Backroads and Banjos
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Mix Master Mike, ‘Teen Titans Go!’ and Robert Downey, Jr.
After a rocking tune by The Dictators and a shot of pop culture news, legendary DJ Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys) calls in to chat about his remix of the “Teen Titans” theme for the new animated comedy series, “Teen Titans Go!” on Cartoon Network. Next we hear from none other than Robert Downey, Jr. all about “Iron Man 3.”
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Booker Ervin
Gordon takes a look at the not-so-well-known tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin. While his recording career only lasted around 10 years, Ervin appeared on some of the best recordings from bassist Charles Mingus including "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and "Better Git It In Your Soul." During the 1960s, Booker recorded with his own quartet and showed signs of brilliance influenced by jazz giants like John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Sonny Stitt.
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Star Wars Day, Anthony Daniels, and Kings of Summer
May the 4th is Intergalactic Star Wars Day, and Jon celebrates with a brand new conversation with Anthony "C3PO" Daniels. Daniels will be talking about how he plans to celebrate Star Wars Day on May 4th and his various Star Wars-related projects. Will he spill the beans on Episode VII? Jon is crossing his fingers!
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Lawrence McKiver Memorial
Art celebrates the life of Lawrence McKiver, the longtime lead songster for the McIntosh County Shouters, a Georgia group representing the last community in America to perform the traditional ring shout — a centuries-old black form of ecstatic worship that marries singing, percussion and movement. Having learned the tradition from his grandparents, who were former slaves, McKiver is responsible exposing the ring shout tradition to a whole new audience outside of the Coastal Georgia community...
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Joey Reiman – Purpose
Joey Reiman is an Atlanta-based ideation and purpose marketing professional, author and university teacher, famous for his theory that companies which remain true to their "purpose" - an organization's distinct reason for being - attain "soulful excellence" and outperform the stock market.
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Dick Dale and El Capitan & the Band With No Name
It's a special surf guitar edition of the show this week. The legendary Dick Dale, the undisputed King of the Surf Guitar, calls in to talk about his amazing career and his show at The Earl in Atlanta on April 28. Members of his opening act, El Capitan The Band With No Name, stop in the studio to chat about their record, "Death of a Tiki," and their show with Mr. Dale.
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Eddie Daniels
Gordon welcomes in master clarinetist/saxophonist Eddie Daniels in to talk about his life in jazz and how he got to where he is today. Born in New York City to immigrant parents, Daniels began on his father's old alto saxophone at age 9 and by age 16 was playing regular gigs in the Catskill Mountains. In his career, Eddie has recorded on over 150 albums with with legends like Thad Jones, Freddie Hubbard, and Jimmy McGriff among others.
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City in a Forest
If you’ve ever flown into Atlanta, you’ve certainly noticed one thing as you soar over the city: the trees. Atlanta’s urban canopy gives it an enduring nickname – City in a Forest, and towering pride if not a-plenty of pollen. These green guardians beautify our neighborhoods, clean our air, and cool our homes, but it takes a community to ensure they’re around for all to enjoy
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Lorie Conway – Boston Marathon
David chats with filmmaker and Boston resident Lorie Conway about Monday's bomb blast at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. At the time of the explosion, Lorie was making the 5 block trek from her apartment to the finish line when she heard the explosions and began to see the commotion head her way. She chats about the mood in Boston and the possible effects this will have on Boston's future.
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Harry Smith Anthology – Volume 4
Art takes a look at the lost volume of the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music. Perhaps the most influential and certainly the most revered collection of early old-timey and country music from the 1920s and 1930s, the original 1952 release of the Anthology included three 2 LP volumes. However, it was later revealed that a 4th volume was in the works by collector Harry Smith. After Smith lost interest in the project, this volume stayed unreleased until 1999 when Revenent Records...
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Steve Korn – Radio Free Europe
David chats with former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty President and CEO Steve Korn about his time with the organization in Prague. Although his tenure only lasted around a year and a half, Korn oversaw the rapidly changing broadcast radio landscape and dealt with often less than hospitable governments.
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Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell
This week Jon takes the program out of the AM 1690 studios and into the studios of Adult Swim for a visit to the set of “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell,” the network’s new live-action series. It’s a workplace comedy set in the bowels of Hell about Gary, an associate demon, who’s trying to work his way up in the corporate environment of the underworld. Jon hangs with star Henry Zebrowski (Gary) as he transforms into a demon in the make-up chair at the hands of special effects artist Shane...
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John Coltrane – The Transition of a Genius
This segment focuses not on the entire breadth of John Coltrane's work, but instead a period in Coltrane's career from around 1957-1961. This was a very important transitional period in his life and his music. In 1957, he recorded a record called "Blue Train," which wasn't his first record as a leader, but perhaps his first important album as a leader. This segment traces his life from this point in his career and into his work with the famous quarter with McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones and Jimmy...
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Steven Kleinman – Moral Conflict
David chats with Steven Kleinman of the Suffan Group about the idea of moral conflict and war. Of course, when thinking about war most think about the obvious physical and mental conflict, but Steven provides a third layer and the role of moral conflict and how it can affect not just a war's outcome but also those who are interpreting the outcome.
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Blast-Off Burlesque, Jurassic Park 3-D and Steven...
The lovely Melanie Magnifique of Blast-Off Burlesque comes into the studio to talk about the award-winning troupe’s special event, Taboo-la-la, at the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta, which features a screening of the cult classic, “Mommie Dearest.” We also hear from none other than director Steven Spielberg and producer Kathleen Kennedy about “Jurassic Park 3-D.” Music comes from The Blasters, Ernest Tubb and T. Rex.
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Anthony Lewis – Freedom for the Thought We Hate
An interview with legendary journalist, Anthony Lewis. Lewis has been a champion of the First Amendment and has written about it many times, both in books as well as his New York Times column, Abroad at Home. Lewis -- a two-time Pulitzer winner -- and the first American reporter to seriously cover apartheid and the story of Nelson Mandela also covered Watergate, the Civil Rights movement, Vietnam, Soviet Refuseniks and many other issues.
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Rogue, Dwayne Johnson and G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Jon goes full throttle on this week’s show with intensity being the name of the game. DirectTV is unleashing its super gritty crime drama series “Rogue,” starring Thandie Newton, on April 3. Co-stars Josh Sasse and Leah Gibson come into the studio and chat about the edgy and revolutionary new TV show.
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The Croods and Wreck-It Ralph
This week Jon geeks out on animated movies. The latest DreamWorks Animation movie, "The Croods," opens this weekend. And we’ll be hearing the voices of the main voice actors in the film. Since Disney's "Wreck-It Ralph" just made it to DVD and Blu-Ray, we hear from Ralph himself, actor John C. Reilly. We also hear from Jerry Buckner of Buckner Garcia, the duo responsible for the 80s video game tune "Pac Man Fever" and also wrote and recorded the theme song for "Wreck-It Ralph"
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Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention
Art welcomes author Wayne Daniel, author of the book Pickin' On Peachtree: A History of Country Music in Atlanta, GA, to chat about the centennial of the Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention. Though some people believe that country music went directly from the mountains to Nashville, it was the Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention that first brought country music to prominence on the streets of downtown Atlanta.
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Joelanta and Million Dollar Quartet
One of Jon's favorite annual pop culture events, Joelanta, has arrived. This G.I. Joe and action figure toy show takes place March 17 at Marriott Century Center. And to top it all off, all four of the starring cast members of the touring musical "Million Dollar Quartet" stop by. “Million Dollar Quartet” is all about a 1956 jam session featuring Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash.
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Music of Newfoundland
This week Backroads and Banjos heads north to check out the music of Newfoundland, the easternmost province in Canada. Though this maritime province has been host to a whole world of influence, its music is overwhelmingly influenced by Scottish Gaelic sounds.
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Miguel Algarin – Nuyorican
David is joined by Miguel Algarin, the owner of the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe in New York City. For over 30 years, the cafe has been a hub for emerging poets and artists to hone their craft in a positive environment. Aside from being a celebrated poet and Professor at Rutgers University, Algarin is also known for developing what would later be known as the "poetry slam."
