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.

In The Groove: New music Friday with System Olympia, Leon Bridges, The Smile + Caribou

The way music is released these days — always, all the time — it kinda makes new music Friday feel...

In The Groove: A jazzy exploration connecting the dots from Gil Scott-Heron to Schoolboy Q

I wanted to start out the show honoring the late great Rodriguez, who we lost a year ago today. It's...

In The Groove: New music from Suki Waterhouse, Rich Ruth, Corinne Bailey Rae + more

I'm honoring the Paris Olympics with French double bassist Henri Texier! I also drop new experimental prog-rock jazz (call it...

In The Groove: Your musical umbrella on a rainy day, plus blowing out candles for Dorothy Ashby

I learned a long time ago in radio that you can try to fight the weather, but it’s best to...

In The Groove: Previewing Sounds Like Detroit concert, new music from Rosie Lowe + more

I loved having MI Local host Jeff Milo stop by to preview the 2024 Sounds Like Detroit concert that’s going...

In The Groove: From Father John Misty to Fcukers, plus Decliner returns

A wonderful journey through music with a world premiere of Detroit’s own Decliner, new Father John Misty, Goat Girl, oreglo,...

In The Groove: Heavy dose of Detroit rock ‘n’ roll from Jack White, Dusty Rose Band, Sugar Tradition + more

It’s truly not my fault. Here’s what happens. You start spinning that new Jack White record and the amps go...

In The Groove: A full-on funk fest alongside new music from Childish Gambino, Habibi, Karen Nyame KG

What a fun show today. Leaned into the beautiful weather with a lot of funk — maybe too much! Fill...

In The Groove: Donald Byrd’s ‘A New Perspective’ connects to new music from Britti, Cousin Kula & Forest Law

Getting ready for DIIV’s big show at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit this week (I’ll have more of that tomorrow),...

In The Groove: A journey through Japanese jazz, Black Sabbath-meets-house and more

A weird one in all the right ways. Crashing into Monday with so many first spins on In The Groove,...

In The Groove: A musical farewell to Motown legend Duke Fakir of the Four Tops

There was joy throughout the show with new music from Lawne, Metronomy & Nourished by Time, Real Estate, Rosa Brunello...

In The Groove: Jack White secretly dropped a new album, so WDET gave the world premiere

A beautiful moment in public radio with the world premiere of Jack White’s unreleased new album. How do you come...