Bernard Jay Leiderman[1] (born February 14, 1956)[2] is an American composer and songwriter. His best-known works are his theme music compositions for public radio programs, including National Public Radio's Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Science Friday, and American Public Media's Marketplace.[3][4]

Leiderman attended Virginia Tech, but dropped out and became a stage actor, then a cameraman at WTAR-TV (now WTKR) in Norfolk, Virginia.[2] He later studied broadcast journalism at American University in Washington, D.C.[2] Leiderman's Morning Edition theme music was used for 40 years, from the show's first broadcast on November 5, 1979 until May 3, 2019.[5]

As of 2013, Leiderman lived in Swannanoa, North Carolina.[4] He produced his debut album BJ (2017), featuring The Randall Bramblett Band and Béla Fleck.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ David, Menconi (June 15, 2017). "Is NPR's BJ Leiderman for real?". The News & Observer.
  2. ^ a b c Ragusea, Adam (January 20, 2017). "BJ Leiderman: the manic-depressive minstrel of public media". Current.
  3. ^ "BJ Leiderman video montage of his themes for NPR" on YouTube
  4. ^ a b Weaver, Laurie (September 5, 2013). "The Story of BJ Leiderman". Our State.
  5. ^ Chokshi, Niraj (May 5, 2019). "NPR's 'Morning Edition' Changes Its Tune After 40 Years". The New York Times.
  6. ^ "BJ [Explicit] by BJ Leiderman". Amazon Music. May 6, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  7. ^ "BJ Leiderman". BJ Leiderman. Retrieved January 20, 2018.

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