Uli Who

*Note: this podcast deals with the topic of addiction and is peppered with very strong language.* Few interviews I've done has had the kind of impact this conversation with Kenya did; she is a survivor of the kind of addiction few of us can truly understand. From her early days as a self described "brawler and dealer" to the pregnancy that has kept her clean since Feb. 9 2004, Kenya has seen and e...

When I first heard Phillip Wright speak in the early 2000's, I was BLOWN AWAY that a man preaching could break through my cynical veneer; I've since maintained that there's no better, more authentic speaker than Phillip, and for YEARS I've been trying to get him on the show. Tune in for a conversation that will speak to the heart and blossom in your soul, hopefully......and this is coming from an...

"Not very many people can do this. The rewards are great-but so is the responsibility. Don't fuck it up. You can do this. Later buddy" So went the last passage in a note sent to me by a man I've considered a mentor in the fire service and a friend in life; meet Mike Abbey. He's salty, jaded and funny as hell, but beneath all of that is a caring soul who continually surprises me with the depth of h...

He believes in the power of karma, is a multi-award winning tree climbing champion and the owner of a thriving small business that continues to see rapid growth every year; meet Noel Boyer.  Noel has gone from what he called a "branch manager" (stuffing limbs into a chipper) all the way to spending time in Washington DC to advocate for safety standards and other legislative issues around the arbor...

Roddy Yocum is many things: former railroad engineer, tornado survivor, independent raconteur and a stroke survivor as well. Today he joins me to talk about aphasia, and his journey to healing and rebuilding his neural pathways so he could speak and read again. Make no mistake, though....he's still the feisty rooster he's always been, and that tough, never-give-up spirit is what makes his journey...

SO, it's been 34 days since our last show, and while there are myriad reasons, the main one was this: a fire call gone bad in terms of my health, both physical and mental. Today is a monologue going over what it looks like in my own mind and how I hope to return to a full "fit for duty" capacity in the fire dept. with an eye on retirement in the near future. Some beautiful music by my friend Brand...

In today's installment of the show I'm joined by Jeff Butler where we meander around a wide range of subjects from the recent Roe v. Wade turmoil to Ukraine to our wildly different opinions of a band. All of this takes place over some SBC and Trophy Brewing beers, so you know it's gonna be a good time. Enjoy the show! If you want to financially support the show, you can do so HERE. Thanks!

Way back in the day I had the privilege of meeting Jonah Kaplan on the hockey rink when he was drafted to the Firefighter's team. He had moved to Springfield to work at KSPR as a reporter, one rung on the ladder of a news journalist's journey. He has interviewed the likes of President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, Dr. Anthony Fauci and countless others on his way to winning multiple aw...

Brittney Lumos is the host of the podcast "Bitchin' With Brittney" and also one of my close friends who's currently living up in Kansas City. She was down in the 417 for Easter and we ended up recording a half hour of our mutual idiocy and thoughts on different shows, pet peeves and the like. Tune in for a short time, if at least a good time! If you'd like to support the show, you can do so HERE ....

"Everything is just a little bit sweeter" in Springfield, says today's guest, Mr. Matt Tignor, and this conversation is a great indicator of that. Matt embodies the kind of kindness and worldview that this world needs more of, and while his journey has taken him all over the country, he calls the 417 home and we're better off for it. From his time in the Navy to his time in Ohio, we cover a lot of...

In a too-rare take, my dear friend Six Foot Katie The Shady Lady and I decided to just record one of our regular conversations. Over some thunderstorms and delicious coffee, we cover the gamut from an Elton John concert to morning mimosas to how we're gonna move into a 55+ community together soon. Enjoy some random babbling and time with a wonderful woman. 

How do you decipher the language of music from someone who speaks it beautifully and fluently? Well, talk to my friend, Mr. Stevie Newman to start. In a fun interview interspersed with music from two of his bands (The Stevie Newman Band) and (The Domino Kings), Stevie breaks down his particular style of playing and his journey while we enjoy some Crazy For Swayze Hazys and Greene Dragons from SBC....

