The Dave LewAllen Podcast

The Young Fables are returning to Michigan for a series of shows this month. The country/pop duo of Laurel Wright and Wes Lunsford will once again play 20 Front Street in Lake Orion on Friday, July 25.  On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, Laurel and Wes explain why they love performing at the intimate venuet. They discuss their music, their latest album, "Short Stories," and why they use...

Dan Kildee spent more than a decade in Congress representing Michigan districts eight and five, which included his hometown of Flint. First elected in November, 2012, Kildee, a democrat, elected not to seek an eighth term, retiring from Congress in January, 2025. Upon leaving office, Kildee was named President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. He was also named the next Robert...

For 20 years, Jack Krasula has hosted the one-hour show, "Anything is Possible" on Detroit's WJR radio. On his anniversary show, I had the honor of interviewing him as he looked back on the more than one-thousand episodes. Now, Jack is my guest and we discuss how he found himself on the radio as the unlikely host of the show. We also explore his background growing up on Chicago's south side and hi...

The summer golf season is upon us and northern Michigan is marketed as "America's Summer Golf Capital" -- and for good reason. Barry Owens is the General Manager at Treetops in Gaylord, Michigan, right in the middle of the state's golf mecca. On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast we discuss what's new at Treetops, the hopes for the summer season for resort operators and the important econom...

Keith Gave covered the Red Wings for 15 years as beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. He was there as the team won the Stanley Cup back-to-back in 1997 and 1998. Gave is the author of four books, including the Russian Five, which tells the story of how the five Red Army Hockey Club stars wound up in Detroit and the initial role he played in the ultimate defection of Vladimir Konstantinov and Se...

Celebrating a national championship!  Pat Ferschweiler, head hockey coach at Western Michigan University, is my guest on this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast. The Broncos earned their first-ever national title in hockey, defeating Boston University, 6-2 in the championship game of the Frozen Four in St. Louis, Missouri.  Ferschweiler discusses the storybook season, the support of Broncos' fan...

The Trump administration's tariff threat has roiled markets and created chaos industries and business in this country and with our trading partners. Journalist and author Micheline Maynard has covered the auto beat for years and brings historical knowledge and keen insight to the rapidly changing situation in Washington, D.C. Join us for a informative discussion! Micki Maynard's Substack newslette...

The renaissance taking place in downtown Detroit over the past 12-15 years was made possible in large part by the rehabilitation of historic buildings, shuttered for decades, but still standing. Most of those iconic buildings are once again beacons in the downtown skyline, rather than sources of blight and abandonment.   Journalist, author and historian Dan Austin is my guest on this episode of Th...

The Ark in downtown Ann Arbor Michigan is iconic!.  In 1965, a safe gathering space  in a house owned by a local church attracted young people. In the decades since, The Ark became one of the most well known and respected music venues in the country and is still going strong! Marianne James, executive director of The Ark, and marketing director Barb Chaffer, discuss the venue's history, its impact...

Hockey great Red Berenson is my guest on this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast. The former Red Wings player and longtime hockey coach at the University of Michigan talks hockey, shares stories and discusses the upcoming Red Wings alumni game against the Montreal Canadiens alumni team. Join us for my conversation with the Red Baron! Detroit Red Wings alumni vs. Montreal Canadiens: https://ghpas...

On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, our focus is on current military service members and those veterans who have already given so much to our country. My guests are, Tom Lang, representing Michigan Freedom Center, and Kate Melcher, executive director of Fisher House Michigan. We discuss the role these two organizations play in assisting service members and veterans and their families. Jo...

It's an Original Six NHL alumni game match-up: Red Wings vs. Canadiens.  On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, former Red Wings player and coach, Dave Lewis, joins Joe Neville of the GH Pastor Foundation to discuss the upcoming game on March 15, in Fraser.  Find out who will be playing, how to secure tickets as well as why the former players love these games. Learn  how fun on the ice can...

