Local music

The Kansas City record shop 7th Heaven has been a popular destination for vinyl lovers since it opened in 1974, but its upcoming closure has regulars reflecting on the store’s 50-year run. Plus: A KitchenAid specialist from Kansas is making it big on TikTok as “Mister Mixer.”

The Kansas City-based band released their debut EP, "saturn return," this year. Led by Makayla Scott, the group says they want to make music that feels honest and authentic.

Special tracks for each state and territory were played during Tuesday night's DNC roll call. Kansas representatives chose a classic song, while Missouri picked one from a newer superstar.

Kansas City bagpiper extraordinaire Griffin Hall has been nerding out on Scotland’s national instrument since he was 12. This month, he’ll have a chance to play and compete with a world-class pipe and drum band there.

Vincent Orsolini's genre-blending, collaborative sound is highlighted in a new EP, "It's About Time," released last month.

Kansas City has long been associated with barbeque, fountains and jazz music — but accordions? Not so much. Still, Kansas City has a rich accordion history thanks to Joan Cochran Sommers, an icon who is still conducting, teaching and playing the accordion.

Irv Da PHENOM!’s song “Red and Yellow” has been a Kansas City anthem since its release in 2010. Now, the song has been given a second life after being picked up by Marvel for the soundtrack of “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

After 19 seasons, Michael Stern is stepping down as music director of the Kansas City Symphony, with Matthias Pintscher taking over at the start of the next season. Classical KC spoke with the outgoing maestro and his longtime friend Yo-Yo Ma about Stern's time at the helm and what’s ahead for the orchestra.

Formed in 2018, Sass-a-Brass is Kansas City's only LGBTQ+ street parade brass band, bringing an "infectious joy" to festivals, Pride events and other festivities. The group will host the second annual "People's Pride" on June 23.

Kansas City is home to talented musicians of all ilk. Here are some of our favorite local bands who entered NPR's 2024 Tiny Desk Contest.

One of Kansas City's most beloved indie-pop bands, The Greeting Committee, talks about their upcoming album, their creative process and what it was like to go from high school talent show to major record label.

Kansas City musician Nate Hofer took his pedal steel guitar 30 feet down into an inter-continental ballistic missile silo to record a hopeful reminder that nuclear war is not inevitable.