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The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
It’s magic week on the program. Jon loves magic, and this week he turns the spotlight on “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” a new comedy feature film about magicians duking it out on the Vegas strip starring Steve Carell, Jim Carrey and Steve Buscemi. All three of those actors chat about the movie on this week’s show.
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James Franco and Oz The Great and Powerful
With “The Wizard of Oz” being Jon’s all-time favorite film, he’s super excited to see the upcoming prequel “Oz The Great and Powerful,” which arrives in theaters on March 8. This week Jon hears from the wizard himself, James Franco. It’s also a great opportunity for Jon to revisit his conversations with Margaret Peligrini and the late Karl Slover, two of the Munchkin actors from 1939’s legendary Wizard of Oz.
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John Leland – Cyberstalking in Academia
David chats with New York Times reporter John Leland about his article "Online Battle Over Sacred Scrolls, Real World Consequences." This article tells the tale of Raphael Golb who was recently sentenced to six months in prison for cyber-stalking in a case regarding his father and a long-time feud with fellow Dead Sea scroll expert Lawrence Schiffman.
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Hollywood South
To say that the film industry is making an impact on Georgia’s economy is an understatement of blockbusting proportion. In 2012, direct economic benefits of film production came to nearly $3.1 billion for the state. But, it’s not just A-list actors and revenues generating buzz, Hollywood is also a boon to students, residents, cultural events and local communities.
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The Annual Oscars Episode
It’s our special Oscars episode, and Jon celebrates with some of this year’s nominees, in particular the geekier films of the bunch including “Django Unchained,” which is up for best picture, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected ...
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Nat King Cole
Born in 1919 in Alabama as Nathaniel Coles, Nat quickly became exposed to great music after his family moved to Chicago in 1923. Although his first exposure to music was of the sacred vareity thanks to his father being a preacher, Cole soon found a love for many of the artists living in Chicago at the time including Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, and Jimmy Noone.
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Linda Blair and Skyfall
This week Jon’s head is spinning, because he gets to chat with the legendary actress Linda Blair. She’s of course best known for playing Regan MacNeil in the 1973 horror classic “The Exorcist.” On February 17 horror cable network FearNet is making television history by airing all five films in “The Exorcist” series back to back. So Linda not only talks about the landmark film, but also about her work as an animal activist.
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Dr. Michael White
Gordon welcomes clarinetist and jazz historian Dr.Michael White into the studio to talk about his life playing and studying traditional New Orleans jazz. A relative of early New Orleans jazz pioneers Papa John Joseph and Earl Fouche, White grew up listening to and playing music but it wasn't until college when he fell in love with the sounds of Dixieland.
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Flashdance and Monster Jam
It’s pop culture girl power on this week’s program. Emily Padgett, star of the national touring version of “Flashdance: The Musical” comes in the studio. And speaking of girl power, Debrah “Madusa” Miceli, the incredibly popular monster truck driver, calls in. She’ll be slinging dirt in her Madusa monster truck on February 16 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for Monster Jam.
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Jason Stearns – Dancing in the Glory of Monsters
David is joined by Jason Stearns, the author of the book Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa. Stearns has been writing about the Congo for over a decade and chats with David about how corrupt government and outside countries have prevented the resource-rich Congo from realizing its potential.
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David Blankenhorn – Gay Marraige
David Blankenhorn of the Institute for American Values joins David to talk about his evolving views on the subject of gay marriage. In 2008, Blankenhorn testified in favor of Prop 8 banning gay marriage. However, in June 2012 David wrote a piece for the New York Times announcing that his views have changed and that he is now in favor of gay marriage.
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Precious Bryant Memorial
Art celebrates the life of Georgia's own blues great Precious Bryant. Born in Talbot county in 1942, Bryant learned music at an early age and although she didn't record a full album until age 59, her music was heard by almost all of Talbot county as she played out as often as possible. Precious passed away at age 71 on January 12, 2013.
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Tom Murray – Lance Armstrong and Doping
David chats with bio-ethicist Tom Murray about the saga of Lance Armstrong and bigger issue of doping in sports. While the conversation begins with cycling, it moves to looking at strength-based sports like weightlifting and of course perhaps the most-affected sport of baseball.
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Steven Wright and the Big Apple Circus
One of Jon’s favorite comedians of all time, Steven Wright, calls in on this week’s show and talks candidly about his more than 30-year career in stand-up comedy. We also hear from John Kennedy Kane, the ringmaster for Big Apple Circus, who gives us some insight from underneath the big top. Big Apple Circus’ latest production, Legendarium, is running at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater at Encore Park February 1 through 18.
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Tom Baxter – Saxby Chambliss
Veteran journalist Tom Baxter reflects on the career and upcoming retirement of Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss. Elected to congress in 1994 during Newt Gingrich's "Republican revolution," Saxby has grown into one of the more moderate voices in an increasingly bi-partisan chamber.
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The Gift of Giving
So often on Sidewalk Radio we focus on developing the physical environment of the city, for today's show we are going to highlight and celebrate people who have committed to improving the community of Atlanta. This month's show is all about the gift of giving back.
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Warm Bodies and Hansel & Gretel
The stars of the new zombie romantic comedy "Warm Bodies" pay Jon a visit in the studio. Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer chat about their groundbreaking new movie and a whole lot more. Hoult's also in the upcoming "Mad Max" flick, and Jon tries to get a scoop out of him. We also hear from the stars of "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton
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The Machine, Dr. Fink and the Purple Experience
Since he’s known to dress up like both Burt Reynolds and David Lee Roth, Jon has a soft spot for tribute bands. This week he has members of two groups on the show. The first ...
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Benny Carter
This two-part segment of Jazz Insights focuses on the great Benny Carter. Carter is known today as one of the great arrangers, composers, bandleaders, film scorers and alto saxophone players in jazz and his influence can be heard on music throughout the 20th century.
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Creating Christmas: Coke & A Smile
This month, we celebrate the ho, ho, holidays with Atlanta’s very own, Coca-Cola. The Coke brand is a cultural identity curated through art and advertising, rooted deeply in the National and International psyche. From Santa Claus to polar bears to holiday caravans and concerts, Coca-Cola – more than any other commercial factor – has made Christmas what it is today, and we happily drink it up.
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Yacht Rock Revue and Holiday Toys
Yacht Rock Revue ship Captain Nick Niespodziani comes in the studio to chat about their Yacht Rock Holiday Special at the Variety Playhouse and Jon brings his annual pop culture toy round-up and recommends some of the best pop culture related toys on the market.
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Dead Celeb Cookbook, Tom Brown, and Legoland
This week is jam packed with another holiday edition of the program. Frank DeCaro, author of “The Dead Celebrity Cookbook: Christmas in Tinseltown,” Tom Brown of Turner Classic Movies, and Joshua Bohn, the Lego Master Builder at Legoland Discovery Center stop by to get the holiday spirit stirring.
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Harvest on Buford Highway
This month, we get off the sidewalk and head down the highway, Buford Highway - a truly unique stretch that is equal parts road and gastronomic paradise. Guests this month include Jack Halpern of Halpern Enterprises, Harold Shinn of Buford Highway Farmers Market, Chef Linton Hopkins, and mixologist Greg Best.
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Bond, James Bond
This time Jon focuses all of his nerdy energy on James Bond and the new Bond flick "Skyfall." It's a shaken-not-stirred edition of the program. Jon hears from "Skyfall" director Sam Mendes, stars Javier Bardem and Judi Dench, and Bond himself Daniel Craig.
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Barry Neild on Jimmy Savile
David chats with GlobalPost’s Barry Neild about the curious case of Jimmy Savile. Once the beloved host of the BBC’s Top of the Pops and Jim’ll Fix It, the recently passed Savile is being exposed for his inappropriate relationships with British boys and girls throughout his career.
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Drew Jubera – Must Win
David chats with Drew Jubera about his book Must Win: A Season of Survival for a Town and Its Team. The book chronicles an entire season spent with the Valdosta High School football team, the winningest high school football team in America.
