In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, Lady Blackbird (pictured above), new songs from Bon Iver, Robert Randolph and Natalie Bergman (new on Third Man Records) and much 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 Apr. 26, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Like A Ship (Without A Sail)” – Leon Bridges & Keite Young
  
• “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled” – Lady Blackbird
• “I’ll Be Okay” – Michigander
• “Wildfire Season” – Jobi Riccio
• “Be My Own Man” – Phillip Michael Scales
• “Isn’t She Lovely” – Stevie Wonder
  
• “Like A Rock” – Bob Seger
  
• “Ziplock” – Penny & Sparrow
• “Luke & Leanna” – Craig Finn
• “Ride” – B-52s (Kate Pierson turns 77!)

• “From” – Bon Iver
• “There She Goes” – Curtis Harding
• “Gunslinger” – Natalie Bergman
• “Flowers” – Durand Jones & The Indications
• “Lord Have Mercy” – Durand Jones (Acoustic Cafe performance, 2023)
• “What Was That” – Lorde
• “Witness” – The Wood Bros.
• “Staring” – Renée Elise Goldsberry
• “Shine” – Joy Clark (Acoustic Cafe performance, 2025)
• “Stuck In Reverse” – The Swell Season
• “Novelty” – Jensen McRae
• “Big Women” – Robert Randolph
• “Sex And Drugs And Rock & Roll” – Michael Franti & Spearhead
• “Still Bad” – Lizzo (Lizzo turns 37!)

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.

I’m a pretty curious person about a lot of things, and architecture has always fascinated me for many reasons.

Architects design the structures where we live, work, gather, eat, etc., and contribute to how we feel — or the mood — when we enter and experience the spaces they create. 

But there is so much more, which Detroit architect Leo Mendez shared with me in a recent interview for Essential Music.

Currently serving as vice president of planning and design for Olympia Development of Michigan, Mendez has designed projects all around the globe, including many in his hometown of Detroit.

Some of his work as an architect includes everything from the Motown Museum, Honey Bee Market, the shed at Robert C. Valade Park, the Eddystone building and Basan restaurant, the Detroit Tigers spring training facility in Florida, and the Fox Theater seats upgrade that took years to complete — which we talk about during our conversation.

We also discussed his new book of poetry and photographs, “Random Deep Feelings: Within a Burst of Time,” and why he published some of his deepest thoughts and observations; along with his history, the beauty of Detroit architecture, and what goes through his head when he enters a building.

Mendez will be signing copies of his book at Source Booksellers from 2-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, for National Independent Bookstores Day.

Use the media player above to listen to our conversation.

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music we featured a new album of covers from Smokey Robinson, now 85, coming out next week. JR JR has announced an upcoming local show, The War and Treaty and much 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 Apr. 19, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Son Of Sam” – Elliott Smith (Figure 8 released 25 years ago this week)
• “People” – Galactic + Irma Thomas
• “Be Thankful For What You Got” – Smokey Robinson
• “Call It A Draw” – Uwade
• “Back To The Land” – JR JR
• “Day One” – Bon Iver
  
• “What To Make Of Me” – Olive Klug
  
• “I Don’t” – Madison McFerrin
• “World’s Worst Girlfriend” – Shura
• “Love Me Any Ole Way” – Valerie June
• “Garden Grove” – Jakob’s Castle (Jakob Nowell)
• “Ride” – Loren Kramar
• “Henry, Come On” – Lana Del Ray
  
• “Learn To Let Go” – The Doobie Brothers

• “Bottom Of A Barrell” – Julien Baker & TORRES
• “The Giver” – Chappell Roan
• “Late Night Get Down” – Southern Avenue
• “Can I Get An Amen” – The War and Treaty
• “Above Water” – Nick Piunti & The Complicated Men
• “The Black Dog & The Wandering Boy” – James McMurtry (2025)
• “Fuller Brush Man – James McMurtry (1995)
• “Lady Liberty” – Galactic + Irma Thomas
• “Boneyard” – Jon Cleary
• “Tangled Up In You” – The Altons (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Because” – Elliott Smith (Figure 8 released 25 years ago this week)

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.

