Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: American Songbook at Lincoln Center
Date: March 3, 2026
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guests:

• Ruthie Ann Miles (Tony-winning performer)
• Clint Ramos (Tony-winning costume designer, Artist in Residence and Curator at Lincoln Center)

Episode Overview

This episode of All Of It is a celebration and exploration of the Lincoln Center’s annual American Songbook series. Host Alison Stewart speaks with performer Ruthie Ann Miles and curator Clint Ramos about the upcoming 2026 series, its mission, and offers listeners a deeply personal preview of Ruthie Ann’s first major solo concert, "Perfectly Imperfect." The conversation touches on artistic vulnerability, American musical identity, and the importance of accessibility in the arts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The American Songbook Series: Context and Purpose

[00:29–01:41]

• The series, running since 1999, brings artists together to reinterpret foundational works from the American musical canon.
• Clint Ramos, as artist in residence, explains his role involves not just programming but also “consulting with artists” and serving as the “visual director for the Summer for the City Festival.”

  “In many ways, I'm just the busybody at Lincoln Center.” —Clint Ramos [01:22]

2. Ruthie Ann Miles’ Reluctant ‘Yes’ and Artistic Vulnerability

[01:49–04:57]

• Ruthie initially declined the invitation multiple times:

  “Clint took me out for lunch and he asked me if I would be a part of American Songbook. And I said, no… I say a lot of no in my life.” —Ruthie Ann Miles [01:49]

• Despite her hesitance and fear of being on stage alone, the support from her friends and collaborators eventually led her to accept:

  “Everything in me wants to scream and run the other way. Is this something you think that you could hold my hand through?” —Ruthie Ann Miles [04:23]

• The resulting program was created incrementally with care, reflecting Ruthie’s anxieties and hope for authenticity.

3. Song Preview: "Take Me to the World"

[06:04–08:30]

• Ruthie performs a moving rendition, thematically tied to longing for life, new beginnings, and her personal journey.
• She connects the song to her personal narrative of feeling “like I've been drowning and how I really do want to see the world.” —Ruthie Ann Miles [05:17]

4. Curating a Modern American Songbook: Echoes of an Inheritance

[08:30–10:31]

• Clint discusses the 2026 series subtitle “Echoes of an Inheritance”:

  “I wanted to look at those two words, American and songbook, and… approach [it] not as a fixed archive, but as a series of questions… American musical identity is us, all of us now, with all of what we bring, our many histories…” —Clint Ramos [08:56]

• The lineup is intentionally diverse, including artists such as Ingrid Michaelson and Donald Lawrence.

5. The Meaning Behind 'Perfectly Imperfect' and Personal Storytelling

[11:41–14:54]

• Ruthie on the title of her concert:

  “Anything that comes from me is going to be imperfect just by nature… And then I thought, with lots of discussion and therapy, that is who you are. And that's okay. It's actually wonderful. We embrace you.” —Ruthie Ann Miles [11:51]

• Ruthie reflects on the loss of her two daughters and how grief and longing seep into every song:

  “There's no song, no melody that doesn't have them in it. And what makes it hard is even happy songs have a loss in them…it's this constant push and pull.” —Ruthie Ann Miles [13:15]

• Her set list and the story-arc of the concert mirror the emotional seasons of her life, aiming to bring the audience from winter’s stillness toward spring’s sense of renewal.

6. The Role of Authenticity and Honesty in Song Performance

[14:54–15:39]

• Clint points out that what unites the Songbook artists is radical presence and vulnerability:

  “You will witness… artists creating in the minute… American song requires us to be fully in ourselves, to deliver a kind of honesty that we associate being American with.” —Clint Ramos [14:54]

7. Accessibility and Inclusion: 'Pay What You Wish'

[15:39–16:54]

• Most Lincoln Center events are free or ‘pay what you wish’ to support accessibility:

  “We give gifts of culture and the arts to New Yorkers and to those who visit us… it's important that we not only create access, but we sustain access.” —Clint Ramos [15:55]

• Ruthie echoes the importance of inclusivity:

  “Everybody can come… It's so inclusive.” —Ruthie Ann Miles [16:31]

8. Song Preview: "Here Comes the Sun"

[17:12–20:06]

• Ruthie closes the episode with a poignant performance of “Here Comes the Sun,” symbolizing hope and emotional thaw after hardship.
• Memorable for both its warmth and reflection of Ruthie’s journey from “winter to spring.”

9. Final Thoughts and Call to Action

[20:06–20:20]

• Listeners are invited to discover more at americansongbook.org.
• Ruthie’s concert, “Perfectly Imperfect,” is scheduled for March 19.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Reluctance and Support:

  “My everything in me wants to scream and run the other way. Is this something you think that you could hold my hand through?” —Ruthie Ann Miles [04:23]

• On Series Theme:

  “American musical identity is us, all of us now, right. With all of what we bring, our many histories, and always this desire to search for the undiscovered.” —Clint Ramos [09:25]

• On Grief and Performance:

  “Even happy songs have a loss in them. Even, even joyful songs remind me that I'm longing for something… it's just who I am now.” —Ruthie Ann Miles [13:15]

• On Accessibility:

  “Not a lot of people actually know this, but it's important that we not only create access, but we sustain access.” —Clint Ramos [16:06]

• On Embracing Imperfection:

  “With lots of discussion and therapy, that is who you are. And that's okay. It's actually wonderful. We embrace you. And so if I can accept myself just as I am…” —Ruthie Ann Miles [12:13]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:29] – Episode Introduction & Guests
• [01:22] – Clint Ramos on Curating the Series
• [01:49] – Ruthie Ann Miles’ Initial Refusal
• [04:02] – Ruthie on Anxiety and Partnership with Adam Rothenberg
• [05:17] – "Take Me to the World" Introduction and Performance
• [08:30] – Title & Theme: "Echoes of an Inheritance"
• [10:15] – Lineup Diversity & American Identity
• [11:41] – Naming “Perfectly Imperfect” and Embracing Flaws
• [13:03] – Approach to Concert: Roles and Grief
• [15:55] – Rationale for "Pay What You Wish"
• [17:12] – "Here Comes the Sun" Performance
• [20:06] – Wrap-up, Event Details, and Additional Info

Recap

This episode offers an intimate look into the minds of acclaimed artists redefining what the American Songbook means in 2026. It is laced with poignant honesty, musical previews, reflections on loss, resilience, and a celebration of inclusivity and access in New York’s cultural scene. Even for listeners who missed the live broadcast, this summary captures the episode's heartfelt spirit and core messages.