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A Tribute to Doc Watson
Doc Watson was one of the true legends in old-timey and bluegrass music history. A great interpreter of songs, Doc Watson always managed to pay great respect to the songs he played but also made them entirely his own. Watson passed on May 29, 2012 at age 89.
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Warren Adler and Wreck-It Ralph
Acclaimed novelist Warren Adler, best known for penning “The War of the Roses,” which spawned the 1989 movie of the same name, has just released his 33rd book. It’s called “The Serpent’s Bite.” Adler calls in and talks about his career, Hollywood and his latest book.
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Django Reinhardt
Gordon takes a look at the life and works of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Originally a banjo player, Reinhardt made the switch to guitar in his early teens and soon after began playing professionally with musicians much older than him.
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Cirque Du Soleil and The Man with the Iron Fists
Jon jumps from one end of the pop culture spectrum to the other on this week's show. Charlie Dennard, band leader of Cirque Du Soleil's show "Totem," comes into the studio for a chat. Jon also hears from RZA and Eli Roth, two of the filmmakers behind the new blood-soaked, kung fu flick "The Man With the Iron Fists."
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The CDC: A Healthy History
For today's show Gene examines the physical and cultural impact of the Center for Disease Control - better known as the CDC - the only government agency headquartered outside of Washington DC. In the Atlanta community, the CDC’s impact cannot be understated. It is measured by prestige, progress and even in terms of economic development, bringing new business to the city and to the region.
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Real Wolfmen and Elvira
Linda S. Godfrey, author of the new book “Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America,” calls in on the Bat Phone and Jon plays an encore interview he had with the awesome Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira Mistress of the Dark.
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Michael Myers and Tour of Southern Ghosts
Jon revisits an interview he had with Tony Moran, who played bad guy Michael Myers in the film and its sequel. Jon also gets a visit from old pal Elizabeth Vitale. She’s one of the performers at A Tour of Southern Ghosts at Stone Mountain Park, which runs through October 28.
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Sinister and Frankenweenie
It’s officially Halloween season, and that means we’ll be getting spooky on the program throughout the rest of the month. This week we hear from several folks involved in a pair of movies on the big screen just in time for Halloween. Jon spins some Halloween-related tunes and don't forget about the weekly pop culture news.
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King of Pops
When Steven was laid off by AIG, King of Pops was born. Vacating the cubicle for the kitchen, Steven, with the help of brother Nick, family, and a handful of friends, started working out recipes and selling popsicles.
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Stephan Pastis & El Capitan and The Band With No Name
This week Jon talks with cartoonist Stephan Pastis, the creator of the comic strip “Pearls Before Swine" to chat about his new collection "Pearls Freaks the #*%# Out." Jon also gets a visit from the members of El Capitan and The Band With No Name about their latest release "Death of a Tiki."
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North Georgia Folk Festival 2012
The North Georgia Folk Festival returns this year on Saturday, October 6 at Sandy Creek Park in Athens. Now in its 28th year, the festival includes a selection of acts from all walks of the folk world. As the musical director for the festival, Art takes some time to preview some of the music to be expected at this year's festival.
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Micky Dolenz and Perks of Being a Wallflower
A true pop culture icon calls on the Bat Phone. Micky Dolenz of The Monkees has an awesome new album out called “Remember,” and he’ll be going on tour this fall with Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork as The Monkees. He talks about all of this and more in an exclusive interview. All of the music comes from Micky Dolenz's latest release, "Remember.
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Show 71 – Melbourne Masala
Tim begins this World Tour down under with Melbourne’s Bombay Royale, a band of Aussies dedicated to the cheesy glory of vintage Indian film soundtracks. Indian songbird Asha Bhosle, Nigerian performer Babatunde Olatunji, and Paris-based Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara also contribute to this international soundtrack.
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Charley Patton
Art examines the life and works of early blues pioneer Charley Patton. Often considered "The King of the Delta Blues," his work is often times cited by Delta blues musicians as an important influence, including legends like Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters.
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David Crist – The Twilight War
David chats with author David Crist about his new book The Twilight War. This book is a comprehensive examination in the decades long struggle between the United States and Iran. This book outlines the many times that the two countries were not only on the brink of war, but also peace.
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Kevin Sack – Kidney Transplants
New York Times reporter Kevin Sack join David to talk about America's ever-going struggles with kidney transplants. In their conversation, David and Kevin discuss possible changes to the kidney transplant procedure and how these changes could lead to many more donors receiving the help they need.
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Indiana Jones
It’s a bonafide adventure on this week’s show. Jon celebrates the release of “Indiana Jones: The Complete Collection” on Blu-ray. To ring in this momentous occasion, we hear from two of the creative minds involved in the Indy films: Ben Burtt, Sound Director at Skywalker Sound and Dennis Muren, Creative Director at Industrial Light and Magic.
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Lisa Kereszi – Joe’s Junk Yard
David speaks with photographer Lisa Kereszi about her latest work of auto-biographic examination entitled Joe's Junk Yard. Kereszi's disquieting, tender photographs of the last decade of the junkyard tell the story of this family and its struggles.
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Finding Nemo 3D and Mark James
This week we hear from Andrew Stanton, the director of the Disney/Pixar modern classic “Finding Nemo.” It’s being released in theaters in 3D, and Stanton shares his thoughts. Jon also plays an exclusive chat he had with legendary songwriter Mark James.
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Robert Lorenz – Trouble With the Curve
David chats with Robert Lorenz, director of the new film "Trouble With The Curve." The film, starring Clint Eastwood, is set in Atlanta and follows the story of an aging Atlanta Braves scout whose eyesight is starting to cause him trouble in his job.
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Wrestler Booker T and Lawless
Booker T. Huffman, a contemporary pro wrestling icon, recently released his autobiography, “Booker T.: From Prison to Promise,” which chronicles his rags to riches tale. We also hear from two of the stars and one of the filmmakers of the new gritty bootlegging drama “Lawless,” which was shot in various locations surrounding Atlanta.
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Anne Emanuel – Judge Elbert Parr Tuttle
David speaks with local author and GA State law professor Anne Emanuel about her new biography Elbert Parr Tuttle: Chief Jurist of the Civil Rights Revolution.
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Larry Tye – Superman
David chats with author Larry Tye about his latest book Superman: The High-Flying History Of America's Most Enduring Superhero.
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Early Irish-American Recordings
This week on Backroads Banjos, Art shares some early recordings from Irish-Americans in the 1920s and 1930s. These tunes feature first generation Irish-Americans whose recordings would later go on to help establish a basic repertoire for future generations of Irish musicians.
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Jerry Nelson (1934-2012)
As a huge Muppet fan, Jon was terribly saddened to learn of the recent passing of puppetry legend, Jerry Nelson. Nelson did so much for the Muppet world performing countless characters including The Count, Floyd Pepper and Gobo Fraggle, just to name a few.
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Robin Wright – Salafis
David chats with Robin Wright about her New York Times article titled "Don’t Fear All Islamists, Fear Salafis." This article seeks to debunk myths about the modern Islamic culture throughout the Middle East by highlighting some of the trends of different sects of Muslims.
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Susan Archie
Art welcomes Grammy award-winning designer Susan Archie to talk about the process of interpreting old-time music in graphic manner. Archie's past works include the Dust-to-Digital set "Goodbye Babylon" and the Grammy-winning "Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues."
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Leiber and Stoller, and Jaws
Jon is fresh off of his stint as the blogger for Elvis Week 2012, which took place in Memphis for the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. He had the opportunity to meet some really cool folks including Mike Stoller, one half of the legendary rock ‘n’ roll songwriting team Leiber and Stoller.
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Pepper Adams
Born in Highland Park and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Pepper Adams grew up playing with a number of jazz legends including Donald Byrd and the legendary Jones brothers (Elvin,Thad, and Hank) before moving to New York City.
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Barry Sanders – American Avatar
David speaks with adjunct professor of communications studies at UCLA Barry Sanders about his book American Avatar: The United States in the Global Imagination.
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Steven Martin – Opium Fiend
David speaks with author Steven Martin about his adventures in researching and writing his new book, Opium Fiend: A 21st Century Salve to a 19th Century Addiction.
