ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Yesterday on this program, we asked four musicians each to name an artist they are thankful for, and we heard a chain of gratitude, starting with Shoshana Bean, who thanked her idol and friend, Brian McKnight.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)
SHOSHANA BEAN: B, I just will never be able to express my gratitude for the opportunities you gave me.
BRIAN MCKNIGHT: There's a guitar player, Isaiah Sharkey. He is one of the great musicians that I've ever heard or been around.
ISAIAH SHARKEY: I am actually thankful for Aniba Hotep. She is absolutely incredible.
ANIBA HOTEP: I'm a huge fan of Lianne La Havas. Thank you for sharing who you are with the world, and thank you for inspiring me to continue to do the same.
SHAPIRO: And then we asked you to tell us the artists you're thankful for this year.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BABY DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE WITH MY THOUGHTS")
LAKE STREET DIVE: (Singing) Hard times, hard times, when I really need somebody to hold me tight and tell me I'm strong...
SHAPIRO: Some of you mentioned this band from Boston, Lake Street Dive. We also heard votes for California rapper Anderson .Paak.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE CHASE")
ANDERSON .PAAK: (Rapping) You know I hit it almost every time, and then I miss one. How are we going to get ourselves up out of this one? Hard to get up from this like Sonny Liston. Feel like Isiah and Laimbeer with the Pistons. Bad boys...
SHAPIRO: Claire Swindell from Tallahassee, Fla., gave us two reasons she's thankful for Brandi Carlile.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PARTY OF ONE")
BRANDI CARLILE: (Singing) And, girl, you can slam the door behind you. It ain't ever going to close...
SHAPIRO: First, she says, Carlile supports up-and-coming artists. Second, there's the message in Carlile's new album "By The Way, I Forgive You."
CLAIRE SWINDELL: It's all about the power of saying the things that aren't easy and reaching out and forgiving people even when that's kind of the hard thing to do.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PARTY OF ONE")
CARLILE: (Singing) I don't want to go home anymore. I don't want to throw stones anymore.
SHAPIRO: For Dallas Lyn Miller of Portland, Ore., it's all about Lizzo. She says the alternative hip-hop musician has helped her through some tough times.
DALLAS LYN MILLER: The message in there is all about taking care of yourself. And I like to say it's about filling your own cup first.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WATER ME")
LIZZO: (Singing) Love you so, but if you don't, I have to leave, oh, no.
MILLER: I look up to someone like her that has a message where it's just so powerful and inspiring for everyone to have fun and love who you are and embrace who you are. So I would just - I would want to thank her for being a voice for everyone.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WATER ME")
LIZZO: (Singing) Get up.
SHAPIRO: Finally, Samantha Wood told us she's thankful for some musicians you may not have heard of yet. She directs Artspace, a community arts center in Greenfield, Mass. She's grateful for the students who take lessons there.
SAMANTHA WOOD: Especially the youngest ones who practice and quietly work away and sometimes never understand the beauty that they're contributing to our community until they come together and play in a group for a concert.
(SOUNDBITE OF JOHN WILLIAMS' "THE IMPERIAL MARCH (DARTH VADER'S THEME)")
SHAPIRO: That's "The Imperial March" usually heard when Darth Vader is around. On so many cellos, it has never sounded quite so ominous and yet so full of promise. Thanks to everyone who wrote in to tell us about the musicians that make you feel thankful.
(SOUNDBITE OF JOHN WILLIAMS' "THE IMPERIAL MARCH (DARTH VADER'S THEME)") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.