When you cross paths with someone as kind, thoughtful and warm as Mike Evans it is a lucky day, indeed. He's the man behind SBC's The Cellar here in Springfield, my neighbor and one helluva talented musician, so it made absolute sense that we would delve into a great conversation. I cannot say enough good things about this gentle giant who's kindness radiates throughout and gives one wonderful int...

"Why ask for the moon when we have the stars?"  And so begins your introduction to a man of many talents, adventures and witness to history: Mr. Geoffrey Mark. A whimsical series of sequences allowed me to spend a wonderful hour and a half with the man described at the "walking encyclopedia of show business history", and it's easy to understand why. He's authored books on Ethel Merman, Ella Fitzge...

Once in a while we feel lost, stuck or left behind, and I know I'm not the only one left at the station; here's a brief message of hope, couched between some beautiful original songs from Dallas Jones and Dane Page. Please enjoy, and enjoy your weekend....take care of yourselves, and we'll be back to interviews next week. 

With all of the current events surrounding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, I thought Jeff Butler could give us a well-nuanced update on what he sees happening in these world-changing times. Enjoy an hour with a well-informed friend. 

He's been one of my closest friends for nearly 28 years, and our lives have taken too many twists to cover in an hour, but in this episode, Adam Smee, aka The Dirtbag, flies 1960 miles to Springfield to experience a week of highlights, lowlights and a good gin & tonic. At the end, we sit down and discuss that, as we get older, we know even LESS of what we're doing, and how do we approach the later...

Well, he's been referenced on so many of these podcasts, it was high time the one and only Dallas Jones made an appearance on the podcast. He was willing to do so on one condition: we talk about the Olympics, exclusively. Within in a few minutes, his passion about it comes through, and over some Wire Road Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale "Fiddlesticks", all kinds of chaos breaks loose. It was a great breakdow...

From his earliest years as an aspiring comic book artist to being one of the most soulful songwriters I've met, Barak Hill delivers his unique character in a way that you feel like best friends within minutes of showing up. He shared his story here over several different drinks and we enjoyed a great afternoon together. Please enjoy the show! "The Sweetest Sound" 00:30-03:56 "Barely Hangin' On" 29...

There's A LOT going on in the international geo-political arena these days, and it just makes sense to bring in former Navy SEAL, CIA Field Officer and current Fire Captain Jeff Butler to give his perspective. We go over the Russia-Ukraine scenario a bit, delve into some great home brews from Lora Martinson and end up rambling about concert documentaries. Along the way we listen to "This Ain't Goo...

With an impeccable pedigree in the brewing world, Ashton Lewis arrived in Springfield in June of 1997 to be a part of the Mueller Co.'s opening of Springfield Brewing Company. Ashton started homebrewing as a junior in HIGH SCHOOL. Read that again. So to say that he's lived his passion for the majority of his life is something of an understatement. In this hour we enjoy some "Radio Haze" by NoDa an...

From what she thought was gonna be a crush on Ken Burns to feeling like she was "too squirrelly to serve tables", Kelsey Pearsall is one of the most unique and thoughtful guests and people I've ever met. She's curious about life, and in between satiating her thirst for more knowledge and being a full-time mom to Winnie, she sat down to talk about UFO's, thoughts on the educational system and feeli...

This Behind The Beer With Lear was gonna be a beaut; she had all the makings of a meetup of wild minds. Mr. Larry Phillips and Mr. David Hernandez joined us, with Dave bringing some real heavy hitters, and let me tell you...they were delicious. But the audio got messy after the first half hour, so this is a CONDENSED version of the show, with only the first three highlighted: 1. Cafe Kola by Treeh...

In Part 2 of this interview, Tyler Hoke of Lost Signal Brewing Co. expresses his frustrations with a particular kettle sour, and I am frustrated with the audio quality of this show. There was a minor issue, and rather than re-record the show is worth keeping and listening to, because Tyler goes into greater detail with regards to his processes and thoughts on beers in general.  Enjoy this episode,...

"If I can't make money, why don't I lose money?"......and that's only PART of the conversation I had with Tyler Hoke, the owner/operator and head brewer of Lost Signal Brewing Co. here in Springfield. In this first of a two-part interview, Tyler and I discuss his path into the brewing world, the value of marketing and the history of the radio station that he turned into a brewery and bbq joint. He...