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Life in Seven Songs

Life in Seven Songs

Written by: The San Francisco Standard
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 What songs tell your life story? Host Sophie Bearman asks this question of some of the world’s most fascinating people. Through seven songs, guests reveal the milestones—and the music—that have shaped their lives. New episodes every Tuesday.The San Francisco Standard Art Music Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Al Roker shares his life story through seven joyful songs

    Al Roker shares his life story through seven joyful songs
    Feb 3 2026
    Al Roker has been the weatherman on “Today” for 30 years, but that describes only a small part of his very full life. He’s also a bestselling author of fatherhood memoirs, cookbooks, and mystery novels and someone who’s remarkably open about his family and health struggles. In this episode of “Life In Seven Songs,” Roker discusses growing up as the oldest of six kids in New York City to become one of the most well-known people on television — and why the songs he loves are fundamentally joyful. “The A-Team” (from The A-Team TV series) Stevie Wonder, “Fingertips, Pt. 2” Soupy Sales, “The Mouse” Santana, “Black Magic Woman” The Doobie Brothers, “Listen To The Music” The Spinners, “I’ll Be Around” Elton John, “Philadelphia Freedom” This is also the last episode of Life in Seven Songs that we're planning to publish. Thank you so much for listening. We appreciate every single one of you. It's been a joy to work on this show.
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    31 mins
  • Seven songs that shaped Kris Bowers, the composer behind ‘Bridgerton’

    Seven songs that shaped Kris Bowers, the composer behind ‘Bridgerton’
    Jan 27 2026
    Even if you don’t know Kris Bowers by name, you’ve almost certainly heard his work. He composed scores for “The Wild Robot,” “King Richard,” and other films, as well as for the TV series “Bridgerton.” (The new season premieres Jan. 29.) But on this episode of “Life in Seven Songs,” the focus is not the soundtrack. It’s the private playlist — the songs that shaped Bowers before anyone put his name in the credits. Bowers’ music education started early, with his parents’ ambition. Neither had more than a high school education, and they wanted their son to have opportunities they did not. Their chosen avenue was the piano. Bowers began a rigorous training program when he was just 4 years old. He says his parents’ idea was straightforward: He would get so good at piano that he would earn a scholarship to a great college, then become a lawyer. That plan held until Bowers discovered his own dream: composing for film. Here’s Bowers’ playlist: John Williams, “Theme from Jurassic Park” Earth, Wind & Fire, “Reasons” NSYNC, “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You” Oscar Peterson Trio, “Roundalay” Aretha Franklin, “Mary, Don’t You Weep” Death Cab for Cutie, “Passenger Seat” The Cinematic Orchestra, “To Build a Home”
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    31 mins
  • How music shaped Maria Konnikova, from PhD psychologist to poker champion

    How music shaped Maria Konnikova, from PhD psychologist to poker champion
    Jan 20 2026
    Maria Konnikova is a professional poker player, though she doesn’t even consider herself a gambler at heart. Before her pursuits at the poker table, Konnikova was a PhD psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, writing books about how we think and make decisions. After a string of tragedies hit Konnikova’s life, she took her psychological prowess to the world of poker, where her expertise on game theory and the human psyche eventually led her to become a champion. In this episode of “Life In Seven Songs,” Konnikova shares her journey as a daughter of Russian immigrants growing up in the Boston suburbs, where her feelings of being an outsider spurred her interest in the human mind. She describes how hip-hop became the soundtrack for her poker career, which she eventually wrote about in the best-selling book “The Biggest Bluff.” Here’s her playlist: Gang Starr, “Full Clip” SWV, “Weak” Vladimir Vysotsky, “Crystal House” Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, “The Crossroads” Fountains of Wayne, “Stacy’s Mom” The Walkmen, “We’ve Been Had” Billie Holiday and Lester Young, “Mean To Me”
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    33 mins
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