Life 2.0

The Wednesday Rant

I was just about to lower the boom on the onslaught of emails I have gotten from Joe Biden and Donald Trump (they apparently know me but I don't know them) and how each of them needs my money right now (or at least by midnight) in the race to save the republic.

 

But, Joe and Donny will have to wait, because something else has my attention.

 

Lower lifeforms, nitwits, halfwits and dimwits posing as real people with one goal in mind-getting the inside track on my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

 

Hold on to your lugnuts, time for an overhaul!

Lawn Balance

We are smack dab in the middle of summer with a few months left of grass-cutting before we can park the mower. Last summer, I swapped out my gas-belching mower for a sleek, new E-powered Black & Decker and never looked back. Americans will spend an estimated 127 billion dollars on lawn care and maintenance and the time has come to stop bombarding your lawn and let nature have a little corner to keep the balance. Add in a brand-new "Earth Matters with Bill Kurtis" and you have another outing in environmental audio excellence. 

Cimcie Nichols

Cimcie Nichols is a formidable combination of nature and nurture. She was my producer on "The Bridge" radio show that had us in conversation with Beijing daily for a year. Since then, she's gone through the gauntlet of change and has emerged as a certified practitioner in Sound Therapy, Reiki, and Herbalism, dedicated to holistic well-being. Over two decades of sobriety and a rich background in sales and marketing for wellness, brands have equipped her to guide individuals through life’s challenges without reliance on drugs or alcohol. She's the oldest daughter of the late, great 8-time Grammy award-winning sound engineer Roger "The Immortal" Nichols and is now reaching out to the Life 2.0 listeners to get the Hatchet Granny non-alc craft beverages launched to the commercial market!

Earth Matters Monday

There I was, cleaning up the Aurora Media Productions studio when I came across a letter that Bill Kurtis passed along to me a decade ago. It was from a listener of the Earth Matters radio vignettes and the changes they made, that caused a positive ripple effect, simply from listening to a one-minute short-form show. Next thing I know, I'm firing up the microphone and launching "Earth Matters Monday" in an attempt to interject common sense into our uncommon times.

The Newsman-John McEuen

John McEuen has been called "A Father of Americana Music."

Best known as a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, he is a key figure in the history of American folk music. Born in Oakland, California, McEuen grew up outside of Los Angeles. He began playing the banjo at age 17, after hearing live bluegrass at a club near his home.

That night changed McEuen’s life. He introduced his high school friend, comedian Steve Martin, to the banjo and both fell in love with the instrument together. John would go on to an incredible Grammy Award winning career, and shares his latest effort "The Newsman-A Man of Record" a spoken word album that is shaking up the charts. 

Father's Day 2024

An unplanned, early morning jaunt to grab some donuts, and a chance encounter with a woman who just lost her dad a month ago, kick-started this Father's Day episode. Add in some of my most profound (and often difficult) memories of my dad as well as a couple of his favorite songs, and this being my 20th year without him, goes to prove as my friend Conrad Reeder says, that the grief you feel is equal to or greater than the love you have for those you have lost.

The Naked Men's Club

I'm just back from a trip to the UP of Michigan, and it was another perspective-changing experience. It was the end of an era for The Naked Men's Club, a sacred ritual that was given form by the loss of two young people back in 2002. As with all things, I was reminded that as the late, great Wayne Dyer said, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." A little musical help from America's Troubadour-David Stoddard-helps to round out the reminder that it's both choice and chance that determines the path of our lives.

Happy Birthday Randy!

After some serious behind-the-scenes stuff regarding this podcast, I've decided to mush on with it for now. I couldn't miss the chance to wish my friend and legendary Chicago Cubs catcher Randy Hundley a happy 82nd birthday! I've dropped a vintage clip of Randy on The Dr. Oz Show from Oprah Radio and to top off the show, a fantastic song written and performed by Phil Lynch, celebrating the life and legacy of "The Rebel."

Memorial Day 2024

Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. It is a day for visiting cemeteries and memorials to mourn the military personnel who died in the line of duty. 

There's nothing happy about it.

Like many things, it's been hijacked by retailers as another way to sell mattresses, tires, and furniture, but the other side to all that stuff is the Gold Star families who will forever mourn the loss of their loved ones who died in combat. To that end, this is a composite episode of my other Memorial Day podcasts all rolled into one.

Lest we forget.

John Berry

In 1993, John Berry scored his first #1 hit "Your Love Amazes Me" and at the very same time, he was battling a brain tumor. Since then, JB has gone on to become one of the most iconic voices in music, and he joins me to talk about that breakthrough hit and the songs that have kept him on the road for the past 30 years. Also, there's a great story about John's version of "O Holy Night" and even though Christmas is still 7 months away, I had to include it in this episode of the Life 2.0 Podcast.