October 18, 2014 - Madison, WI - Monona Terrace

10.18.2014

A live show from the Monona Terrace in Madison, WI featuring Pulitzer-prize winning author Jane Smiley (A Thousand Acres)! She'll chat about her new book Some Luck! Then Milwaukee born Grace Weber will stop by the Terrace and play a few songs from her new album. What Saturday would be complete without your weekly serving of All the News That Isn't, Thanks For the Memos and two hilarious rounds of the Whad'Ya Know? Quiz!

All the News That Isn't - October 18, 2014

Michael takes the news and news makers to multi-task as he reframes the headlines.

This weeks highlights include: Apple employees, Jameis, Ebola Czar, Paul Ryan, Polar Vortex and more!

Jane Smiley

Jane Smiley is the author of numerous novels, including A Thousand Acres, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, as well as five works of nonfiction and a series of books for young adults. In 2001 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 2006 she received the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. She lives in Northern California.

This week she and Michael chat about the new book, Some Luck and more!

Grace Weber

Tutored in the music through total immersion, Grace Weber developed her smoldering, soulful voice into a singular powerhouse that belied her young age, earning a spot performing on the famed "Showtime At The Apollo" in Harlem by the time she was in her early teens. Weber was invited to meet the President, appeared on The Today Show, and in 2010, won the chance of a lifetime to perform on the final season of Oprah.

Her new album, 'The Refinery,' blends smoky, retro, rootsy soul with elements of modern rock and electronic percussion across its eleven original tracks. "When I was touring with my band we were talking about things that are soulful and describing them as 'oily,'" explains Weber. "For something to be really soulful and deep, it has to be dirty and gritty and real. Anytime we heard something soulful we'd say it's oily, just dripping with soul and raw and dirty and nasty. Then we passed this huge refinery and said that the most soulful thing would be a refinery."

Weber stops by the Terrace stage to discuss her musical family tree, her journey from Wauwatosa to singing on Showtime at the Apollo and to perform a few songs from her album, The Refinery.