerned with following ideas wherever they lead. It’s an approach that reflects the duo’s journey itself, one built through experimentation, collaboration, and a willingness to let their sound evolve naturally over time. 

Listen to the full interview using the media player at the top, and tune in to In The Groove weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on 101.9 FM.

On October 24, 2025, Ann Delisi was invited by her friend and collaborator, Chef James Rigato, to interview 4-time Grammy Award-winning musician, songwriter and producer Tony Rich in the intimate setting of Chef Rigato’s award-winning restaurant, Mabel Gray.

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of his album “Words”, Rich came to Mabel Gray to perform songs from the album and talk with Ann about the importance of his relationship with his father, living in Detroit and fascinating stories about his life in the music business.

They talked in front of an enthusiastic audience of friends, family and fans.