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Podcasts The Frame
Paul Simon says farewell to touring as his biography arrives
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The Frame Tile
Episode 18381
Listen • 25:37
Paul Simon says farewell to touring as his biography arrives

On today's show: L.A. Times pop music critic emeritus Robert Hilburn talks about his new Paul Simon biography and about the singer/songwriter's final tour; the Portland-based musicians who record as Wonderly on how they created the theme song for The Daily — the radio version of the New York Times’ hugely popular daily news podcast.

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 20: Paul Simon performs onstage during The Nearness Of You Benefit Concert at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on January 20, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)
Paul Simon in a 2015 performance at Lincoln Center in New York City.
(
Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images
)

Here's what we've got on today's episode:

A reluctant Paul Simon opens up for his biography

(Starts at 1:00)

L.A. Times pop music critic emeritus Robert Hilburn wrote "Paul Simon: The Life." Hilburn tells John Horn about having to talk the singer/songwriter into cooperating for the book, which covers Simon's entire career — the highs and the lows. Hilburn also talks about seeing Simon perform at the Hollywood Bowl on what he says is his final tour.

Guest: Robert Hilburn, author and L.A. Times pop music critic emeritus 

How Wonderly created the theme song for "The Daily"

(Starts at 19:52)

"The Daily" is the radio version of the New York Times’ hugely popular daily news podcast, hosted by Michael Barbaro. (It airs nightly on KPCC at 7:30.) The theme song for "The Daily" was written by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk — the Portland-based musicians who record as Wonderly. We have the backstory on how the theme song was created. (Adapted from Song Exploder — the podcast in which Hrishikesh Hirway dissects a song with its creators.)