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Eck Robertson
While Eck is a legendary name inold-timey music, his recording career was fairly sparse. His recording career began in the early 1920s and came to a halt in 1929. In the 1940s, Eck entered the recording studio and recorded 100 fiddle tunes in a single session.
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The Expendables 2
This week we’re taking a big shot of testosterone. It’s a special “The Expendables 2” edition of the program. The action flick extravaganza starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jean Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and others is exploding onto the big screen.
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Marcus Samuelsson – Yes, Chef
Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson joins David to talk about his book Yes Chef, a memoir which chronicles his journey from a small village in Ethiopia to his adopted grandmother's humble kitchen in Switzerland to France's finest restaurants and eventually to Harlem.
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Woody Guthrie Centennial
Backroads Banjos celebrates the centennial of Woody Guthrie's birth with two segments dedicated to the man Alan Lomax once called "the greatest composer of folk songs."
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Dan Senor – Start Up Naiton
David speaks with Dan Senor about his new book Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle. The book explores the lessons and wider applications of Israel's unique creative, innovative, and adventurous economic culture.
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Total Recall
"Total Recall" starring Colin Farrell opens in theaters this weekend. Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale will be chatting about the movie on this week's show.
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Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick
In this book, Gov. Patrick explains how he made his way from a poor boy living in a one bedroom apartment in the south side of Chicago to Harvard Law School to the Governor's Mansion in Massachusetts.
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Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
One of the most popular standards, Lover Man is a song most famously done by Billie Holiday. Since her version in 1944, this song has been reimagined and re-interpreted hundreds of times and in hundreds of ways both vocally and instrumentally.
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Civil War to Civil Rights
It is poetic to think of ourselves as a nation founded on the mutual ideals of freedom and equality. But as a city, Atlanta, more than any other city in the country, has its foundations - both cultural and physical - shaped by the struggle for freedom.
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The Watch and The Three Stooges
Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill star in the sci-fi comedy "The Watch," and we’ll be hearing from all three funny guys this week and Atlanta-filmed The Three Stooges" recently arrived on DVD and Blu-ray, so we'll hear from Stooges stars Will Sasso, Sean Hayes and Chris Diamantopolus.
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Alexandra Fuller – Cocktail Hour Under The Tree Of...
Author Alexandra Fuller joins David to talk about her new book Cocktail Hour Under The Tree Of Forgetfulness. Born in the Unite Kingdom to very nomadic parents, Fuller spent most of her childhood years living ...
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Glenn Carle – The Interrogator
Shortly after 9/11, Carle became involved in the USA's new found "War on Terror." After a briefing with top dogs at the CIA, Carle learned about the preferred methods behind his interrogations with so-called terrorists.
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Lauren Collins – England, Their England
Lauren Collins' article England, Their England, set in the town of Luton, looks at the English Defense League and their ideas about their failure of multiculturalism and how it has led to an Islamophobic sect of English nationalists.
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Tanner Colby – Some Of My Best Friends Are Black
Named after the phrase that African-Americans find so offensive, this book was inspired by the 2008 Presidential election when Colby realized that although the country was about to elect a black president, he didn't actually know any black people.
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Don Borelli – Africa in 2012
David chats with Vice President of the Soufan Group Don Borelli about the current state of affairs in Africa. Rich in minerals and oil, Africa is poised for success as it moves forward assuming it can get civil unrest and terrorism under control.
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Atlanta’s Alt-Country Underground
It’s a special alt-country episode of the program featuring some luminaries from Atlanta’s own underground country scene come into the studio.
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Phineas Newborn
Gordon take a look at the life and works little-known jazz pianist Phineas Newborn. Influenced by blues, jazz and classical music, Phineas recorded some legendary albums throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s.
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Stone Mountain Wobblers
This week, Backroads and Banjos travels to Athens for a session at Art's house with a group called the Stone Mountain Wobblers featuring Mickey Nelligan and his brothers Evan and Mo.
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Adam Liptak – Chief Justice Roberts
Based on the recent court decision on the Affordable Care Act, David chats with New York Times Supreme Court correspondent Adam Liptak about Chief Justice Roberts.
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Deborah Scroggins – Egypt And The Muslim Brotherhood
In the wake of the recent Egyptian presidential elections, David welcomes author and journalist Deborah Scroggins. Scroggins chats about the unexpected victory of the Muslim Brotherhood in the elections and how this may affect the Egyptian population.
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Michael D’Antonio – Forever Blue
Michael D’Antonio talks about his book Forever Blue, the story of Walter O’Malley, the iconoclastic owner of the Dodgers and the man responsible for transplanting the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.
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Scott Wallace – The Unconquered
David speaks with writer Scott Wallace about his book The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted Tribes, the story of Wallace's adventure with explorer Sydney Possuelo to find one of the last remaining uncontacted indigenous tribes in heart of the Amazon.
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Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band
Arguably the biggest show of its four-year history, this special edition of the program is all Ringo, all the time featuring an interview with the man himself and a super cool collection of Ringo-related music.
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The Art Of Education
This month Sidewalk Radio explores the multi-faceted challenges of fostering, shaping, and building for arts education.
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Alien, Veronica Cartwright and Prometheus
Director Ridley Scott’s sci-fi film “Prometheus” is still in the top tier of the summer box office. This week we’ll be hearing from Scott and “Prometheus” stars Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace.
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Mark Whitaker – My Long Trip Home
David speaks with managing editor and Executive Vice President of CNN Mark Whitaker about his new book My Long Trip Home: A Family Memoir.
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Deliverance and Ronny Cox
The Southern gothic adventure thriller “Deliverance” turns 40 this year, and one of its stars picks and grins with us on this week’s show.
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Atlanta Bike Polo
Bike Polo is played in over 30 countries and 300 cities. In Atlanta Bike Polo is played every Sunday and Thursday at 7:30 at Lang Carson Basketball Court
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Led Zeppelin Summertime Special
One of Jon’s summertime vices is cranking Led Zeppelin music with his car windows down. He’s at it again, this time spinning Zep tracks on “The PCK Show.”
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Kenny Dorham
Gordon takes a look at the life and work of American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer Kenny Dorham. His vast catalog includes almost twenty records as a leader and hundreds more as a sideman.
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Celtic Roots of Southern Music Festival
Art shares some of his recordings from the 2012 Celtic Roots of Southern Music Festival wrap party in April 2012.
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Memorial Days
Memorials are here to remind us, to motivate us, to inspire us. This month we explore and remember the leadership, courage and creativity that molded art, music, and educational arenas in Atlanta, and places far beyond.
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Vari-Okey And David Stephens
This week Jon celebrates the latest installment of Vari-Okey, which takes place May 26 at the Goat Farm in Atlanta. Vari-Okey is AM 1690’s special event series that combines karaoke with a variety show.
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Peggilene Bartels – King Peggy
David is joined by Peggilene Bartels to tell her incredible story of becoming King of the village of Otuam in Ghana.
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Lizz Winstead – Lizz Free Or Die
David speaks with writer, comedian, and "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead about her new memoir Lizz Free Or Die.
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Art Plays Kentucky Banjo Tunes
For this episode of Backroads Banjos, Art takes a trip to Kentucky and plays some of the tunes he has picked up throughout the years.
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Chip Coffey and The Jagged Stones
Chip Coffey, the internationally acclaimed psychic and medium, now has author on his resume. You may know him from the TV shows Psychic Kids and Paranormal State. His debut book Growing up Psychic: My Story ...
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Sacred Harp Singing
Art explores one of the most distinctive and arresting sounds in choral music - a traditional form known as Sacred Harp Singing.
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Tim Arango – Romeo & Juliet In Iraq
David chats with Tim Arango, the current Baghdad bureau chief of The New York Times, about the rise in culture and the arts in Iraq.
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John Marzulli – Adis Medunjanin
David speaks with reporter John Marzulli of the New York Daily News about the unique and interesting case of Adis Medunjanin.
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The Avengers, Legoland and Anya Martin
We’re celebrating the opening weekend of “The Avengers” with an extra-special episode. Robert Downey, Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson give us the straight dope on “The Avengers,” the superhero supergroup flick that kicks off the summer blockbuster movie season.
