Storytellers Studio

Everyone has experienced Rockford, Illinois in a genuinely original way. Whether you’re 22 years old or 92, you have a very unique short story. To help celebrate 815 Day (August 15th, 2025), your host Tim Larson has collected snippets from longtime friends and complete strangers.  This is the ultimate Storytellers Studio podcast episode.  See much more and other shows at timlarsonme...

The Big 89 WLS radio celebrated the 65th anniversary of the Musicradio format of the 60's and 70's. They were the Rock of Chicago! In addition to an epic party, Ted Gorden Smucker gathered the finest radio announcers of that era for a roundtable conversation and on-air excerpts from the past. It was a beehive. Scott Childers hosted the show. Guests included Tommy Edwards, Chuck Knapp, Catherine Jo...

Steve Scorfina and Kathleen Sullivan had only met your host Tim Larson two weeks prior to the recording of this episode. They were all attending a charity event at the Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois. One conversation led to another very quickly and the next thing ya know Tim was photographing the REO Speedwagon Legacy Reunion Concert in the city where it all began. Steve's stories are amaz...

Mark Finnegan has directed a caravan of veterans to Washington, DC since 2010. You'll hear about the logistic magic and also that of Bill Hunter. The emotional floods are overwhelming and the partnerships are incredible. Mark lives the passion for our military heroes and you can hear it in his voice. Recorded at Finnegan's RV Center in South Beloit, Illinois on May 14, 2025.

It was a thrill to visit with Fred Winston in southwest Michigan. I have been a huge fan of his performances on Chicago radio for forty seven years (since 1978). He's very quick witted and an all around good guy. Don't worry. If you're not familiar with Fred since you live far away from Chicago, I will gladly bring you up-to-speed in the first fifteen minutes of the show. Thank you so much to Ted...

Duncan and Tim Larson are connect eight ways to Tuesday. You'll find out how during the episode. Learn about The Masters at Augusta, Georgia, Norris Aldeen and the restoration of the golf course's famous barn. You don't have to be a golfer to enjoy this episode. After the exit of the show, listen for the song "Hooked on Hayward" referenced in the conversation. Duncan is currently the Executive Dir...

Your host Tim Larson decided about two months ago to try his hand at songwriting. Actually laying down his thoughts that were scribbled on many small sheets of paper over the previous year. With absolutely no musical skills, he sent the lyrics to London, England. The producers magically use Ai to combine genre, tempo and singer gender choices into a song. Here are the inspirations and back stories...

Bobby Roth and I met briefly just three hours before our conversation. He was conducting a Director's Panel at the Beloit International Film Festival in Wisconsin. He's made films and television shows for over fifty years. You will instantly recognize nearly the entire list. We agreed on an afternoon meeting time and location for recording this episode. After the workshop, everyone rushed off to v...

Learn about the workings, volunteers and the community reach of the Beloit Art Center. There's never a shortage of appealing art in Beloit, Wisconsin. It's easy to be impressed. Jerry is a long time volunteer and the main gallery bears his name. Dawn is the CEO of this group who fills four galleries in this ever growing southern Wisconsin city. Recorded March 27, 2025.

Kat Williams and her group are spearheading the monumental project of bringing an International Women's Baseball Center to Rockford, Illinois. The Rockford Peaches at Beyer Stadium put Rockford on the women's sports map in the 1940's. The world zeroed in on that compass in 1992 through the film A League of Their Own. Learn about the past and the future of this amazing side to the game of baseball....

Whitney Martin and Tim Larson have known each other for a long time. Sharing the back stories of television and radio is just the beginning. Charity work together, bloopers and dancing. You'll have to tune in to sort it all out. Recorded at the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau in downtown Rockford, Illinois on January 30, 2025.

Tim Larson founded his promotional advertising company the very same year the Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition handed out their first awards. Tim has sponsored, volunteered and supplied trophies even since. Between the three of them, Laura, Kellie and Tim will draw back the curtain and share little know facts about what it takes to conduct this 39 year old winter display. Recorded in the Rockfo...

