From a rough start on the streets of Harlem to the Apollo stage, smokey clubs, years on the road, and in recording studios Ella led the world through the trends and wild ride that was the musical scene during most of the last century.
If Ella’s story touches you like it touched us, would you please consider supporting the musical arts in your own community or through the Jazz Foundation of America? This is not sponsored, it’s just a cause that is near and dear to our hearts and we know that, with no shows, live musicians are struggling around the country due to the pandemic.
On January 20, 2011, we launched the show with a three-minute introduction explaining what this podcast was going to be. It was recorded the very first time we sat down in front of a microphone and it’s a little…raw. Truth be told, we didn’t fully know what the show was going to be like, we just had a vague idea: women’s biographies told conversationally with a touch of irreverence. Likewise, we had no clue what being a podcaster meant, Beckett always describes that time as a, “nearly vertical learning curve.”
We kick off 2021 with optimism and a charming smile, but Shirley Temple Black was a lot more than just an adorable, emotional cheerleader through the Depression, that was only her first act. (more…)
Mrs Claus- subject of literature, film, and art…but who was she? (Photo Courtesy Enesco)
Mrs. Claus isn’t a one-dimensional support player in Santa’s life- when the spotlight shines on her it’s easy to see depth, wisdom, wit, beauty, endurance, and some really amazing cookie recipes. As is our tradition (and we’re all about the traditions over here) today we are sharing the story of Mrs. Claus for Christmas!
A familiar portrait of Charlotte, a chalk drawing by George Richmond in 1850. wikicommons
This week we’re revisiting our discussion of the life of Charlotte Brontë (entirely because we made a gamble and lost–explanation in the first minute of the episode.) Charlotte didn’t let her circumstances and the discouragement of others stand in the way of her goal of becoming a published author; she got knocked down over and over before she was able to present the world with one of the most beloved heroines in literary history. Along the way, we have a chance to talk about the lives of her literary sisters: Emily and Anne. (more…)
As we in the US celebrate our Thanksgiving this week, we thought that this was a perfect time to revisit Pocahontas, the real story not the Disneyfied one. All links to things we talked about can be found on the original shownotes from 2017, POCAHONTAS SHOWNOTES.
Break music: Courtesy of James Harper of Harper Active; End Music: Daughters of History by Morning Spy
