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Ruthie Foster opens "Up Above My Head" with a minor-key electric-piano riff, conjuring up Marvin Gaye and the '70s pop-gospel hits of The Staple Singers. Then comes the 43-year-old Texan's warm, down-to-earth voice, with its undercurrent of wistfulness shining through.

With a commanding vocal range that spans four octaves, New York-based singer Alice Smith makes her endlessly listenable blend of rock, pop, jazz, soul and R&B seem almost effortless. Thanks to her emotive and powerful voice, Smith has begun to turn heads on a national level.

When soft became the new loud in indie circles a few years ago, Iron and Wine quickly stepped ahead of the pack as the most arresting of the whispery, lo-fi new-folk artists. Led by the gentle-voiced Sam Beam, the group makes morose and mysterious music. Hear the band in a full concert.

As the son of legendary desert blues guitarist Ali Farka Toure, Vieux had big shoes to fill. But the younger performer has found his own voice, which builds on the traditions of his father while moving in a blues-rock direction. Hear an acoustic set recorded at KEXP's Bumbershoot Music Lounge.

Johnny Paycheck's Gospel Time in My Fashion was recorded in 1966, during a period when many country stars were doing gospel projects. It stands apart because Paycheck's sweet voice can't fully mask the orneriness underneath — and because the songs, even the waltzes, move at a brisk, buoyant clip.

Moore's story is a struggling musician's dream come true. In 2007, he sent his demo to Sub Pop Records unsolicited, and the charming folk songs caught the label's attention. Moore's debut album, Stray Age, showcases his beautiful voice and sensitive lyrics while marking him as an artist to watch.

John Doe of X and the Canadian roots-rock band The Sadies have released a new album, Country Club. Doe's leathery voice feels right at home with hits made famous by Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette, while traditional honky-tonk gets an infusion of The Sadies' '60s-style pop.

At his new venture, The Blaze, Beck has far fewer audience members soaking in his commentary than he did at Fox News. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. Fox helped amplify Beck's voice, whereas now, Beck projects his message on his own terms.

Verizon has taken the first step to replace copper lines with a home cellular connection in coastal areas hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. But many customers don't like the new phone connection, saying the new technology is inferior to traditional landlines.

Britain is a maritime nation that a century or two ago boasted the world's largest navy. Today, the names of shipping areas in the surrounding seas are embedded in the British national psyche — thanks to the BBC's Shipping Forecast bulletin, a cultural phenomenon beloved by seafarers and landlubbers alike.

Scans show that people who spend untold hours in prayer or meditation go dark in the parietal lobe, the brain area that helps create a sense of self. A researcher says these people may be rewriting the neural connections in their brains — altering how they see the world.

In the area around Tucson, Ariz., the border has become much more militarized in recent years, with checkpoints, fences, and many more Border Patrol agents. A few members of the National Guard are there as well, but so far, they've played a minor role.

- Daniels talks with NPR's Jennifer Ludden in Kigali, Rwanda about the escalating turmoil in Zaire. Fierce gunfighting in the town of Goma, forced international aid workers to flee the area today leaving some one million refugees without adequate food or water.

The White House is considering the designation of a new marine reserve in the Northern Mariana Islands, but it may not get the same amount of protection as an area created two years ago near Hawaii. The same could be true for other sites in the Pacific that are also under consideration.

NPR's Edward Lifson reports on block 37 in Chicago... an empty lot in the middle of the downtown area. The lot waws bulldozed in the 1980s real estate boom, but a planned development was never built. On Friday it was announced that Sears Roebuck is considering building on the site.

Linda speaks with crop consultant Dale Fain about the drought conditions affecting some parts of Oklahoma. Fain claims that in some areas, the effects of the drought are comparable to the Dust Bowl of the 1930's...and may only get worse in the coming months.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden in Gaza reports on the Israeli army's thrust into Palestinian-ruled territory. Israeli forces withdrew Tuesday from small areas of the Gaza Strip they seized Monday after an attempt to end Palestinian mortar attacks on Israeli towns and settlements.

Robert talks with Jan Vansina, a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin who specializes in Central Africa, about the Hutu-Tutsi conflict in Central Africa. Vansina discusses the potential for a full-blown war in the area which includes parts of Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi.

Educating diabetics is key to their well being. But only about 20% of them get the information and counseling they need. Bill Zeeble from member station KERA looks at some innovative programs in the Dallas area, which has a high concentration of patients with diabetes.

A storm dumps snow and ice along the East Coast, with forecasts calling for more than six inches of accumulation in some areas between Virginia and New Jersey. Many schools are closed and airports are reporting flight delays. NPR's Dave Mattingly reports.