Episode #146, Ella Gantz
Episode #145, Brock Wilbur
Episode #144, Tracy Hoth
Episode #143, Robert Flynn
Episode #142, Bill Belzer
Episode #141, Dan Perez
Episode #140, David Kaufman
Episode #139, Bob Walkenhorst
Episode #138, Forrest Saucier
Hey! This is so fun. I'm so happy to've been afforded the opportunity to record a small handful of on-location conversations, but none of those have been as exhilarating as my conversation with Ella Gantz (for Episode #146) of Perry Farm to Fork. Ella and her sisters own and run the lovely co-op of sorts that offers local produce and proteins and other goodies to the fine folks of their Perry/LeCompton community. They are fifth-generation farmers and you can find out more about their operation on their Facebook page. You can give the shop a buzz at 785-379-3650 or shoot them a message at perryfarmtofork@gmail.com. Ella was kind enough to have me out to their spot after hours on a Saturday evening back in August. We talked about growing up on a farm, showing animals, managing land and crops, family, and more. We also talked a little bit about a few of Ella's favorite albums, which were these: Eric Church's Carolina (2009) Hell on Heels (2011), Pistol Annies Flatland Cavalry's Homeland Insecurity (2019) Having the opportunity to meet Ella was a treat, and getting to see their space was super-cool. Thanks to her and her crew, and thanks to all of you that support the podcast. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Gabo's Last Resort," by The South Hill Experiment. The track comes from Moonshots, their 2023 release, c/o The South Hill Experiment.
Brock Wilbur is a son, a brother, a husband, and an author. He's my guest for Episode No. 146, and he's also the Editor-in-Chief of The Pitch, Kansas City's independent source for news and culture. It was a pleasure to meet Brock and learn about the different stops his life journey have taken him to, and I'm grateful for both the time and the conversation. We talked about family, being a stand-up comic, a published author, a podcaster, a supporter of different walks of life, and a proponent of mental health. We also talked about his love of music, live shows, vinyl records, and living in Los Angeles for a spell. Naturally, we touched on a few of his favorite albums, which were these: Beck's Odelay (1996) The Ugly Organ (2003), Cursive Death From Above 1979's You're a Woman, I'm a Machine (2004) Brock is one of the most intelligent folks I've had the opportunity to sit and visit with and I'm pleased that I took the opportunity to pass along my gratitude for the work he and his crew put in at The Pitch. This print/online publication has been a part of my fabric for decades, and it's super-satisfying that it continues to survive in 2024. If you're not already a regular reader, please consider picking one up the next time you see one of their stands. And -- as they frequently remind their Instagram followers, their Web site never has a paywall. You can follow Brock on Instagram at @brockwilbur. Check out some of his fine journalist work at authory.com/brockwilbur, and you can also get a copy of his book, Postal, from 2020 on Amazon. Many thanks to Brock and to those that support the show. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips found in this episode. They are samples from a tune called, "Happy Now," by Låpsley, and it can be found on her EP from this year, A Guilty Heart Can Never Rest (c/o Believe UK).
In late July, I was honored to have Tracy Hoth back in my home again, and it took both time and convincing to get her here. Nearly a decade ago, I hired her for some professional-organization help, and she was fantastic. Our package was broken into tiers, and -- due to some critical life changes -- we had a little bit of a gap in between tiers one and two. Many moons later, she appeared in the people-you-might-know section of one of my social-media platforms. I reached out and pitched her on the idea of doing a podcast episode with me. She declined, saying that she wasn't much of a music person. I rolled up my sleeves and explained why I thought we could have a good conversation, and -- to my delight -- she accepted. Tracy is a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother of four, and probably many other amazing things (that I don't know about), too. I do, however, know that she is a life coach, a professional organizer, and the host of The Organized Coach podcast, which you can find on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music. So, we talked about her professional endeavors, her family, the detour they experienced a little over nine years ago, and we managed to talk about music, too. When I asked Tracy for a list, she gave me a collection of songs, sentiments, memories, and artists. I took the liberty of squeezing that into my format, and -- having done so -- her list looks like this: The Run, Appaloosa, Run soundtrack (1966) John Denver's Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971) Fancy Free (1981), The Oak Ridge Boys Britt Nicole's Say It (2007) Lauren Daigle's discography (2015-2023) I had a lot of fun sitting and chatting with Tracy. I'm not only thankful that she was courageous enough to do something she didn't think she'd be a good fit at, but grateful that she took the time to commute down to the studio and collaborate with another local podcaster. So, thank you, Tracy. You can find out more information about Tracy's awesome business and podcast here. I appreciate the support you all give the show. