Terry Gross

Sociologist and foremost authority on urban poverty William Julius Wilson. He was with the University of Chicago for 24 years before becoming the Malcolm Wiener Professor of Social Policy at Harvard. His new book is "When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor" (Knopf). He looks at how joblessness has affected inner city neighborhoods. He says that the consequences of high joblessness in the inner city are more devastating than those of high neighborhood poverty.

Memphis based musician Sid Selvidge. He's a guitarist whose music synthesizes classic blues styles and Appalachian traditions. Selvidge has been part of the Memphis music scene for 30 years, learning from such Delta blues legends as Bukka White, and Mississippi Fred McDowell. Selvidge is also senior producer of the new public radio blues show, "Beale Street Caravan" which premieres on October 1.

Professor of Sociology Charles Moskos. He teaches at Northwestern University. He's written many articles on race relations in the military for the New York times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tiribune, and The New Republic. He's co-authored a new book about the U.S. Army's success at integration: "All That We Can Be: Black Leadership and Racial Integration the Army Way."

The Australian-born activist helped found and was the first president of the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) and the Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament (WAND). Her new autobiography "A Desperate Passion" is about her life, activism, and the effect of notoriety on her personal life. In 1985 PSR's umbrella affiliate, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rock and roll songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They're responsible for many of the greatest hits in rock history, among them "Hound Dog," "Yakity Yak," and "Stand By Me." Rhino records has a collection of their songs, called "There's A Riot Goin' On." (Rebroadcast from December 19, 1991).

Songwriter and Producer, Ellie Greenwich. She co-wrote some of the most popular songs of the early 1960's for the girl groups produced by Phil Spector: songs like "Leader of the Pack" and "River Deep, Mountain High". She got her start out of the Brill Building with the songwriting team of Lieber and Stoller. In the 1980's, when she was writing songs for Cyndi Lauper and Irene Cara, she performed some of her hits in a Broadway Review called "Leader of the Pack." (Rebroadcast from 1986).

In the 1960s, King wrote hit songs like "Up on the Roof" and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" But in the 70s, she achieved lasting fame with songs like "Natural Woman" and her album "Tapestry," which was the best-selling album of the decade. Terry spoke to her in 1989. (Rebroadcast.)

Spector, who in the 1960s was a member of the girl group The Ronettes. She left the music business for several years, but recorded new music in the 1980s. Terry spoke to her in 1987. (Rebroadcast)

Costello cowrote with Bacharach the song "God Give Me Strength" for Allison Ander's newest movie, Grace of My Heart. Costello spoke with Terry Gross earlier this year. (Originally aired 6/4/96)

Anders talks about her new film, "Grace of My Heart," based on the lives of songwriters who worked out of the Brill Building in New York. Her other movies include: "Four Rooms," "Mi Vida Loca," and "Gas Food Lodging."