Cover Story is a podcast that uncovers the covers — that is, the stories, meanings, and histories behind our most classic songs. Each episode features host and musicologist Stephanie Shonekan and one guest. Together they take one classic song, two popular renditions, and discuss: Who did it better, and why?
This is a show about the music we love. But the conversations uncover intimate stories about our own personal connections with the songs. Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan reconnects us with great music and the diverse perspectives, histories, and identities of the artists and the fans who enjoy that music.
Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan is produced by Katelynn McIlwain, Janet Saidi, Ryan Famuliner, Aaron Hay, Nat Kuhn and Stephanie Shonekan. The series was edited by Ryan Famuliner (Season 1-3), Aaron Hay (Season 2-3) and Rehman Tungekar (Season 1).
This podcast is a collaboration between KBIA and Vox Magazine, with funding from the University of Maryland College of Arts and Humanities, MU’s College of Arts & Science, and the Missouri School of Journalism.
You can follow the podcast and other special projects on Twitter at @VoxMag, and @KBIA, and on Instagram at @voxmagazine and @kbianews.
“Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” Season 2 was produced by Janet Saidi, Ryan Famuliner, Aaron Hay, and Stephanie Shonekan. Season Two was edited by Aaron Hay and Ryan Famuliner.
“Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” Season 1 was produced by Janet Saidi, Kristofor Husted, Fernando Narro, Rehman Tungekar, and Ryan Famuliner, with host and producer Stephanie Shonekan.
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On this final episode of the season, Stephanie Shonekan brought in a special guest: her daughter, Ojurere Shonekan. Together, they unpack “Emotion,” a song by the Bee Gees released in 1994. Destiny’s Child covered it in 2001. The song is a vulnerable confession that the loss of a relationship is taking a serious emotional toll. As Stephanie and Ojurere discuss the song and its reinterpretation from disco to R&B, they take some time to reflect on their own shared memories of loss. -
Stephanie Shonekan sat down with her sister dean, Kimberly Griffin, to talk about “Lately,” a classic breakup song that Stevie Wonder released in 1980. The song itself is a crushing glimpse into a relationship that’s slowly becoming one-sided. And when Jodeci covered the song in 1993, the group members infused it with their own range of emotion (because there’s lots of it to go around during a breakup, even the one-sided kind). In this episode, Stephanie and Kimberly break down the artists’ different approaches to “Lately” and reminisce over the era of ‘90s boy groups.
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On this episode, Tom Flynn joins host Stephanie Shonekan to talk about “You Can’t Hurry Love,” an original song by The Supremes that Phil Collins covered in 1982. Though the songs were released a couple decades apart, the message is timeless – and, perhaps a bit frustrating: love takes time. Tom and Stephanie discuss their memories of youth, wanting love and how the song can stand as a light-hearted reminder to hold on.
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Heather Gray joins Stephanie Shonekan during this episode to discuss the Bette Midler and Eddie and Gerald Levert versions of “Wind Beneath My Wings,” a song about love, death and what it does to those who live on. It’s a ballad that especially resonates with people who lost loved ones to the September 11 attacks in 2001. And in this episode, Stephanie and Heather also discuss how this song helps them treasure their relationships with their parents.
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The third season of Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan is kicking off with a guest who’s pretty familiar with the show by now: our recording engineer, Nat Kuhn. Nat and Stephanie discuss “Killing Me Softly” and the power music holds to make us feel known, even at a level that’s surprisingly personal. Plus, Nat plugs in his bass to bring you an in-studio performance that mashes up elements of both Roberta Flack and The Fugees’ versions of the song.
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This episode is dedicated to the memory of George Warren. Host Stephanie Shonekan chats with her good friend, Brian Booton about a song that’s very personal to him - “I’m Here" by Fantasia and Cynthia Erivo. -
This is Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan, a podcast where we take apart the song covers we love and take a deep dive into the stories behind them. Today, I'm chatting with special guest Jeremy Root about “Respect” Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin -
This is Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan, a podcast where we take apart the song covers we love and take a deep dive into the stories behind them. Today, I'm chatting with special guest Sheri-Marie Harrison about “Everything I Own” by Ken Booth and Bread
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This is Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan, a podcast where we take apart the song covers we love and take a deep dive into the stories behind them. Today, I'm chatting with special guest Ian Chang about “Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against the Machine
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This is Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan, a podcast where we take apart the song covers we love and take a deep dive into the stories behind them. Today, I'm chatting with Tomiwa Shonekan about “I Believe in You and Me” by the Four Tops and Whitney Houston.
