Storytellers Studio

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.

Rick "Spiff" Carner is joined by John Strandin along with Tim Larson. Spiff was the director of the commercial writing department and co-host of the WZOK morning show with Randy Cook. Spiff's time with Nolte Communications in Rockford, Illinois was 1981-1986. John was a member of the award winning news department for twenty four years. Recorded in Rockford, Illinois on June 14, 2024.

Tim Larson and Louise Mandrell first met on her tour bus at a northern Illinois county fair in 1979. They visited again in backstage dressing rooms in 1980 and 1981 before Louise and her sisters, Barbara and Irlene, kicked off their successful variety television show on NBC. Louise and Tim literally bumped into each other backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in October 2023. They scheduled another visi...

Tony Wolfe and Tim Larson are first cousins. We can ride around the mountains of east Tennessee in a truck and never have the same conversation twice. Recorded in Tony's kitchen on Memorial Day, May 27, 2024.

Bill Cody and Tim Larson had only talked briefly on the phone six months prior to sitting down in the showcase studio of WSM Radio inside the Opryland Hotel. Their careers oddly have run parallel so the stories were very easy. Even if you're not a huge country music fan, you are sure to enjoy this conversation. Recorded May 28, 2024.

Tim decided to set up his equipment on the shores of the Kanawha River in Charleston, West Virginia on the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend 2024. The state capital was over his shoulder as the radio stories from forty years ago poured out. Tim worked at WKAZ/WQBE and WVSR radio stations from 1982-1984 when he was in his early twenties. Recorded May 24, 2024.

The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum and Hall of Fame sits on Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois! Ron Romero and Debyjo Ericksen are the amazing organizers of this magical project. Hear the stories surrounding the inductees, collectibles, history and community involvement. It's a true testament to the meaning of volunteerism, philanthropy, passion, and the decades of bonds between of music, record compan...

This story aired on WLUV radio in Rockford/Loves Park, Illinois by your podcast host Tim Larson on March 31, 2021. It was written in a Paul Harvey "Rest of the Story" format.

Tim Larson's grandfather could recite Robert Service's The Cremation of Sam McGee by memory until the day before he died at the age of ninety six. Emanuel Larson's goal was to verbally paint within your mind with the poetry he spoke. Recorded in Rockford, Illinois June 6, 1979.

My other stories of the tour of Alaska with Rachel Daniel will be told a hundred more times, but this one of hers is a real gem. More than fourteen people should hear her recollection of her first moose hunt. Recorded on a small shuttle bus somewhere in Alaska in September of 2021.

Larry Kanfer and his wife Alaina were connected to Tim Larson in 2009 through the Aldeen Golf Club barn renovation. Tim's grandfather Emanuel Larson built the barn in 1928 when the property was a dairy farm. The Kanfers were working on their book Barns of Illinois. The two projects intersected and they have been friends since. Recorded March 12, 2024.

Steve Bridgmon and Tim Larson met on the on the front steps of the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee because of Steve's bowtie tattoo. We were part of the media frenzy and red carpet call of the Josie Awards nominees. They kept in touch and decided to sit down for a lengthy talk on a very rainy day just north of Music City USA. Recorded in Ashland City, Tennessee on January 27, 2024.

Rik and Tim decided to "double dip" this episode by uploading the same show on both Storytellers Studio and Some You Should Know podcasts. We meet at Maxim's Diner in Merrillville, Indiana on January 23, 2024 during a day filled with freezing rain driving. These two guys had only known each other for about fifteen minutes after meeting at the Museum of Broadcast Communications and Radio Hall of Fa...

Your host Tim Larson stumbled upon this museum while on a segue tour in Nashville, Tennessee sometime in October 2023. He kept it on his radar for a return trip. After having a three minute conversation with Royce, Tim scheduled a sit down. You will learn a ton! Bring a notebook and pen to this episode. Recorded in the Board Room of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum on January 26, 2024.