This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music a couple cuts from a fascinating new album from Kronos Quartet and Mahalia Jackson, featuring her amazing singing and in conversation with Studs Terkel in 1963.

Also, new Detroit tunes from Dames Brown, The Legal Matters, another Nick Piunti preview, the duo Rosetta Pebble and more!

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

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for January 31, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Against The Dying Of The Light” – Jose Gonzalez
• “(It Takes All Kinds) To Make A World” – Gail Ann Dorsey
• “The Stars Are Out Tonight” – David Bowie
• “Opening Night” – Arctic Monkeys
• “Hold On” – Mahalia Jackson & The Kronos Quartet
  
• “What Would You Do” – Dames Brown
• “Rendevouz” – Will Sessions + Dames Brown, Amp Fiddler
  
• “I Got You” – Tedeschi Trucks Band
  
• “I Wish You Love” – Frank Sinatra
• “Stay Away” – Charles Bradley
• “Can’t Hold Us” – Sampa The Great
  
• “Handshake Deal” – Nick Piunti
  
• “Get On The Right Thing” – Wings
  

• “Music Always” – AV & The Inner City
• “Perfect Day” – Al Green w/Raye
• “2Sided” – Arlo Parks
• “Sweet Love” – Stephen Sanchez
• “The Message” – The Legal Matters
• “Chicago” – Mavis Staples
  
• “In The Saddle” – Whitney
• “Practice” – Jamila Woods w/Saba
• “Your Old Stand By” – Mary Wells
• “Disco Life” – Say She She
• “Bend In The River” – Rosetta Pebble
• “Hair Down” – Samm Henshaw
• “Shapes & Sizes” – Joan Armatrading & The Kronos Quartet
• “This World Will Make You Think” – Mahalia Jackson & The Kronos Quartet

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, our in-studio guest is Rhett Miller of Old 97s. Rhett’s music has been a part of Acoustic Cafe for over 30 years, from both the band and his solo work. His tenth solo record is “A Lifetime Of Riding By Night.”

We recorded our session with Rhett live at The Leon Loft in Ann Arbor.

Also this week, another SongWriter Podcast preview, and in-studio archives from Loudon Wainwright III, Tori Amos in 1996 and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for January 18, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “The Thread” – Whitney
• “Shadows” – Bahamas
• “Godspeed” – Mavis Staples
• “White Ferrari” – Frank Ocean
• “Now It’s Now Again” – The Flatlanders (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Pegasus (acoustic)” – Arlo Parks
• “Come As You Are” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “All Over Again” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “In Your Ocean” – Iron & Wine
• “Music Always” – AV & The Inner City
• “I Know (A Little)” – Jacob Collier
• “Abbey Road” – Tori Amos (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Mr. Ambivalent” – Loudon Wainwright III (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Ordinary As Air” – Jamila Woods (SongWriter Podcast)
• “Against The Dying Of The Light” – Jose Gonzalez
• “Anniversary” – Brandi Carlile
• “Heavy Foot” – Mon Rovia
• “In Tall Buildings” – Cole Quest
• “Self-Made Man” – Rachel Baiman (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Run It Back” – Madison McFerrin
• “Wild Rose” – Ocie Elliott
• “Barrier Reef” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “Question” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “Where The Road Goes” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, we’re joined by our first guests of the new year, Folk Bitch Trio. Grace Sinclair, Jeanie Pilkington, and Heide Peverelle met in high school (during the pandemic), instantly creating the 3-piece harmony on display throughout their debut album “Now Would Be A Good Time.”

Also this week, the return of the SongWriter Podcast, and in-studio archives from Cautious Clay, Lianne La Havas, the late Raul Malo and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for January 11, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Prizefighter” – Mumford & Sons
• “To Each Their Dot” – Haley Heynderickx & Max Garcia Conover
• “Touching God” – Daniel Caesar
• “Love You Right” – HAIM
• “Wildfire” – Cautious Clay (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “These Days – Muireann Bradley
• “God’s A Different Sword” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)
• “Mary Plays The Harp” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)
• “Wish You Were Here (Take 1)” – Pink Floyd
• “Running Boy” – Mon Rovia
• “Green Papaya” – Lianne La havas (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Keep It Moving” – Thao Nguyen (SongWriter Podcast)
• “Kindness Be Conceived” – Thao & The Get Down Stay Down (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “You Always Win” – Raul Malo (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Zombie (acoustic)” – YUNGBLUD
• “Plush (acoustic)” – Stone Temple Pilots
• “Skeletree” – Madison Cunningham
• “Long Distance Winner” – Cunningham Bird (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Satisfied Mind” – Mavis Staples
• “Sarah” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)
• “Cathode Ray” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, Josh Ritter rounds our 2025 as our last guest of the year. Recorded at The Leon Loft in November, Josh plays songs from his new album “I Believe In You My Honeydew“.

Also, in-studio archives from Amos Lee, Shawn Colvin, Mike Doughty and more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for December 21, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “This Christmas I’m Coming Home” – Leon Bridges & Norah Jones
• “Buffalo, 1981” – Haley Heynderickx & Max Garcia Conover
• “Clay Pigeons” – Muireann Bradley
• “All For You” – Rhett Miller
• “How To Love” – Buffalo Nichols (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “River” – The Accidentals
• “You Won’t Dig My Grave” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Truth Is A Dimension…” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Hard Times” – Mavis Staples
• “The Way It Will Be” – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
• “Small Talk” – Whitney
• “Looks” – Mike Doughty (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Appalachian Adam’s Apple Smile” – Palmyra
• “Store Bought Christmas” – Old Crow Medicine Show
• “Rebel Soul” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “I’m Gone” – Shawn Colvin(Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” – Freedy Johnson
• “Who Knows” – Daniel Caesar
• “Hanukkah Gelt” – The Klezmatics
• “Bottom Of The Barrel” – Amos Lee (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Thunderbird” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Only A River” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Wild Ways” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org