Fridays at 11:00 pm
Archival gems from historian Studs Terkel’s longstanding WFMT interview program
For 45 years (1952-1997), WFMT was home to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel. Over the years, the guests on his daily radio show ranged from ordinary Chicagoans to international figures: political leaders, writers, performers, social activists, and labor organizers. Studs was remarkable in his depth of knowledge and in his ability to get others to share in spirited and insightful discussion.
Learn more about the Studs Terkel Radio Archive by visiting its website.
Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Thomas (10/08/1986)
Last week and this, the Best of Studs Terkel remembers Michael Tilson Thomas (1944–2026), the beloved and deeply admired American conductor, who died earlier this year. Tonight, a lively hour, from 1986. Studs Terkel’s guests were Michael Tilson Thomas and his exuberant father, Ted Thomas (1904–1992). Michael Tilson Thomas was the third generation of his family to pursue an artistic ...
James Baldwin (11/22/1985)
In this WFMT archive hour from 1985, Studs Terkel speaks with the distinguished American author, playwright, and civil rights activist, James Baldwin (1924-1987), whose book, “The Evidence of Things Not Seen,” had recently been published. Baldwin was born in Harlem in 1924, and his legacy burns brightly to this day. “I want to be an honest man, and I want ...
Musical Americana (07/02/1981)
From July 1981, Studs Terkel conjures a “pre-July 4” potpourri of musical Americana.
Agnes de Mille (05/11/1960)
In this rebroadcast of a conversation from 1960, the American dance visionary Agnes de Mille (1905–1993) discusses her career as a dancer and choreographer.
Hiroshima? Overkill and Megalove (08/20/1963)
An annual WFMT tradition dating back to 1963: a dramatization of Norman Corwin’s prose poem, "Overkill and Megalove."
Kurt Elling (08/11/1997)
The magnificent American jazz singer Kurt Elling (1967 –) was Studs Terkel’s guest in 1997. With his his rich baritone voice and four-octave range, Elling had just released The Messenger, the album which cemented his reputation as a producer, arranger, poetic lyricist, composer, and captivating vocalist.
Remembering Picasso’s Gift to Chicago (1967 & 1997)
On August 15th, 1967, Mayor Richard J. Daley unveiled Pablo Picasso’s great gift to Chicago. This massive, fifty-foot tall, abstract sculpture still sits at the corner of Washington and Randolph, in the courtyard of what was then known as the Civic Center but which we now call Daley Plaza. Studs Terkel was there with his portable tape recorder, collecting sounds ...
Working (9/5/1960)
Studs Terkel’s book Working celebrates everyday people in their own words and the way they make their living. This Best of Studs Terkel archive rebroadcast is his 1960 tribute to Labor Day.
This Train, Part 1 (c. 1963)
Tonight, the Best of Studs Terkel presents part one of “This Train,” WFMT’s annual remembrance of the 1963 civil rights march in Washington, D.C. Studs joined hundreds of Chicagoans on a train bound for Washington. He recorded their thoughts and experiences on his portable tape recorder and wove those historic voices into this award-winning documentary.
This Train, Part 2 (c. 1963)
This edition of the Best of Studs Terkel is devoted to the second and final part of the award-winning documentary,“This Train.“ Studs wove this sound-scape commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington from voices he recorded on a train bound for Washington, and at the event itself.
Ursula Oppens (01/09/1994)
This hour of music and conversation from WFMT’s Studs Terkel archives features the American classical concert pianist and educator, Ursula Oppens (1944 –). First heard in January 1994, the show includes Ms. Oppens performing compositions by Tobias Picker, Beethoven, and Ravel.
Tribute to Jacques Brel (10/08/1978)
Tonight, the Best of Studs Terkel features Studs’ tribute to the late Belgian poet and composer, Jacques Brel (1929 – 1978). The extraordinary and prolific songwriter and performer died on the 9th of October, 1978, at the age of 49. This program was originally broadcast over WFMT on the morning of Brel’s death. And, of course, it brims with Brel’s ...
John Prine (c 1970)
This acoustic time capsule features the first of many times that the influential singer and songwriter John Prine (1946 – 2020) visited with Studs Terkel on WFMT. The program dates back to the early 1970’s – not long after Prine first burst onto the lively Chicago folk scene, and shortly before the release of his very first album. He spoke ...