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips taken from a tune called, "Welcome Back" off of Muzak Orchestra's Muzak Stimulus Progression 1976, c/o Muzak Archives.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Whatcha' got to say?!" I don't have any "Hollywood Swingers" action to share with you, but I do have some equally exciting news, and that's that Robert Flynn finally made it by the studio and we sat down together for what wound up being Episode No. 143 of this here podcast. Robert was on my initial-initial outreach list while I was trying to get this thing live and off the ground, and some three years later, here we are. Robert's a son, a sibling, a husband, a father, an Eagle Scout, a scout leader, a former attorney, a high-school government teacher, and a good many other things. We once went through the CRHP program together and have two kids in the same grades together. He's also something of a Deadhead, and when we first talked about trying to make this happen, I think I was asking folks about their all-time-favorite album (singular) as opposed to the current iteration that typically involves several. Regardless, the Grateful Dead's American Beauty (1970) was Robert's immediate selection, and it's one of my all-timers, as well, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to bullshit with him about it. A number of things transpired since our conversation was recorded, namely the passing of Dead bassist Phil Lesh, and the presidential election here in the "good-ol'" United States. No doubt some of us are singing a version of "U.S. Blues" this week, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, I really enjoyed this chat, and I hope you will, too. Thank you. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets from American Beauty's leadoff, "Box of Rain," and it exists c/o Warner Records Inc. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
"Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle o' Brass Monkey," it's another new-episode Thursday, and I'm geeking out to share with you that Bill Belzer joined me for a fantastic conversation. So great catching up with Bill, and learning about our mutual love of the greatest band in American rock 'n' roll history, and it was equally fun learning a little bit about Bill's band, Miss Boating. Bill's over on the 'Gram as @billzer, and Miss Boating deets can gleaned from YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Apple Music, and/or Bandcamp. Such good people, this Belzer kid, and he's got a Substack, here. And while you're getting to know the band, be sure to check out Jewel in the Trash, their full-length release from June of this year. Loved hearing about their process. Bill and I also chatted about a few of his favorite records through the years, and they are these: Hard Again (1977), Muddy Waters Chuck Mangione's An Evening of Magic: Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1979) Entertainment! (1979), Gang of Four Hüsker Dü's Candy Apple Grey (1986) Blood and Chocolate (1986), Elvis Costello & The Attractions Super-fun experience. Grateful for the time. Thank you to Bill and to those of you that support the program. Notes: Jon Fishman's Sirius XM satellite-radio show is called The Errant Path, not The Beaten Path. Bill hates hashtags. Just thought I'd put that here. shouts out to Bill for bringing up badass record, Houses of the Holy Candy Apple Grey previously appeared on L. Ron Drunkard's list in Episode No. 131. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this podcast episode. They are snippets from a Trey Anastasio tune called, "Push on 'Til the Day," which is a cut from his 2002, self-titled studio debut.
Greetings! It's new-episode Thursday, and I'm pleased to say that Dan Perez was my guest for Episode No. 141. Dan is in four bands: 1) a smallish trio outfit with his brother; 2) Whiskey Mash Band; 3) Helping Phriendly Bluegrass Band; and 4) The Kaw Valley Hop Pickers. Dan's silky bass notes in each of those conglomerations don't entirely comprise him, though; he's a son, a sibling, a Phishhead, and a husband (I think he said). I had Dan's Whiskey Mash bandmate, Billy Brady, on for Episode No. 65, so check that one out if you missed it (but not before you get into Dan's episode). Dan and I chewed the fat for an hour or so, and it was solid-good times getting to know him; I learned a bunch, had some laughs, and enjoyed Dan's good-vibe energy. Naturally, we talked about a few of Dan's favorite albums, which were these: The White Album (1968), The Beatles John Hartford's Aereo-Plain (1971) A Live One (1995), Phish James Brown's The 50th Anniversary Collection (2003) Epic list, really. A perfect mix of familiar with glad-to-know-yas. Note: My gaffes for this conversation include calling it "Tahoe Jam," when it's actually called "Berkeley Jam," and citing "Chalkdust" when it shoulda been "Tweezer" (in regards to the 2012 Phish performance at Starlight Theater in Kansas City. Anyway, I'd tell you to give Dan a Facebook follow, but he doesn't really post there, so plug one or all of those band names into your search bar, and you'll get there. Thank you, Dan. I appreciate the time. And thank you to those of you that read these, listen, etc. Cheers. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are snippets I've stolen from a tune called, "All My Friends," by Channel Tres. It's a cut from his 2023 EP, Real Cultural Shit, and we are graced to have access to it via Channel Tres Inc., under exclusive license to RCA Records.
