PHILADELPHIA, PA — WHYY will bring Paul McCartney and longtime Fresh Air host Terry Gross together for a November 23 fundraising event in New York City, using the broadcaster’s 50-year milestone to generate financial support for public media.
The Philadelphia-based public media organization will host the live conversation at The Town Hall in Manhattan, with all proceeds benefiting public media.
The event marks Gross’s 50th anniversary with Fresh Air, the nationally syndicated interview program produced by WHYY-FM and distributed by NPR.
The fundraiser comes as public media organizations increasingly depend on contributions from listeners, viewers and private supporters to sustain journalism and cultural programming.
WHYY President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Marrazzo described McCartney’s participation as an opportunity to support the program’s long-term operations.
“We’re deeply grateful for his generosity and for everyone joining us to help sustain public media and Fresh Air’s work for generations to come,” Marrazzo said.
Gross, who hosts and co-executive produces Fresh Air with Terry Gross & Tonya Mosley, will interview McCartney about his life and musical career, including his work with the Beatles, Wings and as a solo artist.
“I was 13, screaming in the movie theater, when A Hard Day’s Night came out,” Gross said. “It is an honor to now have the opportunity to talk with Sir Paul, on stage, about different chapters of his life and music.”
McCartney’s appearance follows the release earlier this year of The Boys of Dungeon Lane, his first new solo album in more than five years. According to WHYY, the album debuted in the top five in more than a dozen countries and became his 24th No. 1 album in the United Kingdom across his career with the Beatles, Wings and as a solo performer.
Gross has spent five decades interviewing musicians, writers, journalists and public figures. Fresh Air now reaches more than 6 million weekly listeners through radio broadcasts and podcasts, with an audience spanning more than 200 countries and territories, according to WHYY.
The program has received Peabody awards, while Gross’s honors include the National Humanities Medal, the Edward R. Murrow Award and induction into the Radio Hall of Fame.
McCartney, an 18-time Grammy Award winner, was knighted in 1996 for his contributions to music and was appointed a Companion of Honour in 2017.
The November 23 event will take place at The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036, between Sixth Avenue and Broadway. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets and additional information are available at whyy.org/events. Organizations interested in sponsorship opportunities may contact Nancy Stuski at nstuski@whyy.org.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.