Comedian Erica Rhodes Looks for Love in the Cars of Strangers
Erica Rhodes released her debut stand-up album “Sad Lemon” last year, reaching #1 on the iTunes comedy charts. But her...
Ryan Patrick Hooper is the award-winning host of "In the Groove" on 101.9 WDET-FM Detroit’s NPR station. Hooper has covered stories for the New York Times, NPR, Detroit Free Press, Hour Detroit, SPIN and Paste magazine.
Hooper grew up reading the Sunday paper with his dad. That’s where he learned the basics of writing while dreaming of one day writing the stories himself. At 16, he knocked on the door of his hometown paper and asked for a job as a reporter. Since then, he's written extensively for the Detroit Free Press -- the same paper he grew up reading.
Since joining WDET in 2017, Hooper has expanded the station’s arts and culture coverage and received numerous awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasting along the way. Nationally, Hooper was awarded a 2020 RTDNA Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting for his story “Would You Rent a Stray Dog From the City of Detroit?“ In 2018, Hooper was named the Associated Press Michigan Editors Broadcast Rising Star in broadcast journalism. He received the prestigious Crain’s Detroit Business “20 In Their 20s” award in 2014. His commitment to volunteerism was recognized by the State of Michigan in 2007.
His juggalo-inspired I.C.Pizza costume was selected by the Huffington Post as one of the best Halloween costumes of 2014.
The Art of Losing Someone
Ryan Patrick Hooper How do artists remember their dead? For the friends of Stretch Adam, it was about following in...
Music Journalist Sean Cannon Covers the Legacy of The White Stripes in New Podcast Series
There are a handful of artists synonymous with Detroit, and The White Stripes is one of them. "Nobody has went through...
There Are Only 43 Players of Color in the NHL. Three of Them Play for the Red Wings — a Historic First
National Hockey League Willie O’Ree became the NHL’s first Black Canadian player in a game back in 1958. Now the...
Tour the historic sites that shaped Detroit’s civil rights legacy
On Monday, the nation will be commemorating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. But don't let that...
The Slave Trade Roots of the Banjo With Detroit’s Aaron Jonah Lewis
Bradley Lohman Aaron Jonah Lewis is one of the most accomplished banjo players in the United States — and he's...
Women Used To Run Hollywood. Why Are They Still Fighting For The Spotlight?
Courtesy of Beacon Press Following a banner year for women filmmakers, shock came when the 2020 Academy Awards nominees were...
Meet Detroit Musician Kym Brady, The Urban Violinist
In a league with the piano and drum kit, the violin is among the hardest instruments to learn. While it’s...
‘Stardust at the Senate’ Celebrates Life and Legacy of David Bowie
David Bowie was an artist of many personas – Ziggy Stardust among the most conceptualized and glamorous of his alter egos....
‘Puppy Dog Bouncin’ is the Cutest Video of the Year (So Far)
Behold the first viral moment of the year — the infectiously cheerful "Puppy Dog Bouncin (In The Box)" song and video....
The Things We Ate in 2019: Free Press Restaurant Critic Talks Detroit Sandwich Wars, Labor Shortage
Mark Kurlyandchik / Detroit Free Press Whether it's fine dining or a grab-and-go meal, one of the many delights in...
Detroit Artist Desiree Kelly Explores Her Creative Evolution in New Exhibition
Mural by Desiree Kelly / photo by Meta Stange, WDET That personality-exuding mural of Aretha Franklin peering over her dark-framed...