Tim Johnson and Tim Larson worked side by side at WROK radio in Rockford, Illinois in the med '80s. Our promotional meetings were always a high level of brainstorming. They mastered the art of connecting listeners and sponsors to the overall on-air experience for the good of the station. Say it was simply fun would be a huge understatement. Tim Johnson was also a terrific host in the Houston area...

Phil and Sharon Raines have been vendors at Edgebrook's Farmers Market for as long as I can remember. He's never met a stranger and is filled to the brim with bee knowledge. It was a fun conversation which ranged from "going commando" in a bee suit to selling live bees to veterinarians to treat horses. Recorded in Rockford, Illinois at our Edgebrook Studio: December 11, 2024.

Brain Thomas and Tim Larson have known each other since the late 80's. They met as members of the Ski Broncs Water Ski Show Team in Loves Park, Illinois. They have literally shared life with each other on so many levels...projects, business, campfires, photo shoots and more. Recorded on November 20, 2024 in the twelfth floor bar of the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Rockford, Illinois.

Tim Larson and Liz Wylder have known Riley O'Neil since the 80's. He celebrated his twenty third anniversary as WROK's morning show host on Halloween 2023. We all grew up in the radio industry together...getting our feet wet, stumbling and setting several broadcasting milestones. Our memories of course are all contributions to the one hundred year history (est. 1923) and legacy of WROK radio in Ro...

Tim Larson and John Lombardo had only met just before the tour of Smashed Plastic Record Pressing factory in Chicago, Illinois. The recent resurgence of music on vinyl and the need shown by the region bands encouraged John and his two partners to go all in. You'll find it is a very thoughtful and purposeful manufacturing facility. They and others are housed in the former Hammond Organ plant. Recor...

Scott Childers is the definition of a radio station's utility person...he can do everything...and does. Tim Larson spent all afternoon in the WLS studios in downtown Chicago reliving the Big 89 days. It's WLS's 100th birthday! And thanks to Michael Garay for sharing his career from behind-the-scenes. You'll hear many audio inserts from past WLS air talent throughout this conversation. We are very...

Learn all about this twenty two year old rodeo pageant queen. She has four dogs, collects garbage for a living and is a rodeo barrel racer. Oh there's more. It was a very hot day in Kentucky as we set up shop inside her barn. Recorded September 22, 2024.

Irlene is the youngest of the Mandrell sisters. Tim Larson has known Barbara and Louise for decades, but had only known Irlene for seventeen minutes on the phone before sitting down for this chat in her kitchen. She is personality plus and willing to talk about anything thrown at her. It was 96 degrees that day in Tennessee. Recorded September 20, 2024.

Tim Larson and Samantha Hochmann had known each other for a grand total of sixty seconds, but, as it turns out, their common ground stories stretched for centuries. Robert Tinker was a generous man to the city of Rockford, Illinois. Mary and Jessie followed suit in so many ways. Learn how and enjoy this historical conversation surrounding the mansion on the bluff in the mid 1800's. Recorded August...

Kathi Kresol is the author of Murder & Mayhem in Rockford, Illinois and Haunted Rockford. Tim Larson had only known Kathi for ten minutes and decided to record this episode on 815 Day (August 15, 2024) at the Edgebrook Shopping Center. Since Kathi is a thorough researcher and Tim is a Rockford native, everyone thought it was a safe bet that these tow would have a lot to chat about in our very...

Steve Bridgmon invited Tim Larson to be part of the Media Team at the Inspirational Country Music Awards at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. Tim talked to sixty six people in a little less than two hours just before they stepped onto the red carpet. Recorded May 29, 2024.

Phil's wife Della does extensive research to find just the right adventure for his birthday gifts. From flyer a glider to driving an Indy 500 car. Learn all about the fun details and how Phil ended up in a film with Matt Damon. Recorded in Indianapolis, Indiana May 31, 2024.

This episode was recorded in Tim Larson's backyard as he was surrounded by a countless number of cicadas.