Stephen Sondheim, who was awarded the Edward MacDowell Medal in August, discussed the award and much more on PBS NewsHour last night. While at The MacDowell Colony to receive the award last month, the composer spoke with Jeffrey Brown, NewsHour's Jeffrey Brown about the honor and the danger of resting on one's laurels. Writer Frank Rich, who was the chairman of the medal selection committee, tells the show: "I'd argue that he single-handedly has kept the musical theater in a serious place." Watch the PBS NewsHour feature here.

Fatoumata Diawara, whose North American summer tour comes to a close in British Columbia this weekend, is the subject of a captivating feature profile on CNN's African Voices program. Diawara spoke with CNN for an in-depth discussion of her life, from her early days in Mali to an acting career that led to world travel and her career in music, as heard on her critically acclaimed debut album, Fatou, and her recent efforts in support of peace in Mali. You can watch the profile here.

Audra McDonald was a special guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC last night. The five-time Tony Award winner stopped by the studio to help Fallon out on a Suggestion Box request to give voice to some sage Yahoo! Answers in her own inimitable way. Watch the segment here. McDonald's US tour keeps her close to home this weekend with a performance at the Caramoor Venetian Theater in Katonah, New York, on Saturday.

Lianne La Havas kicked off a North American summer tour this past weekend with sets at Baltimore’s Soundstage and New York's SummerStage in Central Park. She also stopped by CBS This Morning: Saturday to perform two songs off her album, Is Your Love Big Enough?: "Age" and "Lost & Found." "This is a record I can't stop listening to," says CBS's Anthony Mason. "She brings a rich array of influences to her music and an expressive voice that's drawn a big following on iTunes." Watch the performances here. The tour continues with stops in Northampton, Montreal, and Chicago.

Live From Lincoln Center will broadcast an expanded edition of its season finale from May, featuring series host Audra McDonald at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. “Audra McDonald In Concert: Go Back Home” is a special gala concert showcasing songs from a wide range of musical theater composers featured on her new album, Go Back Home. This 90-minute edition airs on PBS stations on August 30.

Audra McDonald was featured on PBS Newshour last night, speaking with the show's Art Beat correspondent Jeffrey Brown about her new album, Go Back Home. McDonald, whom Brown describes as "a leading lady of musical theater and much more," discusses her connection to the songs on the album, her most personal yet, and the sense of home she found in the theater at an early age. You can watch the complete Newshour piece here.

Iron and Wine was the musical guest on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live last night. Singer-songwriter Sam Beam and the band performed two songs from their album Ghost on Ghost: " Grace for Saints and Ramblers" and "The Desert Babbler. You can watch the performances here. Iron and Wine has added three additional dates—in Lincoln, Nebraska; Nashville; and Atlanta—to its previously announced fall tour. Fan pre-sale begins Wednesday.

Audra McDonald brought the music of her new album, Go Back Home, to homes across the US when PBS broadcast "Audra McDonald In Concert: Go Back Home" on Live From Lincoln Center on Friday. You can now watch the show online and watch three web-exclusive bonus performances here. McDonald recently stopped by WNYC's Soundcheck to discuss and perform a few songs from Go Back Home; listen to the show here.

Audra McDonald performs songs from her new album and more on "Audra McDonald In Concert: Go Back Home," airing on PBS's Live From Lincoln Center tonight. The show presents McDonald's May 9 at performance in New York City for Lincoln Center's spring gala, which the New York Times called "absolutely thrilling." USA Today, in recommending tonight's show, says: "McDonald has one of the warmest, most glorious singing voices on the planet." McDonald discusses her inclusion of Adam Gwon's "I'll Be There" on the album and concert in a new video clip you can watch here.

Audra McDonald marked the release of her new album, Go Back Home, with an appearance on PBS's Charlie Rose. The two discuss the personal nature of the new album, her career in theater and on television, and the upcoming broadcast of "Audra McDonald In Concert: Go Back Home," on PBS's Live From Lincoln Center this Friday, May 24, featuring her recent performance in concert at New York’s Avery Fisher Hall. 

Sam Amidon celebrated the release of his new album, Bright Sunny South, with a performance at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City last night. This morning, he was featured on NPR's Morning Edition, discussing what host Steve Inskeep calls "a new spin on very traditional American folk music," including the album track "Weeping Mary," which his parents had recorded with the Word of Mouth Chorus for Nonesuch in 1977. Amidon also spoke with NBC 4 New York about two sides of folk music that can be heard in his music. Listen to the Morning Edition segment and watch the NBC piece here.

Congratulations to Randy Newman, winner of the PRS for Music Special International Award at the 58th Ivor Novello Awards in London last night. The awards, which honor excellence in music writing, are presented by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and judged by the writing community. Peter Gabriel presented Newman with his award at the ceremony. The 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, at which Newman was inducted into the Hall of Fame last month, will be presented on HBO this Saturday night.