This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, tickets for the Ann Arbor Folk Festival are on sale early this year (NOW!), celebrating their 50th Folk Fest… we’ll check out some of the artists on the bill.

Also, new tunes from Michigander, new albums from Beck, Beabadoobee… and some on the way from Sylvan Esso, Joy Oladokun + a couple leftover “guilty pleasure” songs from the fall fundaraiser shows!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for September 26, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Tumbthumping” – Chumbawumba
• “I Am You” – Prince
• “Sledge” – Sylvan Esso
• “Easy Company” – Joy Oladokun
• “Why You Got Me Crazy” – Dames Brown
• “This Is My Country” – Mavis Staples (A2 Folk Fest, 2027)
• “Tear Stained Letter” – Richrd Thompson (A2 Folk Fest, 2027)
• “High Heels” – The War & Treaty (A2 Folk Fest, 2027)
• “Red Eye To Memphis” – Bob Seger
• “Main Street U.S.A.” – Grace Potter
• “Did Ya Know?” – The Sinseers
• “Parade Of The Loons” – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

HOUR TWO:

• “Proxy” – St. Paul & The Broken Bones
• “Sun And Moon” – Danielle Ponder
• “Falling Through My Hands” – Beck
• “Radio” – Beabadoobee
• “Rebel Eve” – The Rebel Eves (A2 Folk Fest, 2027)
• “If We Were Vampires” – Dupont-Phillips (A2 Folk Fest, 2027)
• “Soon I Might Be Going” – Neil Young
• “Freaking Out” – Michigander (Acoustic Cafe in-studio performance)
• “Taxi” – Michigander
• “Soul Wandering ” – Paul Weller
• “All Around” – The Womack Sisters
• “You Could’ve Been A Lady” – Hot Chocolate

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, fondly remembering the interpretive genius of Cassandra Wilson who passed this week at age 70.

In happier music news, Jazzfest is here, and we’ll play some of our favorite performers in town, including some cool in-studio takes. Also, Sept. 5 is Loudon Wainwright III’s 80th birthday, so a tip of the hat to the tragi-comic troubadour happens this week as well!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for September 5, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “I Can’t Stand The Rain” – Cassandra Wilson ft. Chris Whitley
• “26-2” – Ravi Coltrane
• “After The Love Is Gone” – Kurt Elling (Acoustic Cafe recording)
• “Touchdown” – Bob James
• “Motel Blues” – Loudon Wainwright III (Acoustic Cafe recording)
• “Say That You Love Me” – Loudon Wainwright III (Acoustic Cafe recording)
• “You Can’t Fail Me Now” – Loudon Wainwright III & Lucy Wainwright Roche (Acoustic Cafe recording)
• “There Is Power In A Union” – Billy Bragg (Acoustic Cafe recording, live at Meadowbrook, July 2, 1995)

HOUR TWO:

• “Seven Steps” – Cassandra Wilson
• “I Can’t Get Next To You” – Dee Dee Bridgewater
• “Stepping Out” – Kurt Elling (Acoustic Cafe recording)
• “Meet The Wainwrights” – Loudon Wainwright III & family
• “Road Ode” – Loudon Wainwright III
• “One Man Guy” – Rufus Wainwright
• “Fanfare For Unity” – Joe Lovano
• “Yes We Can” – Catherine Russell
• “Cominando” – Ron Carter & Foursight
• “Harvest Moon” – Cassandra Wilson

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, fondly remembering Dolly Parton through her own music and interpretations, as well as covers by others.

