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One hundred years before McCain and Obama saturated the airwaves with ads, the era of mass-media presidential campaigns kicked off with mannequins and wax cylinders.

Neurologist Carolyn Bernstein, co-author (with journalist Elaine McArdle) of The Migraine Brain, estimates that 30 million Americans suffer from migraines — and that most sufferers don't realize they have the condition.

Davenport claims the distinction of being home to America's largest sitting zither orchestra. This homegrown music scene revolves around the city's German-American community, as well as a tradition of hausmusik its ancestors brought to this country.

The Bright Eyes singer made Conor Oberst on an impulse while visiting the mystical mountain town of Tepoztlan in Mexico earlier this year. The approach is straight folk-rock, but it's less simple than it seems at first. But it also sounds like the next installment in the Bright Eyes catalog.

For An Invitation, George wrote the songs with just her voice and a guitar, then sent them away to master arranger Van Dyke Parks. The result is a lushly orchestrated, theatrical song cycle, which buoys George's unique vocal phrasing with a small orchestra.

The recent anthrax investigation has brought to light the aggressive tactics of the FBI. It brought on questions about how far investigations should go and whether hardball tactics should remain legal.

He's put out hit records for half a century, toured with the Beach Boys, even hosted his own TV show. So why is the latest album from the indefatigable country-pop singer called Meet Glen Campbell?

Education and musicians in residence fuel a robust contemporary classical scene in the Texas city. It's supported by the success of the Houston Symphony and local public radio, which has helped build an open-minded audience for music that's both cerebral and fun.

At 20, the guitarist and songwriter from Glasgow has already sold 1 million copies of her debut album overseas. On the eve of the U.S. release of This Is the Life, MacDonald played a few songs and spoke with Scott Simon.

Ljova is wired like an independent musician, in spite of his old-school instrument. He Skypes. He blogs. He posts music on Facebook and YouTube. And he composes by playing his viola into the computer, overdubbing and improvising the parts as he goes.

Feufollet is one of several young Cajun bands trying to preserve tradition, add its own sounds and reach a new generation. The group has been doing that for a decade, even though most of its members are still in college.

In a new book, authors Roger Bennett and Josh Kun detail American Jewish history through vinyl albums. They are trying to answer questions such as, "Who are we?" and "What are we inheriting?" in what Bennett calls the "beginning of a journey."

Relatives can be an important ingredient to a successful Thanksgiving. Classical music commentator Miles Hoffman points out some important musical relatives of Mozart, Bach, Schumann and Mendelssohn.

Activist and singer Odetta has died. When you talk to some of the most famous singers in America, they'll tell you she inspired the way they sing. One moment she'd grimace like something was hurting. Then suddenly Odetta would smile. And you'd melt.

Conor Oberst says he's not deliberately thinking about fleeing home — but it keeps coming up in his songs. He's written about a road trip, the healing powers of the road and escape. For his latest album, which is self-titled, he recorded on the grounds of a vacant hotel in Mexico.

The UK neo-soul singer is out with her second album, Pot of Gold. She's known for her collaborations with Massive Attack, The Nextmen and The Quantic Soul Orchestra.

He was born in 1908, the year Henry Ford introduced the Model T. At age 100, Elliott Carter is still composing music. Today, he continues to amaze, and occasionally confound, his fans and critics.

It's an instrument that sounds like Halloween — a ghostly whine from another dimension. But it doesn't take long to hear the familiar melodies of Christmas: "The First Noel," "Silent Night," even "Frosty the Snowman." The music comes from an album called The Singing Saw at Christmastime.

Composer Erran Baron Cohen's latest CD offers a new take on traditional sounds. He talks about the album — and about collaborating with his brother Sacha Baron Cohen on the movie Borat.

Bolstered by gatherings such as the Smithsonian Institution's "Classical Native" series, American Indian composers are searching for a sound. The result is music in the spirit of their ancestors mixed with techniques from Western classical music.

Herbie Hancock's album is now considered one of the defining moments in jazz fusion. The Library of Congress is preserving the album in its musical collection as one of the country's most culturally significant audio recordings. Hancock and producer David Rubinson reflect on the album's creation and long-lasting impact.

Tell Tale Signs, the eighth collection of rare and unreleased Dylan recordings, is devoted to the music Dylan made between 1989 and 2006. According to critic Tom Moon, the collection offers rare glimpses into Dylan's artistic process.

There probably isn't a major symphony orchestra in the U.S. — or abroad — that hasn't played the music of John Adams. His distinctive sound has made Richard Nixon sing and won a Pulitzer Prize. His new autobiography, Hallelujah Junction, reveals an American composer's history.

The composer discusses his new 10-CD collection, the appeal of his "needle-stuck-in-the-groove music," growing up in Baltimore and his love for science.

Some feminists have had a hard time accepting Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin as a symbol of women's empowerment. But political science professor Ronnee Schreiber argues that conservatism and feminism are not mutually exclusive ideologies.