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Jon Watts – AKA Blondie
David speaks with Producer and Director Jon Watts about his new documentary film "AKA Blondie" - a profile of one of Atlanta's best known and least understood celebrities.
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Erica Jong – Sugar in My Bowl
David speaks with acclaimed author Erica Jong about her latest book Sugar in My Bowl: Real Women Write About Real Sex. This book, compiled and edited by Jong, is a collection of writings by 28 women about all things sexual.
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Zachary Karabell – Apple
David chats with hedge fund manager and author for Newsweek and The Daily Beast Zachary Karabell about the success of Apple even in a time of incredible economic downturn.
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Caroline Stoessinger – A Century of Wisdom
David speaks with author Caroline Stoessinger about her incredible new book, A Century of Wisdom: Lessons From the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, The Worlds Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor. By trade a concert pianist, Stoessinger first ...
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Larry Tye – Satchel: The Life and Times of An American...
David explores the life and career of one of baseball's most impressive and least heralded stars - Satchel Paige. David speaks with journalist and author Larry Tye who has written a new biography ofSatchel Paige.
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The Legends of TV
This week Jon plays interviews he's had with three legendary TV actors: Adam West from the late 1960s "Batman" series; J.R. Ewing himself, Larry Hagman from "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Dallas"; and Antonio Fargas, Huggy Bear from "Starsky and Hutch." These guys have some amazing stories, and share them with Jon. Throw in some up-to-date pop culture news and wacky tunes, and you have a classic PCK experience!
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Geraldine Brooks – The People of the Book
David speaks with Geraldine Brooks about her work, The People of the Book. In this work Brooks, a former New York Times columnist, creates a fictional narrative around the true life drama of a mysterious missing Hebrew Haggadah pilfered from Sarajevo. The Haggadah is the prayer book used by Jews on Passover to tell the story of the Israelites exodus from Egypt.
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Tadd Dameron
Gordon takes a look at the life and works of jazz composer, arranger, and pianist Tadd Dameron. Inspired equally by George Gershwin and Duke Ellington, Dameron made a name for himself as one of the premier arrangers in jazz from the late-1940s through the early 1960s. Although he career was dominated primarily by bebop, Tadd's arrangements also borrowed from swing and big band. As a band leader, Dameron hired and mentored many of jazz's biggest names including Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, John...
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Bryce Hoffman – American Icon
Detroit News reporter Bryce Hoffman joins David to talk about his book American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company. As a Detroit insider, Hoffman had perhaps the best look at just how bad times were at Ford Motor Company when Alan Mulally was brought from Boeing as Ford's new CEO. Under his direction, Ford Motor Company has become Detroit's most profitable and well-respected car company and the only one who didn't take government funds in 2009's industry bailout.
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Dahlia Lithwick – Obamacare and the Supreme Court
David speaks with Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor and legal correspondent for Slate.com, about last week's arguments before the Supreme Court concerning the contested healthcare bill. Lithwick spent time in the courtroom during the three day of argument in regards to the legality and constitutionality of the Affordable Healthcare Act, a.k.a Obamacare. In what she described as arguments that were "dark and cruel," Lithwick wrote in depth about the subject on Slate.com.
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Show Me the Funny and Persia White
It’s all about comedy and vampires on this week’s show. Persia White comes into the studio. She plays Abby Bennett Wilson on the CW’s “Vampire Diaries.” She’s also a talented musician, photographer and painter. Authors Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis call in on the Bat Phone. They wrote the book “Show Me the Funny: At the Writers’ Table with Hollywood’s Top Comedy Writers.” The pair interviewed more than two dozen successful TV and movie comedy scribes from throughout the past 50 years, from...
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Art Collection
Often when we talk about an “art collection” it comes from the context and perspective of the collector; however typical to Sidewalk Radio, we like to look at things a bit differently. In this month’s episode we explore the art of collecting by assembling a collection of our own: the appraiser, the artist, the cultural curator, and the puppet master (well, of sorts). What we find is that the art of collecting is a varied, and many times individual, process of understanding.
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Billy Elliot and Ned Evett
Jon takes it to the stage this week as two of the stars of the touring production of “Billy Elliot The Musical” stop in the studio. Ty Forhan and Zack Manske talk about being young kids on the road, relating to the character of Billy and much more. Glass guitarist Ned Evett, whose latest disc “Treehouse” is now available, calls in on the Bat Phone and chats about his unique instrument and working with one his idols, producer Adrian Belew. You’ll hear a couple of tracks from Evett’s album,...
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Stephanie Deutsch – You Need A Schoolhouse
David speaks with writer Stephanie Deutsch about her latest book You Need A Schoolhouse: Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald and the Building of Schools for the Segregated South. This book is the the story of an unlikely partnership between a Jewish philanthropist and an African-American educator to provide free education to African-Americans in the segregated South.
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Joelanta and John Carter
JoeLanta, the annual G.I. Joe and action figure show and convention, returns March 18. David Lane and Buddy Finethy, two JoeLanta soldiers, stop in the studio and talk about all of the geeky goodness going on at the convention. We also get "G.I. Joe" comic book artist, Tom Feister on the phone to talk about his love for Joe. The new Disney blockbuster "John Carter" is now in theaters and Jon hears from director Andrew Stanton and stars Taylor Kitsch and Daryl Sabara. Military-themed music...
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Pete Bethune – Conservationist
David chats with conservationist and television personality Pete Bethune. Perhaps best known for his role on the Emmy-nominated series Whale Wars, Bethune has dedicated his life to conserving the resources of the open seas. On the series Whale Wars, crews follow Bethune as his stops whaling vessels from reaching their destinations by any means possible. In addition, Pete uses his resources to help stop large vessels from fishing off the coast of poor nations that rely heavily on income from...
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Roddy Piper and Aaron Beelner
Days of The Dead Atlanta is happening March 9-11 in Peachtree City. It’s a horror convention with movie screenings, celebrity guests and autograph signings. The star of that event is pro wrestling legend and actor "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. He’ll be signing autographs and doing his stand-up act at Days of the Dead. Piper called in to the "PCK Show" for an exclusive interview back in the late summer. So Jon revisits that conversation. Actor Aaron Beelner, who happens to be a little person, drops in...
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Deborah Scroggins – Wanted Women
David welcomes former AJC reporter and author Deborah Scroggins to talk about her latest book Wanted Women: Faith, Lies, and the War on Terror. This book contrasts the lives of two Muslim women who took two very different paths. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali born activist and writer, denounced her religion shortly following the events of 9/11 and has spoke out against the Islamic faith since that day. On the other hand, Aafia Siddiqui was once a promising young student of neuroscience in the...
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Field Recorders’ Collective
Rather than focusing on a specific artist or collection, this week's Backroads Banjos focuses on the Field Recoders' Collective. This small organization revitalizes and releases field recordings from private collections. While these issues typically are old-time mountain music, they also focus on gospel and acoustic blues.
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Paul Barrett – Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun
David Lewis speaks with author Paul Barrett whose new book, Glock: The Rise of America's Gun, traces the history and cultural significance of the worlds best-selling handgun. Aside from it's popularity with law enforcement, the Glock has also become a large part of American pop culture. It has been glamorized on the big and small screens and praised in hip-hop music since it's release in 1982
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Sweet Auburn
Auburn Avenue was at one time known as Wheat Street. In 1893, a group of white citizens went to the city council and petitioned to change the name to Auburn because they thought it sounded more sophisticated. However, it wasn’t the whites who made Auburn Avenue sophisticated, but instead the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of Atlanta’s diverse African American community. With over $200,000,000 in new and proposed development, plus a shiny new streetcar, Auburn Avenue is once again...
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Martin Scorsese, Hugo, and the Rolling Stones
As pop culture nerds, of course we love us some movies. And the biggest movie celebration of the year is upon us: The Academy Awards on February 26. One of the movies up for Best Picture is director Martin Scorsese’s family film "Hugo." It arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on February 28. Scorsese talks about the flick on this week’s program, and Jon celebrates the music found in Scorsese films. One of Scorsese's favorite sources is The Rolling Stones. Jon uses this as an excuse to explore The...
