| Conversations with Alicia Keys, Desmond Child, Steve Perry and more Watch these videos just added to the Library of Congress website. Introduction to the Neil Simon Collection The Library of Congress is thrilled to announce the acquisition of the Neil Simon Collection - the papers and other materials from the most successful American playwright in history. A playwright, screenwriter, librettist, and television writer, among Simon's many classic works are: "Barefoot in the Park", "Sweet Charity", "The Odd Couple", "The Sunshine Boys", "The Heartbreak Kid", "The Goodbye Girl", "Brighton Beach Memoirs", and his Pulitzer Prize winning "Lost in Yonkers". The Neil Simon Collection is rich in hundreds of scripts for dozens of titles, many handwritten drafts. Here you'll see a few sample highlights of items from the collection. Alicia Keys: National Recording Registry 2022 Alicia Keys tells the Library that her street nickname in Harlem was "Hit a High Note" because her neighbors could her her belting out the songs for her debut album, "Songs in A Minor," in her tiny apartment "studio." The album was inducted into the 2022 class of the National Recording Registry. Steve Perry: National Recording Registry 2022 Former Journey lead singer Steve Perry tells the Library the story behind the writing of "Don't Stop Believin'" one late night in Detroit after a concert. The song was inducted into the 2022 class of the National Recording Registry. Desmond Child: National Recording Registry 2022 Mega songwriter Desmond Child ("Livin' on a Prayer," "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Dude Looks Like a Lady") tells the Library about writing one of his biggest hits, "Livin' La Vida Loca," in the late 1990s, when record executives were afraid Americans wouldn't know what "la vida loca" meant. The song was inducted into the 2022 class of the National Recording Registry. Marc Maron: National Recording Registry 2022 Comedian and influential podcast host Marc Maron tells the Library about his seminal 2010 interview with comedian Robin Williams, in which the star talked movingly about his insecurities and thoughts of suicide. The podcast was inducted into the 2022 class of the National Recording Registry. Homegrown: Herb Ohta, Jr., Hawaiian Ukulele Master The American Folklife Center presents international recording artist Herb Ohta, Jr. - one of today's most prolific ukulele masters. Influenced by Jazz, R&B, Latin and Brazilian music, as well as traditional Hawaiian sounds, he puts his stamp on Hawaiian music by pushing the limits of tone and technique on this beautiful instrument. Ricky Riccardi takes viewers through a multimedia journey of the music that helped shape Louis Armstrong's style and transformed him into one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Homegrown: Kongero, Swedish Folk'appella Kongero is a Swedish vocal group, consisting of four women who sing folksongs: Lotta Andersson, Emma Björling, Sofia Hultqvist Kott, and Anna Wikénius. Kongero was formed in 2005 when the original members met at a Nordic folk music conference. Since 2005, they have performed their polyphonic a cappella folk music (which they have dubbed Folk'appella) all over Europe, Asia, and the Americas, singing in concerts and leading workshops in traditional Swedish vocal music and vocal harmonies.
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