This week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music we’ll celebrate Record Store Day with some RSD exclusives, plus brand new music from Stereolab, Ryan Shaw, Jose James 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 Apr. 12, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Dance This Mess Around” – B-52s (RSD exclusive)
• “Everseen” – beabadoobee (RSD exclusive)
• “Head With Wings” – Morphine (RSD exclusive)
• “Much Ado About Nothing” – Waxahatchee (RSD exclusive)
• “Come Down” – Andersen. Paak (RSD exclusive)
• “Rock With You” – Jose James
  
• “Picture Window” – Japanese Breakfast
  
• “Heartbreak” – Tune-Yards
• “Low Rider (extended mix)” – WAR (RSD exclusive)
• “Jailbreak (Take 5)” – Thin Lizzy (RSD exclusive)
• “Rising Up” – Ryan Shaw
• “Year Of The Snake” – Arcade Fire

• “The Next Storm” – Frank Turner (RSD exclusive)
• “Raven” – Kelela (RSD exclusive)
• “Mr. Bad Example” – Warren Zevon (RSD exclusive)
• “If You Don’t Love Me I’ll Kill Myself” – Pete Droge (RSD exclusive)
• “Save It For Later” – Eddie Vedder (RSD exclusive)
• “Sweet Pretender” – Jack Spivey
• “Aerial Troubles” – Stereolab
• “Country Road” – Carla Thomas
• “Get Behind The Mule (Spiritual)” – Tom Waits (RSD exclusive)
• “All My Tears” – Spyboy (RSD exclusive)
• “I Wrote Your Name Upon My Heart”– Sting (RSD exclusive)
• “Be Here Now” – George Harrison (RSD exclusive)

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.

This week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music plays back some classic albums released in April of 1965, ’75, ’85, etc… also the new album from Brandi & Elton, stuff on the way from Wet Leg and Lord Huron, Detroit’s Crossword Smiles takes on Depeche Mode 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 Apr. 5, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “A Taste Of Honey” – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (released April 1965)
• “Nothing I Need” – Lord Huron
• “Best Guess” – Lucy Dacus
• “Iloveu4real” – Q
• “Puppets” – Crossword Smiles
  
• “Black Night” – Bob Seger (released April 1975)
• “Tamborine” – Prince (released April 1985)
• “This Is How We Do It” – Montell Jordan (released April 1995)
• “catch these fists” – Wet Leg
• “Clean Heart” – Perfume Genius
• “Actress” – Maya Delilah
  
• “Have Your Fun” – Maya Mendez
• “America” – Tracy Chapman
  
• “Wave Of Mutilation – Pixies (Frank Black turns 60)

• “No More No More” – Aerosmith (released April 1975)
• “Sisters” – Southern Avenue
• “Enough Is Enough” – The Hives
• “harvest sky” – oklou
• “Spitting Image” – Michigander
• “Landed” – Ben Folds (released April 2005)
• “Chocolate City” – Parliament (released April 1975)
• “Would I Lie To You” – Eurythmics (released April 1985)
• “Little Richard’s Bible” – Elton John & Brandi Carlile
• “Rain In The River”– Bruce Springsteen
• “Just Kissed My Baby” – Jon Cleary
• “Talkin’ Bout A Revolution” – Tracy Chapman

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.

This week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music covers another busy week of newly released music from Lizzo, Lucy Dacus and Detroit’s Jack Spivey — plus a couple of weird moments from 50 and 40 years ago. We also open and close the show with a couple soon-to-be octogenarians!

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 Mar. 29, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Down To Joy” – Van Morrison
• “Forever Is A Feeling” – Lucy Dacus
  
• “Superlover” – Allison Russelll & Annie Lennox
• “I Put A Spell On You” – Annie Lennox
• “Can I Get An Amen” – The War & Treaty
  
• “Lonesome Loser” – Little River Band
  
• “Still Bad” – Lizzo
• “Lazarus” – David Bowie
• “Sleeves Up” – Crys Matthews
• “Where Do We Go From Here” – Wilder Wods
• “Show You Love” – The Altons (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
  
• “Imma Be” – Black Eyed Peas (Fergie turns 50!)
  

• “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” – Wang Chung
• “Cruel Cruel World” – Felix Ames
• “Feel Like Makin’ Love” – Roberta Flack (released 50 years ago this month)
• “Feel Like Makin’ Love” – Bad Company (also released 50 years ago this month)
• “Cold Honey” – Jack Spivey
• “Love Is Like A Rock” – Donnie Iris (82 and still rockin’… sorta)
• “Knock On Wood” – Buddy Guy
• “Moving On And On” – Q
• “Never Felt Better” – Everything Is Recorded
• “Look At The State Of Me Now”– Maya Delilah
• “Gone Again” – Sunny War w/John Doe
• “The Core” – Eric Clapton w/Marcella Detroit (Clapton turns 80 this weekend)

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.

As International Women’s Month wraps up, Essential Music host Ann Delisi sits down with one of the influential voices in the culinary world—Angela Davis, better known as The Kitchenista.

Davis, a chef, recipe developer, and educator, has built a loyal following with her rich storytelling and deep culinary expertise. Through her online presence, she’s inspired countless home cooks with her creativity, honesty, and passion for food.

In this conversation, Delisi and Davis dive into her journey in the digital food space, the challenges of sharing her work and life online, and the ever-evolving world of food blogging and content creation.

Want to explore more of her work? Visit her Patreon at patreon.com/kitchenista or learn more about her story on Wikipedia.

Listen to Ann Delisi’s Essential Music every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.