It's kinda wild for me to think about the fact that -- two years ago -- I was publishing Episode #40 (w/Tomaski), and here we are...turning the final-chapter pages of 2024. I think that they call it, "Q2" in the corporate world, but it's the final period of our calendar year, here in Humansville. And what a fun ride it's been. David Kaufman joined me for Episode #140, and he did not disappoint. David's over on the 'Gram with the @davesthename handle. He's a camera operator and an editor. There's a great piece about him over on boldjourney.com, if you wanna check that out, and -- perhaps of greater importance...his stuff's also at theoutriders.com. David and I talked about family, education, careers, music, and a ton more, but we also had a brief look at a few of his favorite albums, which were these: How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2001), The Bouncing Souls The Red Hot Chili Peppers' By the Way (2002) Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (2012), Kendrick Lamar Pleased, then, to be consuming the content. You guys are great. Cheers. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from the Peggy Gou single, "Nab," which was released in 2021 c/o Gudu Records.
Very pleased to share that Bob Walkenhorst joined me for Episode No. 139, and it was a privilege to get to know him a little bit. I really enjoyed gaining a little bit of insight into Bob's perspective of the live-music scene in 1980s Kansas City as he and The Rainmakers really found their writing and gigging groove. As a 71-years-young rock star, Bob's still gigging twice a month at Mike Kelly's Westsider, and you can glean more details about those shows if you give his Facebook page a follow. His Web site, bobwalkenhorst.com is absolutely full of treats, including 12 LPs, unique prints, a book, and the means for you to hire him to do music for your private events. Bob and I of course chatted up a few of his favorite records, and those were these: Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends (1968) A Tramp Shining (1968), Richard Harris Joni Mitchell's Blue (1971) Warren Zevon's self-titled album (1976) Early Days (1994), The Watersons Find all of Bob's music on Apple or Spotify and don't forget to check out his book, Whirlybird Day, whilst perusing his Web site. Thank you for your support of the progrum. Note: I flubbed an author/title situation during my conversation with Bob: Stephen King's book is called On Writing Well; Writing Down the Bones is by Natalie Goldberg. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a tune called, "Pick Me Up," by The Deadbeats from their 1999 album, Lounging, c/o Space Hopper.
Forrest Saucier joined me for Episode No. 138, and it was an absolute treat to get to know him a little bit. Forrest is a son, a sibling, a partner, a man of numerous hats, and he's an important figure over at Tyler's House, which is a youth-oriented, non-profit organization over on the Kansas side that -- for my money -- is an amazing concept that needs more eyeballs on it and more of the community's dollars in its bank account. In the world of interviewing, it's always refreshing to have a quick, sharp, eloquent guest on the other side of the table from me, as I tend to offer plenty of "Um"s and "you know"s and generally fumble for the words I seek, so thank you to Forrest for being who he is and what he is. I enjoyed learning a little bit about his journey, and -- as per youzsh -- we managed to have a quick look at a few of Forrest's favorite albums over the years. Those were these: Morning View (2001), Incubus Motion City Soundtrack's Commit This to Memory (2005) Camp (2011), Childish Gambino Watsky's x Infinity (2016) You can follow Forrest on Facebook and Instagram, and you can find most of the Tyler's House deets at either their Web site, on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. They've got a great program going over there, and they could use some funds and some grassroots word spread, in case you happen to be a person that can help in either (or both) of those directions. Many thanks to Mr. Saucier for the time and the flexibility and the conversation. And many thanks to all of you whom support the show. Note: Snorg Tees, not College Humor copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio clips contained within this episode. They are snippets from a track called, "I Like It," by The Brand New Heavies. I lifted it from their 1997 release, Shelter, c/o The Bicycle Music Company.
Hooray for Episode No. 137 being out and available to all of you fine listeners and viewers! I'm stoked to share that Carley Martin Verbeck and I were able to sit down together and chat about all things Carley and her band, Scotch Hollow. Her husband Mark and I perused portions of his journey that led to the two of them meeting/ultimately forming the band back in Episode No. 116, so to have the other half of the duo join me was a blast. Carley -- beyond being a wife and Scotch Hollow's frontwoman -- is also a daughter and a sister and a mom. We talked about growing up, family, education, careers, gigging, recording, ebbing and flowing with Scotch Hollow's pulse, and plenty more. We also had a peek at a few of Carley's favorite albums over the years, and those were these: Lullabies of Birdland (1955), Ella Fitzgerald Big Mama Thornton's In Europe (1966) Wide Open Spaces (1998), Dixie Chicks Clutch's The Elephant Riders (1998) Please join us and please check out Scotch Hollow over on their Web site, or on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, and/or Spotify. Thank you to both of the Verbecks, and thank you for your support of both the podcast as well as local music, however it is that you choose to express said supports. Cheers. copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the audio samples contained within this episode. They are clips from a single by Parcels called, "Tideuprightnow," which they released in 2018 c/o Because.