Stories from Real Life

Anna R. Holloway, PhD, is a retired Professor of English, and is a writer and editor. During her 46 years at Fort Valley State University, she taught writing, literature, and journalism. When she left her White Midwestern roots and went to segregated Georgia in the 1960s, she didn't know she would be teaching at an all-Black college. She certainly didn't know she would stay there for nearly 50 years. "Looking for Jazz: A Memoir about the Black College and Southern Town That Changed My Life" is her first published book.annahollowaywrites.comBook link: https://a.co/d/8kd8MXUEpisode sponsors: Blinkist: https://blinkist-us.pxf.io/q4BPQO Anker: https://anker.pxf.io/rQOYrQ Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

GUEST: BILL CLABBYBill Clabby is a multi-lingual educator and administrator, who has taught and lived in several different countries over the course of his life. He also happens to be the father-in-law of Melvin E. Edwards' daughter. Clabby and Edwards have two grandchildren in common, including the one in the photo. Bill discusses living in France, Senegal, and Japan, and how he spends his time since retiring a few months ago. You'll want to hear about his experience while traveling to Clabby, Northern Ireland - a town that was founded by his ancestors.Episode sponsors: Blinkist: https://blinkist-us.pxf.io/q4BPQOAnker: https://anker.pxf.io/rQOYrQ Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Host Melvin E. Edwards was the Master of Ceremonies during the Traditional Storytellers portion of the Wimberley (Texas) StoryFest over the weekend of October 12-14, 2023. He also interviewed various participants as they represented the theme of the weekend, which was "Story in all its forms." This episode is a brief summary of the singer-songwriters, filmmakers, and traditional storytellers. https://www.wimberleystoryfest.org/ Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: James PenceJames Pence had a heart attack in 2021 and was without a heartbeat for 45 minutes. He spent the next two years rehabbing his body and singing voice, which led him to the fulfillment of a lifelong dream -- getting a part in the production of "The Music Man." James is a former pastor, author, motivational speaker, and chalk artist who used his talent as a part of a prison ministry, and a singer who competed in a local version of "The Voice." He has endured tragedies and unusual circumstances that he now uses as a bridge to encourage others who are facing challenges in life.James Pence is an encourager and after hearing his stories, you'll also feel encouraged. We suggest you pull up a chair and your favorite beverage while listening to his soothing tones. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