We also say a fond farewell to the great Tim Curry, and introduce you to some new music from Wyclef Jean, The Womack Sisters, Detroit’s latest newcomer Ayla Ottenbreit and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for August 29, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “French Quarter” – Wyclef Jean
• “Soul Bossa Nova” – Quincy Jones
• “Candy Apple” – Ayla Ottenbreit
• “I Wonder” – Prince
• “I Will Always Love You” – Dolly Parton
• “Two Doors Down” – Meshell Ndegeocello
• “Seven Bridges Road” – Dolly Parton
• “California Sober” – Iron & Wine
• “Talk It Over” – Leon Bridges
• “Love Me Not” – Grace Potter (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “I Do The Rock” – Tim Curry (RIP)

HOUR TWO:

• “Rocinha” – Wyclef Jean
• “Rocket Man” – Bob James
• “Human (Sad Gay Version)” – Brandi Carlile
• “Little Sparrow” – Dolly Parton
• “9 To 5” – Alison Krauss
• “World On Fire” – Dolly Parton
• “Don’t Look Any Further” – Meshell Ndegeocello & Liana La Havas
• “Laughter And Tears” – The Womack Sisters
• “How Love’s Supposed To Go” – Alabama Shakes
• “I Am Ready” – Dolly Parton

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, a couple tracks from Martha Reeves’ first album in 22 years. At age 85, she’s delivered a really cool album! Also a couple from the new Michigander (Jason Singer) album.

We also say a fond farewell to Frank Beard, founding member and drummer in the trio ZZ Top, who passed this week at age 77.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for August 22, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Taxix” – Michigander
• “Freedom Bus” – Sheryl Crow ft. Jesse Welles
• “All Around” – The Womack Sisters
• “Across 110th Street” – Bobby Womack
• “I Got It Bad” – Martha Reeves
• “Disappearing Act” – Beck
• “Watch You Dance” – Leon Bridges
• “Sunshine” – Jungle
• “How Many People” – Ziggy Marley ft. Nikka Costa
• “Punish My Mind” – @
• “Shake Shake Dance For Me” – Jon Muq
• “One Man’s Trash…” – Eli Paperboy Reed
• “Lonely USA” – MEELS
• “Ten Dollar Man” – ZZ Top (RIP Frank Beard, 8/17/26)

HOUR TWO:

• “Oh Good” – Michigander
• “One Of Us” – Brandon Flowers
• “Sage” – Joy Oladokun
• “Radio Up” – Ayla Ottenbreit
• “To Know You Is To Love You” – Martha Reeves
• “Lost Boys” – Phoebe Bridgers
• “Memories” – beabadoobee
• “You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore” – The War & Treaty
• “Move” – Mac Saturn
• “Oh No Now My” – This Is Lorelei
• “Ahead By A Century (live)” – The Tragically Hip
• “Human” – Brandi Carlile
• “Cheap Sunglasses” – ZZ Top (RIP Frank Beard, 8/17/26)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, music from the late Glen Hansard from his solo catalog. Also, classic August album releases from The Supremes, Beyonce, Bootsy, Boston and more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for August 1, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Leave A Light On” – Dervish ft. Glen Hansard
• “The Light (4 PM)” – Cautious Clay
• “Sick Of The Times” – THAO ft. TuneYards, The Linda Lindas
• “If I Let You” – The Womack Sisters
• “When It’s Right, It’s Right” – Nick Behnan
• “Stretching Out (In A Rubber Band)” – Bootsy Collins (August 1976)
• “The Boy In The Bubble” – Paul Simon (August 1986)
• “If Your Girl Only Knew” – Aaliyah (August 1996)
• “Wake Up Everybody” – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
• “Technopagans” – Jesse Welles
• “Winning Streak” – Glen Hansard

HOUR TWO:

• “Rock And Roll Band” – Boston (August 1976)
• “Ring The Alarm” – Beyonce (August 2006)
• “You Can’t Hurry Love” – The Supremes (August 1966)
• “Big Man On Mulberry Street” – Billy Joel (August 1986)
• “I Don’t Understand” – MT Jones (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Cigarette Curls” – Beth Orton
• “Your Love Is Electric” – Leon Bridges
• “But, Nvm” – Baby Rose
• “Yes We Can Can” – The Pointer Sisters
• “This Land Is Your Land” – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
• “All You Fonies” – Dropkick Murphys
• “Say It To Me Now” – Glen Hansard
• “Roll On Slow” – Glen Hansard

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org