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Anthony Shadid
David speaks with the recently departed New York Times foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid. Although this interview was originally recorded in August 2011, it was never aired due to a poor phone connection. However, in light of his death, the interview airs as it was originally recorded in 2011. As a reporter, Shadid went to great risk in order to get the story he was after. In 2003 while covering West Bank violence, Shadid was shot in the shoulder by a member of the Israeli military. In...
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Paul McCartney, the Doors, and Van Halen
We had a disturbance in the pop culture force earlier in the week. After the Grammy Awards, Twitter began blowing up with a bunch of “Who is Paul McCartney” tweets. It seems like some folks really don’t know about the cute Beatle. So we’re taking action on this week’s show. Jon spreads some pop culture love for McCartney as well as a few other old-school rock acts of serious significance: The Doors and Van Halen. Each of these acts have new releases including McCartney’s “Kisses On the...
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Universoul Circus and Ringling Bros.
Step right up for Circus Week on the program. Every year about this time we celebrate the world of the circus. That’s because February tends to be circus month in Atlanta. A pair of circuses will be performing simultaneously throughout the month: UniverSoul Circus, and Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey. Hank Ernest, spokesperson for UniverSoul, stops in the studio to tell us all about their production. We’ll also be hearing from another Atlantan, Mr. Brad Timberlake, who actually grew up...
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Ahed Al-Hendi – Syrian Activist
David speaks with Ahed Al-Hendi, a Syrian activist and blogger. In 2006, as a student of Damascus University, Al-Hendi started a student group aimed at promoting peace and change in the country. As a result, Al-Hendi was jailed and spent over a month in solitary confinement without access to any legal representation. After his release, Al-Hendi fled Syria eventually landing in the United States with refugee status.
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Chad Sanborn, Syrens of the South and Ladies Rock Camp
It’s ADD personified as Jon jumps around the pop culture realm. He kicks off the show with Jack White’s new single “Love Interruption.” Then it’s onto our first pair of guests: Chad Sanborn and Katherine Lashe. They’ll be performing as part of Syrens of the South Productions Presents Vixens Valentease, February 10 at the Five Spot in Little Five Points. Jon’s pal Stacey Singer stops in a bit later on in the show. She’s with Girls Rock Camp ATL, the Atlanta-based non-profit that works to...
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Joe Theismann, Hugh Jackman, and Real Steel
One of the biggest pop culture events of the year takes place February 4. That’s Super Bowl 46 starring the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. This week we’ll be talking to someone who’s been there and done that: Joe Theismann, the legendary former Washington Redskins quarterback and Super Bowl champ. Theismann talks about what it’s like to step onto the Super Bowl stage and reveals his pop culture obsession with Elvis Presley. We also hear from Hugh Jackman, whose robot boxing...
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Janny Scott – Obama’s Mother
David speaks with author Janny Scott about her new biography, A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother. During the 2008 campaign while writing a series of articles on Barack Obama for the New York Times, Scott was presented with a small bevy of information on Barack's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham. After her cover story in the Times became a great success, Janny Scott continued her exploration into this somewhat mysterious woman.
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Growing Up: The Skyline and the City
This month Sidewalk Radio explores the history along with the impact and importance that the skyline plays in both our physical and cultural development. As usual, a great gang of guests help Gene understand the skyline from each and every aspect. Sidewalk Radio is brought to you by Perkins+ Will.
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Red Tails and Underworld:Awakening
This time out Jon is heading to the picture show for an all-movie edition of the program. It's a big weekend for blockbuster flicks. Executive producer George Lucas is bringing us "Red Tails," the story of the Tuskegee Airmen from World War II. Kate Beckinsale returns to the "Underworld" franchise with the fourth installment "Underworld: Awakening." It marks the first time an "Underworld" flick has been shot in 3D. We’ll be hearing from Lucas and "Red Tails" star Terrence Howard as well as...
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Yacht Rock Revue and Monster Jam
We’re shaking the rafters on this week’s show with two special guests. Nick Niespodziani from Yacht Rock Revue stops in to talk about its Dazed and Confused event at Variety Playhouse. On Jan. 14 the band will be playing cuts from the “Dazed and Confused” soundtrack, and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and Led Zeppelin’s “Led Zeppelin IV” in their entirety. The same night over at Georgia Dome finds Monster Jam tearing things up. We’ll be hearing from Adam Anderson, the son of Grave...
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Jazz Rock Fusion
Gordon begins a new series on the influence of jazz structures on rock music in the 1960s. By the late 1950s, the emergence of free jazz isolated much of the public and began to fall out of favor as rock music began winning the hearts of listeners worldwide. During that time, musicians in England began experimenting not only with the blues, but also with elements of jazz.
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George Gibson
Art takes a look at George Gibson, one of the last living old-timey musicians who grew up surrounded by the banjo tradition. Gibson was born in Eastern Kentucky in 1938 and grew up learning the old-timey traditions including banjo tunings and songs that are specific to areas of east Kentucky. Since his time in Kentucky, George has honed his skills not only as a performer but also as a student and expert of banjo tradition and roots.
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Starboarders & Mission Impossible
The first show of 2012 drops with a bang. A pair of members from Atlanta-based rock trio Starboarders visit the studio. Unlike many musicians out there with rock star aspirations, this group is doing the unique act of giving its music away to help others. The purchase of each copy of its debut disc "Chroma" provides a LifeStraw water purification device for a person in a Third World country in need of clean water. Vocalist/guitarist Matt Simpkins and drummer Bill Porter talk about the...
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Ken Perlman and Alan Jabbour
This week, Backroads and Banjos comes to us straight from the living room of Art Rosenbaum. After a show at The Melting Point in Athens, banjo player Ken Perlman and fiddler Alan Jabbour stopped by Art's house and recorded a few of the songs from their most recent tour and give a little insight to the origin of these tunes
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The Best of 2011
This week the Pop Culture King takes a look back at another great year and some of the great guests who have spent time on the Pop Culture King Show. In July, one of the greatest of all the country legends took some time to speak with Jon as she prepared for her stop in Atlanta. This interview about a month after another piece of country royalty Loretta Lynn also took time to speak with Jon about her amazing life and career. Also included in this best of episode are the lovely Elvira and...
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Watch Night and Ring Shouts
As one year fades into another, Art takes a look at Watch Night and Ring Shouts, one of the oldest New Year's Eve traditions. Each year, African-American communities hold a prayer meeting in the church to focus on another year's passing. After the meeting, the congregation gathers in the annex for a call-and-response singing tradition known as a ring shout. The featured performances in this segment are from a 1983 recording of the McIntosh County Shouters as recorded by Art Rosenbaum
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The Fabulous Fox
In 1929, William Fox was a movie mogul and The Fox Theatre was Atlanta’s crown jewel of movie palaces. Over the years it has hosted many award-winning performances. Comedies, tragedies, dramas – in the form of movies, plays dance – have all played on the big screen and the stage, creating more than a few memories along the way.
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Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
This week members of two of Atlanta's best rock 'n' roll tribute bands invade "The PCK Show." Cage from Neil Diamond tribute Nine Inch Neils, and Stephen Skipper and Barry Zion of Rolling Stones tribute The Jagged Stones visit the studio. Both bands are playing the Rocking Around the Christmas Tree benefit at House of the Rock in Atlanta on December 17. So Jon celebrates the season by playing some Neil Diamond and Stones. There's also a fresh batch of pop culture news.
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Pop Culture Toys and ‘Songs for Helping’
Most likely Santa’s already packing his bags full of toys to deliver to all of the good girls and boys, so Jon talks toys on this week’s “PCK Show.” Toy expert Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of TimetoPlayMag.com, calls in and gives us the scoop on the hottest holiday pop culture toys on the market. And Jon runs down a list of some of his favorites of the season. He also talks to Dana Snyder and Andy Snipes, the voice stars of the new short subject webisode series “Songs for Helping” on Adult...
