Tell Us Something

When local communities face relentless fear, ordinary citizens step up in extraordinary ways. Karna Sunby shares her story of driving into Minneapolis to support refugees and students who are in the country legally and in hiding from ICE. From delivering food boxes to driving terrified students under the threat of arrest, discover the incredible power of “neighboring” and community res...

Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a full lawn on June 16th, 2026, at Bonner Park Bandshell in Missoula, MT. The theme was “Power of Place”. In our first story, a random audition lands Linda Grinde on the set of one of Hollywood’s most notorious movie disasters. It’s 1979, and Linda is headed to Montana for a summer theater gig. She ends up wrapped in layers of wool, riding...

Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on January 20th, 2026, at The George and Jane Dennison Theatre. The theme was “Self-Evident”. In our first story, ash falls from the sky and a nearby wildfire casts an ominous glow over the high desert, as Scott Davis pushes past total physical collapse in his first 100-mile race. With the air quality hitting dangerous level...

Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on January 20th, 2026, at The George and Jane Dennison Theatre. The theme was “Self-Evident”. In our first story, Francis Davis is an aspiring novelist who receives a letter that promised to change everything: he had won a prestigious $50,000 arts grant. As he celebrates the windfall with his fellow dreamers and...

In our first story, Land Tawney seizes the chance for an epic backpacking trip into the Frank Church Wilderness, made even better by the inclusion of his nine-year-old daughter and support llamas. When the intense summer heat and rugged trail push the young girl to the brink of giving up, he must trust her to make the decision to push forward or turn back. Land calls his story “Young Grit”.  Land...

Our first storyteller is Rad Wilkins, who as a wildlife biologist embraced the title of “poop ologist” and carried a pungent, fermented concoction called “the brew” into the backcountry to entice grizzly bears. When the love of his life came to visit his remote camp, he had to quickly learn the true rules of bear country before a romantic proposal turned into a terrifying,...

In our first story, From a childhood crush to a series of unexpected turns, Aunvada Being shares her story following her lifelong journey of self-discovery and the difficult choices she made along the way. Listen to Aunvada as she navigates societal expectations, personal struggles, and ultimately, finds her true self amidst unforeseen losses. Aunvada calls her story “Skittles”.   photo: kmr...

In our first story, Hammy shares his tale about family, faith, and finding yourself. What starts as a journey of self-discovery after a life-altering decision takes an unexpected turn, leading to a hilarious and surprisingly public health crisis on the very first day of a new job. Sometimes, life’s most challenging moments can also be the most liberating. Hammy calls his story “Hammy’s First...

Our first story comes to us from Nita Maddox. A determined single mom navigates the challenges of working four jobs and trying to buy her dream business, a local video store. Amidst this chaotic life, a quirky encounter with an unexpected suitor leads to a surprising turn of events. Just as everything seems to fall into place, a sudden, life-altering incident challenges her newfound stability and...

In our first story, Mark Schoenfeld dives into a captivating story of a college sophomore’s unexpected adventure abroad, from a covert mission to buy bootleg DVDs to an even more clandestine identity as an undercover evangelical Christian missionary. What happens when a spontaneous prank involving a Matt Damon look-alike turns serious, forcing a confrontation with an organization that calls...

In our first story, Jeremy Kenee and his buddies embark on a cross-country road trip with a Big Gulp super-glued to the roof of the car. Ride along with Jeremy to experience the hilarious reactions and unexpected encounters everywhere they went. Jeremy calls his story “Big Gulp”. Thanks for listening. Thanks, Jeremy. Jeremy Kenee graduated from the University of Colorado in 1994, landed a 3-month...

photo credit Amanda Peterson Back in April of this year, Tell Us Something traveled to Butte, America to bring Tell Us Something to an enthusiastic group of listeners at The Covellite Theatre. Founder and Executive Director Marc Moss shared a story about the first time we held a Tell Us Something event in Butte, which was at The Covellite. The first time in Butte, back in 2019, Marc had to buy tim...

The Trail Listening Post – Trail Lunchbox: Marc Moss (June 25, 2025) On today’s episode of The Trail Listening Post, we bring you a live in-studio conversation from the Trail Lunchbox on Trail 103.3 FM. Host Mike Smith sits down with Marc Moss, the founder and host of Tell Us Something, Missoula’s beloved live storytelling event series. Marc shared the story behind the event’s signature them...