GUEST: ROB MATWICKIn this special edition of the podcast, Texas Rangers Executive Vice President of Business Operations Rob Matwick stops by to discuss this October weekend's American League Championship Series (ALCS). This episode is special because Matwick has been an executive for both teams. It's also special because he hired Melvin E. Edwards for his first job out of college in 1988.Take a look ahead at the upcoming ALCS, while you get a bird's eye view of the roads that led these men to an intersection in the offices of the Houston Astros more than 35 years ago.Whether you're a fan of the Rangers, the Astros, or neither, you will enjoy this lighthearted episode. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Linda HallIn this episode that was recorded on-site in the office of FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, host Melvin E. Edwards was able to interview Linda Hall, the widow of FAME producer and owner Rick Hall. A benefit concert the day before was the reason he was in town, but after having lunch with Mrs. Hall, he decided that he wanted my audience to hear her story, too. At 82 years old, she still works at the studio every day and is truly the muscle behind the legacy of Muscle Shoals music.She was initially reluctant to talk but agreed to give me a few minutes. She then started telling her stories of faith, resilience, love, and music that lasted for 45 minutes. he didn’t want to interrupt her, so he didn’t. This episode is presented without any interruptions.FameStudios.com Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Hans Boas is the Director of Germanic Studies at the University of Texas-Austin, but until he arrived in Texas in 2001, he had no idea that the distinctive Texas German dialect even existed. Once he learned this fascinating fact, it became his life's work to record as many of the surviving speakers of Texas German as possible before it was too late.Hear how the German immigrants' personal views on slavery conflicted with the Anglos who were already in the Republic of Texas in the 1840s, and how the two world wars doomed Texas German to eventual extinction. Listen as Dr. Boas explains how the merging of many German and Czech cultures near Houston gave America one of its most popular beers, and how a small group of Black Texans attended integrated German-language schools and learned to speak that dialect.https://tgdp.org/ Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Deb PowellDeb Powell, the owner and operator of Port O'Connor (POC) Rod and Gun, has been fishing in this Texas town since childhood. She shares her favorite memories of fishing with her dad and siblings, and recalls all of the fish that got away. She also describes how you can bring your family or group to POC to fish during the winter and what you will need to know to make the most of your trip. It was the first remote location recording of this podcast and it was a lot of fun! Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Rachel Ridge Rachel is an author of six books and a Life Coach, though she didn’t begin those journeys until after her 50th birthday. She began painting in her 30s to make extra money to get her hair done. In the midst of all of that, Rachel rescues and raises donkeys, and has learned enough lessons from them to fill all six books. She now shares those lessons to offer others much-needed encouragement and to help them pull out of the rut they’re in. After hearing Rachel Ridge’s stories, your only choices will be supporting Team Racehorse or Team Donkey. https://donkeyrescue.org/contact-us/https://RachelAnneRidge.com Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Rick Hall, Jr.You may not know Rick Hall's name, but you know the music that Rick Hall developed as the founder and producer of FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. In this episode, we talk to Rick Hall Jr. about the motivation that led his dad into the music business and breaking through Alabama's segregation attitudes on the 60th anniversary of his worldwide musical legacy.You won't want to miss the stories about Rick Hall's run-in with Aretha Franklin's husband, which caused Hall to eventually lose his famed "Swampers" session musicians to Atlantic Records Executive Jerry Wexler. While those things were happening, Rick Jr. was doing his best to "corrupt" the angelic Donny Osmond behind the scenes in that rural Alabama town. Tune in to hear the rest of the story. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Patrick Chovanec's family's idea of a vacation was to pile into the car and drive to a national landmark. That all changed when his father decided to take the family to China in 1986. Since then, he has become one of the U.S.' primary experts on Chinese politics and economics. He has spent much of his life living in China since then.A college economics professor on two continents, Patrick Chovanec has traveled to over 50 countries, including being one of the few Americans to visit North Korea. Chovanec is a frequent commentator in both the international and Chinese media. His insights into Chinese economics, business, politics, and culture have been featured on CNN, BBC, PBS, NPR, CBS, ABC, CNBC, Voice of America, and Bloomberg, as well as many others.He recently earned his private pilot's license and wrote a book about that process. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Because of Jim Crow laws, Darrin Evans' father - an Army Drill Sargeant - was never allowed to go to a public pool. Yet, he taught himself to swim in the river and insisted that his children also learn to swim. He considered it a survival skill. Statistics show that if a parent doesn't know how to swim, the chances are very high that their children will never learn. That's significant because of the 3,500 annual drownings in the U.S., half of those who died never intended to be in any body of water. Basic water safety training could have saved their lives. Darrin is passionate about swimming. He's also passionate about preserving history within its proper context. Stop by and listen to a ranging conversation that will cause you at times to think deeply and other times to laugh heartily. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Bob Kendrick Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick is the ultimate storyteller. He can take you from the pitcher's mound with Satchel Paige to the batter's box with Josh Gibson in the time it takes a fastball to travel 60 feet, 6 inches. Hear Mr. Kendrick bring to life the players, fans, and superfans who keep alive the enduring legacy of the Negro Leagues. Stories like:The more you know about Buck O'Neil, the more you want to know. Baseball legend Ted Williams is the primary reason why Negro Leagues stars are now included in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.In 2001, Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese position player in MLB, and because of that, he felt a special bond with those Negro Leagues players who broke their color barrier in the 1940s. Lend Bob Kendrick your ears and he will make your day better. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Dinn Mann This week's episode features a man whose grandfather owned the Houston Astros baseball team and designed the Astrodome stadium to outsmart the Texas summer heat. He was also the Houston mayor who desegregated that city a decade before other southern cities were federally mandated to do so. As a result, Houston is now the most diverse city in America, according to a 2021 study by WalletHub. Dinn Mann, a former MLB executive and intellectual property pioneer, is the CEO of GOATnet and the co-founder of Playrs Holdings.This episode takes an emotional journey to endorse the importance of a person's legacy -- the one they inherit and the one they leave behind. For more information on Goatnet: https://www.goatnet.com/To read more about Roy Hofheinz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Hofheinz Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Michael FreemanThe best gift that Michael Freeman ever received was a chance to throw out a ceremonial First Pitch for his beloved Minnesota Twins. It was a gift given to him by his wife of 40 years. Ironically, the First Pitch for the Twins and his "first pitch" to his wife were less-than-stellar performances, though both did result in positive outcomes with memorable stories to tell.Here is the story of Michael Freeman, who was raised in Freeman, South Dakota, and graduated from Freeman High School. That's where his story begins. It certainly doesn't end there.Freeman has led an eventful life. Among the highlights was the time that Oprah intercepted his fax to another client and hired him to write a speech for her. But that doesn't beat the time that President Ford kicked him out of a hotel room during a political campaign. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Guest: Doc Hubbard (Episode 1)The debut episode of this podcast features a fun and freewheeling interview with Dr. Jeff "Doc" Hubbard, a retired educator and administrator from Southern California. To celebrate his 65th birthday and 20th year of sobriety, Doc took a train ride from California to fulfill his lifelong dream of visiting the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. The 10,000-mile rail and road trip included stops in Chicago for a deep-dish pizza, an unexpectedly harrowing taxi ride, and soul-stirring visits to Memphis and Delta Blues museums.This episode is supported by a subtle soundtrack that honors Hubbard's spiritual connection with Western culture and music. Pull up a seat, get comfortable, and come along for the ride. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

This mini pre-episode explores my passion for writing and how it began -- all the way back to kindergarten! Take a listen and you will discover the motivation to create this podcast for other storytellers. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

This short audio announces the development of the podcast and the theme of future episodes. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe