Music

Born on the dance floor in the 1970s amidst the shadow of post-Nixon America and a bruising recession, Disco offered an escape from American disillusionment and economic hardship. Disco celebrated inclusivity, hedonism, and liberation. When it became a commercial success, it became a cultural force that may have seemed vacant and superficial, but there was a deeper cultural significance. David Hamsley writes about that in his book To Disco, with Love: The Records That Defined an Era.

Roy Orbison was a West Texas boy with an operatic voice. He was drawn to the guitar at age six. His monumental global career successes were matched by extraordinary personal tragedies. Jeff Slate is the co-author of the book The Authorized Roy Orbison.

Submissions of Texas songs or albums that are at least a decade old can be made to Castro's office until Sept. 21.

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was an English singer, songwriter, and media personality who first became famous in the 1970s as the lead singer of Black Sabbath. He is also remembered in San Antonio for urinating on the Alamo's Cenotaph.

Several benefit concerts are planned in the coming weeks to gather donations to help communities struggling to recover from the Guadalupe River floods.

A new study shows that music therapy is as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy at helping cancer patients and survivors heal emotionally.

New generations of Americans are taking to the street in protest, demanding change and accountability. And they are discovering what protestors of the 1960s and '70s found out— protesting is hard, frustrating and requires sacrifice. But protest songs can help. Songs demanding freedom and justice go back generations and are also being composed today. We hear from Stephen Stacks about his new book The Resounding Revolution: Freedom Song After 1968.

The recent death of Brian Wilson reminded Hector Saldaña that he and his band had once celebrated the iconic music.

The Beach Boys' co-founder, songwriter and producer transformed pop music into high art and became America's answer to The Beatles' Lennon and McCartney in the process.

Cellist Joseph Kuipers is producing the festival, which will run from June 8 to June 21.