Jesse Ballard and her family are stranded in the Kenyan desert where they faced danger, dehydration, and exhaustion. Come along with Jesse on a wild adventure filled with unforgettable memories in a story she calls “The Best Walker”. ???? kmr studios Jesse Ballard is a perinatal care coordinator who moonlights as an actor and a birth doula. She lives in Missoula with her husband, 2 kids and 2 cats...

In our first story, listen to James Crosby share his disastrous sailing camp experiences and life-changing moments as a lifeguard. James shares his journey of self-discovery and resilience and discovers how a seemingly simple act of kindness led him to find his true calling and inspire others along the way in a story he calls “Too Big to Sail”. ????kmr studios The oldest and tallest among dozens o...

Michelle Reilly finds herself homeless in 10th grade in a challenge that begins a lifetime of challenges. After earning a PhD despite her alcohol use disorder, she struggles to overcome addiction and finds unexpected hope in an online ad. Sensitive listeners, please note that Michelle’s story contains mentions of suicidal thoughts and the her father contemplating suicide, which may be distressing...

In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Going Home”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on June 11, 2024, as part of the opening Missoula Pride events. In our first story, Kiki Hubbard, her mother and her grandmother are on a plane returning back to the United States from former Y...

What happens when the things we hold dear start to crumble?  Join us as our first storyteller faces a heartbreaking choice: let go of her family legacy or fight for a piece of the past while making a discovery about nonperminance in herself. And facing loss isn’t just about places, our next storyteller defies death itself, a therapist grapples with a hidden truth while our final storyteller...

A mother and daughter in Belize work together to navigate the challenges of entering the country with an expired passport, a determined diver confronts the depths of the ocean swimming against sudden swells and learns some harrowing news the next day when she returns to the water. An artist wrestles with self-doubt and the meaning of success. And a woman on a wilderness adventure faces a grizzly b...

Our first storyteller is Erin Scoles, a mother, who watches in shock as a terrifying avalanche buries her young son. Strangers and community come together in Missoula to save lives amid chaos. Erin calls her story “Found”. Erin Scoles is grateful to have lived such a full life. She’s given birth to 5 children, hitchhiked across the country, lived in a school bus before it was cool, endured huge lo...

In this episode of the podcast, a child, traveling alone, encounters hotel trouble, a young woman begins her healing journey thanks to a sexual assault victim’s advocate, a woman recovering from open heart surgery finds respite with a gruff nurse and post-avalanche, Missoula unites. Four storytellers share their true personal stories on the theme “The Kindness of Strangers”. Their stories we...

Our first storyteller is Ben Catton, a tall man in Chile who tries to connect with a Deaf grandmother, culminating in the around a parakeet cage. Ben calls his story “Periquitos” ????Donal Lakatua Ben Catton is Missoula born and raised but spent the majority of his adult life elsewhere, orbiting to Wyoming, Idaho, Wisconsin, Alaska, and Chile. In the midst of those orbits, he studied at the Univer...

Our first story comes to us from Chris Hallberg who shares his story in which Dr. Steve, an American doctor, gives a Salvadoran patient a pizza cutter as a gift. The patient returns with a plastic baggie full of poop and a neon orange pizza cutter inside. Chris calls his story Pizza Cutter Medicine”. ????Donal Lakatua Chris Hallberg is a family medicine doctor who’s worked with patients in r...

This episode of the podcast features an interview with Rick White who shared his story in front of a sold-out crowd live at The Wilma on December 10, 2019. It was the last in-person Tell Us Something event before COVID struck. The theme was “Tipping Point”. When I talked with Rick, we talked about the story that he told at The Wilma, about podcasting, his writing, his artist residency,...

 Charlene Brett takes her 2 children and 2 golden retrievers into the backcountry for a backpacking weekend and survives a terrible overnight thunderstorm. Charlene calls her story “ A Backcountry Weekend Adventure”. Charlene Brett is a K-5 teacher in the Bitterroot Valley and has been teaching music for 14 years.  She is a fan of the great outdoors and enjoys escaping into various high-mountain l...