Lots of throwbacks today led by birthday candles for Gil Scott Heron and Marvin Gaye, alongside Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, a fond farewell for Chicago guitarist George Freeman, Bob Marley and more… enjoy!

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

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 2, 2025

• “We Almost Lost Detroit” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Puaj” – Salin
• “Traveling With (LIVE ON WDET session)” – Daniel Villarreal (hear the full session here)
• “Sunset Cliffs (LIVE ON WDET session)” – Daniel Villarreal (hear the full session here)
• “Bumpin’” – Wes Montgomery
• “Be Honest (feat. Madison McFerrin)” – A Song For You
• “Supernatural (Extended Mix)” – We Are KING
• “Ode To The Year 9125” – Tall Black Guy
• “Award Tour (feat. Trugoy the Dove)” – A Tribe Called Quest
• “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” – Digable Planets
• “Eye Know (feat. Otis Redding)” – De La Soul
• “Castles Made of Sand” – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• “Confirmed Truth” – George Freeman
• “High Tide or Low Tide (B is for Bob Mix)” – Bob Marley & the Wailers
• “Tom Drunk (feat. U-Roy)” – Hopeton Lewis
• “Lady Day and John Coltrane” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Home Is Where the Hatred Is” – Gil Scott Heron
• “Hot Sun” – Wilco
• “Midnight Sun” – Nilüfer Yanya
• “! MAVIS BEACON” – Saya Gray
• “Motorcycle” – Remi Wolf
• “Future Lover” – Thee Sacred Souls
• “I Want You (John Morales M+M Pianopella Mix)” – Marvin Gaye
• “Ha Ya! (Eternal Life) [feat. Natalie Greffel]” – musclecars
• “Patience (Maurice Fulton Remix)” – Tame Impala
• “Do Yourself A Favor” – Stevie Wonder
• “BACK ON” – SBTRKT
• “Just Can’t Get Enough” – Channel Tres

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

WDET kicked off its 2025 Spring Fundraiser on Thursday, and our hosts, reporters and staff have some extra special incentives planned to encourage listeners to make a gift of support to Detroit public radio.

As a member-funded, nonprofit radio station, everything we do — from our fact-based, community-focused reporting to our diverse music programming — is made possible because of listeners who become members.

Located in the heart of Midtown Detroit, WDET has been deeply rooted in Detroit for over 75 years. If you are someone who appreciates the work we do, please consider supporting it.

Listeners who make a gift to the station can choose from an array of thank you gifts, ranging from exclusive WDET swag to one-of-a-kind experiences.

All new members who make a gift during the Spring Fundraiser, which ends Sunday, March 15, will also receive a limited edition WDET skyline water bottle.

Additionally, gifts made during specific shows and programs throughout fundraiser will be entered into “chance to win” drawings.

Listen daily, visit wdet.org, check your email, and follow @wdetdetroit on Instagram to find out during which shows your donation will act as an automatic entry to win the following prizes:

• Weekend passes to Movement Festival 2025, held over Memorial Day weekend
• JaZZ PAZZ bundle to the Detroit Jazz Festival, held over Labor Day weekend
• Wristbands for the Hamtramck Blowout, held March 20-22
• Vinyl records pressed at the iconic Third Man Record store and pressing plant in Detroit
• Vinyl records handpicked and bundled at Found Sound in Ferndale by Modern Music host, Jon Moshier
• Detroit Historic Society “Streets of Detroit” tour with take-home Detroit Monopoly game
• The Vault Package
• Achatz Pies on Pi Day March 14
• Gift card to Basan in District Detroit
• Suite tickets to a Pistons game, with parking and Players Club passes
• One-year digital subscription to the Washington Post or the New York Times
• And more!

Membership has its benefits, too!

Members power WDET and receive benefits throughout the year, including invitations to members-only events and offers such as pre-sale tickets, discounts, and opportunities to attend special events.

View our latest thank you gifts and become a member today »

As WDET celebrated the end of its 75th year last Thursday, News Director Jerome Vaughn unveiled an audio history project that commemorates the station’s history and longstanding dedication to public news that serves Detroit.

“Having worked at WDET for more than half my life, I thought it was an amazing opportunity to dig into the history of the station and tell the rest of the world about how this amazing radio station got started,” said Vaughn, who narrates the audio history.

WDET was first created to share news and updates on the labor movement as one of several broadcasting stations managed by the United Auto Workers union. It aired its first broadcast on Feb. 13, 1949. The station strived to diversify its programming from the start, covering news relevant to working people, sharing music, and even broadcasting in other languages to better serve various populations in the area.

But running a nonprofit station demanded more resources than the UAW saw fit to spend. In 1952, the UAW transferred ownership of the station to Wayne State University, with the condition that the station would continue to use its broadcasting license to serve the public.

Watch the presentation below and take a journey through the first years of WDET’s existence, featuring historical photographs, logos, and newspaper clippings provided by Walter P. Reuther Library Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs.

Special thanks to the Walter and May Reuther Memorial Fund for funding this project.