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Jeffrey Sonnenfeld on Patricia Dunn
David speaks with Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, the Senior Associate Dean for Executive Programs at Yale University about the tragic life and career of Patricia Dunn. After rising from the ranks of Secretary at Wells Fargo to Chairwoman at Hewlett-Packard, Dunn was ousted in 2006 amid charges of illegal spying in order to catch board members who were leaking corporate secrets. Although she eventually found the responsible party, her tactics and methods were questioned by the guilty party until she was...
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10,000 Points of Light and The Grinch
Another holiday episode finds Jon talking with film director George King who created the cult classic documentary "10,000 Points of Light" about an Atlanta family who not only drenched their house in Christmas decorations and Elvis memorabilia, but would open their home to tours each holiday season for nearly 20 years. And coming all the way down from Mount Crumpit and into the studio is the one and only Grinch along with his friend Cindy Lou Who. The two are starring in "Dr. Suess’ How the...
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Joseph Lelyveld – Gandhi
David speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joseph Lelyveld about his new book on Mahatma Gandi. Having spent time in both South Africa and India in his years with the New York Times, Lelyveld became very familiar with the life of Gandhi and how he went from being a semi-enlightened figure to the legendary figure today. His latest book, Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India, pulls no punches and covers every aspect of Gandhi's life, so much so that it has been banned...
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Stephanie Blank – Early Childhood Education
David speaks with Stephanie Blank, the founding chair of the governing board of GEEARS, the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students. Stephanie talks about the importance of early childhood education, beginning as early as ages two and three, and what Georgia can do to better prepare children for a lifetime of education.
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Trans-Siberan Orchestra, Jason Segal and Kermit the Frog
"The Pop Culture King Show's" geeky holiday celebration continues. This week we have our friend, the super awesome Mr. Paul O’Neill on the program. He’s the founder of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This rock theater collective is known for its Christmas trilogy albums and prog rock masterpieces like "Night Castle." TSO brings its amazing live show to Philips Arena on December 2. And The Muppets have finally returned to the big screen for their big comeback. We hear from two of the stars of "The...
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Rudolph and Karl Slover
Jon kicks off the Christmas season a little early this year with the first of more than a month of holiday "PCK" episodes. From the Center for Puppetry Arts’ production of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," two of the main puppeteers come into the studio: Julie Scarborough and Dolph Amick. Now in its second year, the "Rudolph" show is based on the classic Rankin/Bass Christmas TV special of the same name. Jon also revisits an interview with his friend Karl Slover, one of the Munchkin actors...
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The Real Bahamas
Art takes a trip down to the Bahamas and looks at a 1965 from Nonesuch records called "The Real Bahamas." Although most of the Bahama islands are no further than 200 miles from the Florida coast, most of the music from the Bahamas remained a mystery until the mid-1960s when field recorder Jody Stecher took a trip to the islands to discover a whole new world of music. Much like Alan Lomax's recordings from the 1930s, these recordings showed a culture influenced not only by Spanish and African...
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Wayne Pacelle – The Bond
Wayne Pacelle, the President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, joins David to chat about the challenges facing the nation's largest animal advocacy group. Since taking the position of President and CEO in 2004, Pacelle has aimed to broaden the scope and influence of the humane society even to the point of befriending and working with former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. Despite his notable run-in with the law on animal cruelty charges, Pacelle believes Vick...
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Jason Bonham and Led Zeppelin
This week Jon geeks out over one of the greatest rock acts of all time: Led Zeppelin. Jason Bonham, son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, is bringing his Led Zeppelin Experience show to Center Stage in Atlanta Sunday, November 13. The show features the music of Led Zeppelin performed by Bonham and his band, film clips, and Bonham’s memories of his father. Bonham, an accomplished drummer himself, chats with "The PCK Show" about carrying the Zep torch. And Jon treats listeners to some fun Led...
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Sue Grafton – V for Vengeance
David speaks with renown mystery novelist Sue Grafton, author of the Kinsey Millhone Mysteries. Dubbed the Alphabet Series, these detective stories feature titles starting with each letter of the alphabet. Grafton's is now at the letter "V" with her most recent book, "V" Is For Vengeance.
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The Original Carter Family
Art takes a look at the most famous family in traditional folk history, The Carter Family. Art plays three songs from The Original Carter Family's first recordings including "Single Girl, Married Girl" and "John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man" and provides some insight into the players who were and just as importantly weren't present for the session.
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Abbey Road Live and the Beatles
It's an all-Beatles episode with a mess of magical mystery moments pertaining to the Fab Four. Jon talks with Michael Wegner, a member of Beatles tribute band Abbey Road Live. They'll be playing Nov. 5 in Decatur, Ga. at the Decatur High School Performing Arts Center. Wegner talks about the challenges of approaching Beatles music. Of course, Jon will be playing several Beatles songs and rare snippets from the band. And local voice-over artist and musician Doug Williams premieres his original...
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Ahmad Jamal
Although Jamal is not necessarily a household name, he is considered by many to be one of the most important figures in jazz music in the last 50 years and has been cited by many major figures including Miles Davis who recorded many of Jamal's arrangements. In the first segment, Dr. Vernick takes time to look at some of the players who influenced Jamal and helped Ahmad cultivate his original playing style. Part 2 begins a more intense look at Jamal's solo work with his legendary trio which...
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Anne Kreamer – It’s Always Personal
David speaks with author Anne Kreamer about her new book It's Always Personal: Emotion in the New Workplace. This books examines the role of emotion in a professional setting. Common knowledge tells us that getting emotional at work is wrong. Crying or showing any type of negative emotion makes a worker seem weak and unable to handle the stresses of a professional setting. However, this book debunks all these myths and provides some eye-opening realities like the fact that men cry more in...
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Syl Johnson – The Complete Mythology
David speaks with singer Syl Johnson who for decades had one of the most prolific but still unheralded careers in Soul and RB. Though never a household name in the 1960s and 70s, his music captured new audience in the 90s and early 2000s with the help of hip-hop artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy and the Geto Boys. In fact, his 1967 song "Different Strokes" has become one of the most sampled pieces in hip-hop's history. A new box set was recently released to honor him and hopefully...
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The Genius of Raymond Scott
This week Johnny is away reporting on homelessness in Augusta, Georgia for CNN. Michael reaches Johnny by phone to ask him about the dire situation in Augusta. In this episode Michael also speaks to us about the music of the legendary Raymond Scott, a musician ahead of his time in many respects, but most notably the soundtrack behind most classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Producer Stephen Key sits in for Johnny to defend iPods with Michael and also for a great Victrola moment.
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George Cassidy – Come Together
David speaks with author George Cassidy about his new book Come Together: The Business Wisdom of the Beatles. It should come as no surprise that the talents of the Beatles went far beyond their ability to write a great tune or drive teenage girls crazy with their iconic hairdos. In this book George looks beyond the music at how the business successes and failures of the Beatles can serve as a guidebook not only to other musicians but to all entrepreneurs today.
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Little Five Points
In this episode of Sidewalk Radio, our host Gene Kansas explores the art, music, mayhem and culture of this alternative enclave that includes Elvis shrines and disco nights (Star Bar), record stores (Criminal Records, Wax’n'Facts), raucous retail (Junkman’s Daughter), thrift havens (Stefan’s), booze (Euclid Avenue Yacht Club), books (A Cappella), bands (Variety Playhouse), co-op’s (Sevananda), coffee (Aurora), and pimento cheese burgers (The Vortex) to die for, all available within a few...
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Andy Kaufman, Bob Zmuda and Pirates 4 on DVD
Jon is a huge fan of legendary comedian Andy Kaufman, who single-handedly changed the definition of funny in the ’70s and early ’80s. This week Jon tracks down the late performer’s co-writer, co-conspirator and close friend, Bob Zmuda. Zmuda is a writer, comedian, producer and director in his own right. He dishes some behind-the-scenes Kaufman tales on this week’s show. Does Zmuda think Kaufman faked his death? Listen and find out. And to celebrate the release of “Pirates of the Caribbean:...
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Donna Johnson – Holy Ghost Girl
David speaks with author Donna Johnson about her latest book Holy Ghost Girl: A Memoir. As a child, Johnson spent her years traveling on the road as her mother worked as an organist for big tent revival preacher David Terrell. A truly polarizing figure, David Terrell spent his years preaching from town to town to more than 2000 worshipers at a time -- many of whom gave enormously to Terrell with some selling all of their possessions to be on the road with Brother Terrell. Johnson's book Holy...
