Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories , Steve Trice , founder of the electronic company Jasco Products, reflects on how being a workaholic affected his marriage and taught him how to be more family-oriented; Bill Bright gives a short history lesson on New York City; and Wally Soplata tells the story of his eccentric union carpenter father, Walter Soplata , who collected rare and vintage WWII air...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Major Brian Shul shares his legendary "LA Speed Check" story; and Kevin Gates explains how he fought back against the U.S. government accusing his company of doing something that was not illegal. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Support the show: https://ww...

On this episode of Our American Stories , TV news reporter Gretchen Bolander and meteorologist Jeremiah Cooke tell the story behind the Joplin tornado, the devastation it left; Jay Moore shares the story of his grandmother and the loss, discovery and selflessness his family experienced. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihe...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Bob McLalan reflects on the moment his son decided to join the military and the parental dilemma of wanting to both protect and prepare his child for the future; Sean Pronger meets his idol, Wayne Gretzky, but overindulges the night before. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpo...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Duncan Scott tells the story of how he pranked the New Mexico State Legislature; Jim Hinckley explains the history behind route 66 and what it has become today; Screenwriter, author, and voice-over actor Steve Stoliar retells how he discovered a long lost Marx Brothers film and the impact those movies had on him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanst...

On this episode of Our American Stories , former marine, Jason Porter , tells the story of meeting his best friend Forrest Johnson and how serving in WWII impacted him; and Richard Gary tells the origin story of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain) and the racial history of Hannibal, Missouri. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Ralph Cox tells us his side of the story of when he was cut from the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team; Niels Jorgensen shares the tragedy that brought him and billionaire David Koch together. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Support the show: https://www.ouram...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Colin Bettles shares how he found his love for buffalo wings in New York and brought it back to his restaurant in Australia; and Andrea Ludden tells the story of how her mother's salt and pepper shaker collection came to become the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn mor...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Duncan Scott tells the story of how he pranked the New Mexico State Legislature; Jim Hinckley explains the history behind route 66 and what it has become today; and Richard Gary tells the origin story of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain) and the racial history of Hannibal, Missouri. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Star Wars enthusiast and museum curator Jarod Roll shares how Star Wars revolutionized movie merchandising, licensing and how kids played with toys; Tim Leuliette tells the story of how he turned down becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company due to the character of a fellow businessman, but gaining a lot more in return; and Bradley and Dedra Birzer explai...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Sparky tells the story of his mother, Mary Sparks , and how faith, infidelity, and forgiveness grew his family not once, but twice; Rishi Sharma brings us the story of Harold Nelson and his role in WWII, Kelly Scott Franklin tells the tale of Walt Whitman's role in the Union and Confederate army and his literary accounts of the Civil War. Support the show...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Major Brian Shul shares his legendary "LA Speed Check" story; Brian K. Broadway tells the story of how seeing a family of 3 living inside their car inspired him to create travel trailers and establish the organization Find, Feed and Restore; and Bradley and Dedra Birzer explain the significance of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Support the show (https://www....

On this episode of Our American Stories , Texan author Winter Prosapio tells the story of how motherhood and the bond with her daughter changed her perspective on life; Peter Mutabazi shares how he escaped his abusive father in Uganda, Africa and became a foster parent in America; and the history of the Texas Homestead Exemption laws. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Le...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Texan author Winter Prosapio shares the lessons she learned from The Giving Tree and her critique of how so many of us, like the tree, give until we have nothing left; Brian K. Broadway tells the story of how seeing a family of 3 living inside their car inspired him to create travel trailers and establish the organization Find, Feed and Restore; and Edie H...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Texan author Winter Prosapio tells the story of how motherhood and the bond with her daughter changed her perspective on life; and Richard Schulze shares how his fathers teachings led him to be independent and how that independence revealed valuable life lessons that led him to establish the multi-billion dollar company Best Buy. Support the show (https://...

On this episode of Our American Stories , former marine, Jason Porter , tells the story of meeting his best friend Forrest Johnson and how serving in WWII impacted him; Screenwriter, author and voice over actor Steve Stoliar retells how he discovered a long lost Marx Brothers film and the impact those movies had on him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn more about...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joshua Texidor moved to Nashville and worked hard to find what he enjoys AND what he's good at; also, Anne Claire tells the story of the Battle of Midway, America's "make or break" moment in World War II; and finally, Professor David Babcock shares his story of how he came to hold the Guinness world record for knitting the longest scarf while running a mara...

On this episode of the Our American Stories podcast, Randall Haley reminisces about the yearly Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi; also, Dr. Adam Carrington of Hillsdale College tells the story of The Alien and Sedition Acts, some one of America's most controversial laws ever passed; and finally, Joe Klimchak tells the story of how his MLB dream came to be and the lengths to which he w...

On this episode of the Our American Stories podcast, Chad Schumacher, tells the story of when a family health scare turned their life upside-down and shaped his and his wife's career for the next decade; also, Jackson McQigg of the Atlanta History Center tells the story of the principle chase locomotive of the Great Railroad Chase...a story which goes much deeper than just that; and finally Hugh E...

On this episode of the Our American Stories podcast, Dick Erickson, a Marine helicopter pilot, tells about his time serving in Vietnam; also, Taylor Dooley shares the story of when she played the role of Lavagirl at the age of 13, and why, more than 15 years later, she has returned to acting to play the same role in the Netflix Film We Can Be Heroes ; and finally, Margie Siegal, author of Harley-D...

On this episode of the Our American Stories podcast, Jay Moore shares his family's tale of loss, discovery, and selflessness that will tug on your heartstrings while reinforcing the importance of inter-generational relationships; also, Dr. Mary Stockwell, author of Unlikely General, Mad Anthony Wayne And The Battle For America,  tells the story of one of history's most interesting leaders...who wa...

On this episode of the Our American Stories podcast, we bring you stories about outstanding fathers and fathers who don't make the grade.   Leslie Leyland Fields tells us about the heart-breaking relationship between her and her father. And it's not what you'd expect; Taylor Brown shares the eulogy he wrote in Garden and Gun for his biker dad; and Peter Mutabazi , a man who ran away from his abusi...

On this episode of the Our American Stories podcast, Edie Hand tells us the story of the her brothers, the Blackburn boys, and the tragedy that struck not once, but three times; also, Author Richard Rhodes shares the amazing story of Austria-born turned Hollywood movie star, Hedy Lamarr; and finally, Marc Barrios tells his story of going from a Cuban refugee to leaving his mark on the American Adv...

On this episode of the Our American Stories Podcast, (2:59) Wally Soplata tells the story of his eccentric union carpenter father who collected rare and vintage WWII aircraft for pennies on the dime; also, (21:27) Professor Susan Brownell shares the story of how the Olympics ended up in St. Louis and the infamous marathon event; and finally, (38:43) Tony Maglica tells his story of how he started w...

On this Memorial Day, we at Our American Stories we want you to bring Paul Monti, who drives his son Jared's truck, an act which inspired the hit country song "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice...but the story is much more than that of a song. Here's the story of Jared Monti, a true hero who died in service of our country trying to save a fellow soldier in the mountains of Afghanistan. To find out...