Mark Montgomery was a 4-year starter at Michigan State under Jud Heathcote. Twice he returned to East Lansing to serve as an assistant coach under Tom Izzo. For a decade, he was also the head coach at Northern Illinois University. Montgomery is in the middle of his first season at head coach at the University of Detroit Mercy, hoping to turn around a program that suffered through a 1-31 season in...

Charlie Batch played four seasons for the Lions after being drafted in the second round in 1998 out of Eastern Michigan. He was the team's starter for four seasons but left for Pittsburgh following the 2001 season. As the Steelers' back-up QB, Batch was part of three Super Bowl teams, and twice won pro football's biggest prize. On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, Charlie reflects on his...

The Detroit Auto Show has returned to its traditional January calendar dates after a switch to the fall for a couple of years in and around the pandemic. What's new for 2025 and what should car lovers be excited to see at this year's show? Rod Alberts and Sam Klemet, the co-executive directors of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) and the Detroit Auto Show are my special guests on this ep...

Gary Graff is a Detroit based music journalist and the editor of a new book, "501 Essential Albums of the 90s."  On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, we discuss the book, the music of the decade of the 90s as well as  the selection process for inclusion in the book and why the albums matter. Gary is a wonderful historian and story teller. We also touch on some of the artists and groups th...

Lighthouse strives to alleviate poverty and build equitable communities. On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, Ryan Hertz, the non-profit's President and CEO discusses the $40 million campaign to support the expansion of its Pontiac campus. The plan calls for two new buildings to provide additional emergency shelter beds along with other services for people in need. Lighthouse plans to bre...

After six years as President of Central Michigan University, Dr. Robert Davies has stepped aside. He will remain with the school in a teaching role, starting in 2026. On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, Davies reflects on his tenure and the challenges he faced stepping into the job in 2018. He details why he believes CMU is in better shape today and how the school can move forward under...

Darren McCarty won four Stanley Cups playing on the Grind Line for the Detroit Red Wings. Since leaving the game, Darren has dealt with his alcoholism and other demons. During his appearance on The Dave LewAllen Podcast, D-Mac details how Cannabis has been a life saver for him and how he's now turning his advocacy into a business opportunity. Darren remains very active in the community by giving b...

The Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit continues to make a difference in the lives of families in our area but are you aware of what they provide and how it all happens? Diane Charles is the new executive director of the non-profit based in Pontiac. She joins me on this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast to highlight the organization's mission and how people can help while also helping themselves b...

Since his retirement in 2018 as athletic director at Michigan State University, Mark Hollis has worked to bring major sporting events to Detroit, including the NFL Draft. Hollis is my guest on this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast and we discuss his responsibilities as COO of Rock Entertainment Group and his relationship with Dan Gilbert. Mark also reflects on his decision to leave his job run...

The Detroit Tigers incredible late season push to the playoffs is the subject of this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast. Former Tigers pitcher and current Ballys analyst Dan Petry is my guest. Petry details the Friday night post-season clinching victory and the how the team came together following the trade deadline to become the talk of the baseball world. 2024 also marks the 40th anniversary...

The Detroit Lions had an incredible 2023 season, reaching the NFC championship game after decades of disappointing football fans. Author Bill Morris tells the story of the William Clay Ford's ownership of the franchise and the new generation that may finally be getting it right -- in the front office and on the field. Morris shares stories from his new book, "The Lions Finally Roar" on this episod...

Pickleball is all the rage. It's the fastest growing sport in America, enjoyed by young people, seniors and those in between! Jesse Francisco is my guest on this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast. Jesse is witnessing the interest in Pickleball up close as general manager of a new Pickleball facility in southeast Michigan. The first PickleRage has opened in West Bloomfield Township and the inves...

Former UM football captain Jon Jansen and Mark Snyder, co-author of the book, "Mountaintop",  discuss the Wolverines' 1997 perfect season and national championship. Michigan finished the season 12-0, after a Rose Bowl victory over Washington State. It was Michigan's first national title in football in 50 years. The book includes many of the inside stories that only those in the battle could provid...