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Jeffrey Wells – The Atlanta Ripper
David speaks with Georgia Military College professor Jeffrey Wells about his new book The Atlanta Ripper: The Unsolved Case of the Gate City's Most Infamous Murders. Between 1909 and 1915, a serial killer may have stalked the streets of Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward, leaving as many as 20 bodies — mostly black women in their 20s — in his wake. Although many suspects were arrested, no one was ever identified as the Atlanta Ripper. A century later, authorities are still baffled as to the killer's...
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Mike Snowden and The Thing
Coming into the studio this week is Mike Snowden, the owner of Snowden Guitars. Snowden handcrafts guitars, but these aren’t just any guitars. These are made from cigar boxes. We’re also gonna be hearing from actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She stars in "The Thing," the prequel to John Carpenter’s groundbreaking 1982 horror film of the same name. Jon dishes some pop culture news and spins tunes by Mike Snowden, Joe Tex and Men At Work.
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Joseph Dorman – Sholem Aleichem
David speaks with documentary filmmaker Joseph Dorman about his newest work on Sholem Aleichem, "Laughing in the Darkness." Born Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, Sholem Aleichem was a leading Yiddish playwright whose work Teyve the Milkman was the basis for the eventual musical Fiddler on the Roof. The documentary opens with Dorman in attendance on Friday, October 14 at Lefont Sandy Springs.
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Dick Van Dyke and Disney on Ice
This week Jon has a pair of super cool creative minds on “The Pop Culture King Show.” Ivan Ingermann, the costume designer for “Disney On Ice: Dare to Dream,” which runs Oct. 12-16 at Philips Arena, will be calling in. Ingermann is also a professor at the University of Georgia. We'll also be hearing from Vince Waldron, author of the “Official ‘Dick Van Dyke Show’ Book.” The “Dick Van Dyke Show,” one of the greatest TV sitcoms of all time, is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. Jon...
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Diana Henriques – Wizard of Lies
David speaks with Diana Henriques, a senior financial writer for the New York Times and author of the new book Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust. Less than two years after the downfall of Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme, Henriques was the first reporter Madoff agreed to meet with personally. This book serves as the most accurate account in writing of what happened and more importantly what went wrong
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Howard Hart – The Future of Iraq
Frequent CWDL guest Howard Hart joins David by telephone to talk about the future of Iraq at the end of the year once U.S. troops make their departure from the country. No stranger to Middle Eastern policy, former CIA spy Howard Hart unfolds his contention that the U.S. has backed itself into a damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't situation with the only possible outcome being an Iraqi civil war between the Shias and Sunnis.
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Weird Al and Netherworld
Jon kicks off the beginning of the Halloween season as Ben Armstrong, co-founder of the award-winning Netherworld Haunted House in Norcross, comes in the studio to tell us about what’s going bump in the night over there. And Jon finds out he's not the only one who's white and nerdy when the always awesome Weird Al Yankovic calls in on the Bat Phone.
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How Jazz Works – Part 3
Gordon presents another edition of "HowJazzWorks," this time taking a look at the role of the drummer and bassist that provide the foundation and roots forjazzbands. Joining Dr. Vernick for this episode are Justin Varnes, a professor of jazz drumming at Georgia State University and bass instructor Robert Dickson. Aside from simply taking a look at the role of these instruments, both Varnes and Dickson take a look at the history and evolution of the respective instruments.
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Sara Totonchi – Troy Davis Execution
David speaks with Sara Totonchi, Executive Director for the Southern Center for Human Rights, about last weeks controversial execution of Troy Davis. The Southern Center for Human Rights provides legal representation to people facing the ...
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Star Wars on Blu-Ray and Wicked
It’s no secret that host Jon Waterhouse is a huge “Star Wars” geek. Since the “Stars Wars” Saga was recently released on on Blu-Ray, the force is extra strong with him at the moment. So this week Jon celebrates “Star Wars” on Blu-Ray with a review and guide to the set, lots of “Star Wars” tunage and an encore interview with C3PO himself, Anthony Daniels. Now George Lucas has always said that “Star Wars” was influenced by, among other things, “The Wizard of Oz.” Coming into the studio are two...
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Atlanta’s International Airport
This month's Sidewalk Radio takes a look at Atlanta's largest but least talked about monument, the airport. This month, our host Gene Kansas welcomes in former Atlanta mayor Sam Massel, experimental branding expert Keith Curtis of Perkins+Will, author of the book Sunshine Skies David P. Henderson and celebrated chef of the airport's first upscale restaurant One Flew South Duane Nutter.
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Octavia Nasr – Arab Spring Update
David speaks with Octavia Nasr, an expert in Arab affairs and former Middle East correspondent for CNN. In an earlier interview, Nasr described how social media including Twitter and Facebook led to a successful revolution in Tunisia and Egypt. Now that the dust has settled from the first round of revolution, David and Octavia discuss not only what's next, but also who's next.
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Jessica Bruder – Burning Man
David speaks with freelance journalist Jessica Bruder about her experiences at the Burning Man festival in early August. Burning Man is an annual gathering in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada full of impromptu art installations, throbbing music and happy citizens. However, unlike the typical art festival, all attendees are expected to participate. Her most recent piece for the New York Times takes a look further into the festival and its desires to become a certified non-profit organization.
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Elvira and Christopher Lloyd
Cassandra Peterson, better known as her alter ego Elvira, and Christopher Lloyd, best known as Doc Brown in the "Back to the Future" trilogy, both call in. In addition to her career as Elvira, Peterson talks about working with Fellini, talking shop with Pee-wee Herman and kissing Elvis. Christopher Lloyd explains the staying power of "Back to the Future" and talks about the crazy days on the set of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and much more. Music comes from Roky Erickson and Ghoultown.
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Rye Barcott – It Happened on the Way to War
David speaks with Rye Barcott about his new book It Happened on the Way to War. This book serves as Barcott's very personal memoir into a life that found him balancing his humanitarian work in foreign countries with being a soldier serving in Iraq. Rye Barcott is a former Marine Corps captain and cofounder of Carolina for Kibera, an acclaimed non-governmental organization that uses a unique model of participatory development to break cycles of violence and develop leaders in the Kibera...
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Jim Davidson – The Ledge
David speaks with climber Jim Davidson about his new book The Ledge. In 1992, Davidson was descending Mt. Ranier when he and his partner fell 80 feet into an icy crevasse. After watching the death of his partner and suffering severe injuries of his own, Davidson found the strength to pull his way out of crevasse to safety. Aside from being a harrowing story, this book serves as a lesson to all that even the most impossible obstacles can be overcome.
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Hal Needham, Drive Invasion and Dex Romweber
This week Jon celebrates Drive Invasion 2011, the big drive-in movie, car and music festival Sept. 4 at the Starlight Six Drive-In Theater in Atlanta. They’re showing a mess of drive-in flicks including “Smokey The Bandit.” Hal Needham, the director of “Smokey the Bandit,” is gonna be at the Decatur Book Festival promoting his book "Stuntman!: My Car-Crashing, Plane-Jumping, Bone-Breaking, Death-Defying Hollywood Life." Needham calls in and talks about his amazing career. Jon also talks to...
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Catlanta and Jason Parker
Johnny and Michael speak with Atlanta's darling of the "Street Art" world Catlanta. Drawing on social media, Catlanta's popularity has grown as he turns his works of art into a city-wide scavenger hunt. Our heros also speak with another artist working in the public's eye Jason Parker. The two also defend their iPods and have a Victrola moment!
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Jazz Trombone in the 1920s
Gordon takes a look at the evolution of the trombone in jazz music. Part 1 of the series begins looking at some of the earliest pioneers of the trombone in jazz including the well-known Kid Ory out of New Orleans and the not-so-well-know Miff Mole out of New York City. In the second segment, Jimmy Harrison and Charlie Green are the featured players. While both players played with Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Green has the distinction of being Bessie Smith's favorite horn player (even above...
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