Episode 13: Details
We look back at some of the most interesting and entertaining moments of Mitch Albom LIVE in 2009, from hanging out with Craig Ferguson at Ferguson's CBS Studio to walking the streets of New York City with author Nick Hornby, checking out the Detroit Red Wings’ practice with filmmaker Kevin Smith, and even breaking into a spontaneous (and perhaps regrettable) concert on the beach with Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.
Mitch Albom Live Archive
Part of a renowned musical family, John Pizzarelli is one of the great jazz guitarists and vocalists working today. His bouncy, conversational singing style and reverence for the American songbook stands out on his latest album, With a Song in My Heart.
Mitch joins John in the studio for a fascinating look at how jazz musicians work together, a few stories from the Pizzarelli household, and some spot-on impersonations that include Bob Dylan and Billie Holiday.
If one thing in Kevin Smith's life rivals his passion for movies, it's his love of hockey (and particularly the New Jersey Devils). The writer and director of Clerks and Chasing Amy visited enemy ice in the form of the Detroit Red Wings' Joe Louis Arena to chat with Mitch about Smith's next film, Hit Somebody, which is based on a song of the same name that Mitch wrote for Warren Zevon.
It chronicles the ambitions of a bruising Canadian farmboy who dreams of scoring goals but is valued only for his ability to land punches. With the Wings practicing in the background, the two talk about the origins of the song, the setting for the film, what it meant to play "old-time hockey," and the sport's curious connection to a lady named Byng.
Mitch visits with Tony Bennett and Tony's wife, Susan, at the NYC public arts high school that Tony founded, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, in the singer's hometown of Astoria, Queens.
Best known for his singing career, Bennett is also a passionate painter. He talks about spending more time in front of the canvas, about a musical project he'd love to be a part of, and about the importance of the arts in education.
British author Nick Hornby, author of High Fidelity and About a Boy, comes to New York City and chats with Mitch about his latest novel, Juliet, Naked, which deals with the redemption of a reclusive folk singer courtesy of a longtime fan.
Aside from talking about the book, Nick and Mitch shoot a few sports questions at each other, take a few shots in a video soccer game, and go head-to-head in the one competition that no American could ever lose to a Brit. (Right?)
Mitch joins Rosanne Cash in the studio to talk about her latest recording, The List, which was based on a note that her father, Johnny Cash, wrote down for her when she was 18 years old. Scrawled at the top were the words "100 Essential Country Songs," and Rosanne turned to it for inspiration following her emotionally raw previous album,Black Cadillac.
In our interview, Cash talks about the legacy of her father, the process of picking which songs were right for her, and what it was like to collaborate with Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Tweedy, and others.
As she reveals to Mitch, Drew Barrymore was 6 years old when she turned in her first script. To her godfather. And though that project didn't quite get off the ground, Barrymore never lost the desire to become a director.
She makes her debut with Whip It (in theaters October 2), a funny, freewheeling tale starring Ellen Page as a young woman facing life's learning curve on high banks and roller skates.
In the interview, Barrymore talks more about the movie, explains why she never yells, "Cut!", and describes what drew her to the "wonderful, healthy, cool thing" that is the underground world of competitive roller derby.
Mitch's Picks: Songs I Never, Ever Get Tired of
Mitch's Picks: Books
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Gilead |by Marilynne Robinson
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The Shipping News |by Annie Proulx
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The History of Love |by Nicole Krauss
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The Right Stuff |by Tom Wolfe
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High Fidelity |by Nick Hornby
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Emperor of the Air |by Ethan Canin
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The Royal Road To Romance |by Richard Haliburton
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Charming Billy |by Alice McDermott
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A Fan's Notes |by Frederick Exley
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Enduring Love | by Ian McEwan
Mitch's Picks: Top 7 Bands
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The Beatles
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The Spongetones
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The Drifters
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Dire Straits
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Vampire Weekend
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The Temptations
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Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Mitch's Picks: 16 Albums
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Carole King - Tapestry
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Fairground Attraction - First Of A Million Kisses
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Gene Autry - Sings Gene Autry
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Bill Evans - Live at the Village Vanguard
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Grateful Dead - American Beauty
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Sly and the Family Stone - Dance To The Music
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Elvis Presley - From the 50's Masters
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Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life
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Jimi Hendrix - Smash Hits
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Miles Davis - Milestones
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The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers
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The Housemartins - London 0, Hull 4
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Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
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Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers - The Best Of
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Chuck Berry - The Great 28
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The Rolling Stones - Through the Past, Darkly
