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Memories become songs on Kevin Morby's 'This Is A Photograph'

Kevin Morby
Chantal Anderson
/
Courtesy of the artist
Kevin Morby

Have you ever been leafing through a family photo album and come upon a picture of a loved one that makes you stop and linger? Maybe there's a look in their eyes you've never seen before. Maybe you wonder what they're thinking. Maybe the contrast between who they were then and who they are now is particularly striking. And wouldn't it be interesting if you could step inside that photograph and meet them in that moment?

On Kevin Morby's latest album, This is a Photograph, the Kansas-based artist attempts to step inside those moments. In our conversation, Kevin talks about how photography inspired his latest album, how he found ways to immerse himself in the memories of family, friends and famous people — and how those memories became songs. You'll also hear him perform some of those songs live, beginning with the title track, "This Is A Photograph."

Copyright 2022 XPN

Raina Douris, an award-winning radio personality from Toronto, Ontario, comes to World Cafe from the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), where she was host and writer for the daily live, national morning program Mornings on CBC Music. She was also involved with Canada's highest music honors: hosting the Polaris Music Prize Gala from 2017 to 2019, as well as serving on the jury for both that award and the Juno Awards. Douris has also served as guest host and interviewer for various CBC Music and CBC Radio programs, and red carpet host and interviewer for the Juno Awards and Canadian Country Music Association Awards, as well as a panelist for such renowned CBC programs as Metro Morning, q and CBC News.
Since 2017, John Myers has been the producer of NPR's World Cafe, which is produced by WXPN at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Previously he spent about eight years working on the other side of Philly at WHYY as a producer on the staff of Fresh Air with Terry Gross. John was also a member of the team of public radio veterans recruited to develop original programming for Audible and has worked extensively as a freelance producer. His portfolio includes work for the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, The Association for Public Art and the radio documentary, Going Black: The Legacy of Philly Soul Radio. He's taught radio production to preschoolers and college students and, in the late 90's, spent a couple of years traveling around the country as a roadie for the rock band Huffamoose.