Best HOOT Studios Podcasts (2025)

Send us a text Episode one is a 34 minute look at my very earliest days as a morning show host. My friends and family have encouraged me for years to write a book about my morning show adventures. I would rather do it in the form that I know best, an audiobook as a podcast. There will be six episodes in the series This is the first one and it dates…

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Donuts (poop pants and the guillotine) 1:03:41

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16d ago1:03:41

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This week, we discuss donuts and sample a few of our favorite varieties.By HOOT Studios

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Part 2. Being a foreign correspondent sometimes brings with it life threatening surprises that fall outside the framework of the original assignment. Here is an example! 33:12

27d ago33:12

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Send us a text There was plenty of opportunity to find myself in awkward, creepy and sometimes life threatening situations during my decade of being a foreign correspondent for Stoner Broadcasting System. Bizarre events seemed to be my constant companion while on my assignment behind the iron curtain in the former USSR. This is part two of my adven…

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Mammoth Cave (kentucky hot brown) 1:02:54

1M ago1:02:54

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This week, we discuss Mammoth Cave - the longest cave system on the planet and the site of an ill-fated tuberculosis hospital.By HOOT Studios

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Being a foreign correspondent isn't exactly what I signed up for, but I got the assignment. Here is part one. A 20 minute episode of a special edition of Talking About Radio With John Leslie. It's about ... 22:22

1M ago22:22

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Send us a text Being a foreign correspondent on the other side of the world brings with it excitement, danger and intrigue, specially if you had never done it before. This is 20 minute episode is part one of a multi part special edition of Talking About Radio with John Leslie. This assignment took me as far away from home as one can possibly get. h…

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Idioms - Part 8 (keep your powder dry) 54:49

2M ago54:49

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This week, we return to our series on idioms and discuss some phrases that originated around (or refer to) the English Civil Wars.By HOOT Studios

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This is an epic retrospective of a radio broadcast assignment that took me deep behind the Iron Curtain. This is the complete story of an historic chapter in the thawing of the cold war, using the power ... 1:52:18

2M ago1:52:18

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Send us a text For the first time, the entire story of this historic radio broadcast event is told in Audio Book fashion. Production of this epic retrospective required 39 separate creative sessions, 39 separate editing sessions, 39 separate rehearsal sessions, 45 separate recording sessions and 39 separate productions sessions. No other radio broa…

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English Civil War Food (little ice age) 17:11

2M ago17:11

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This week, we are featuring a recent Patreon-exclusive episode to give you a sense of what you can get by becoming a patron.By HOOT Studios

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Absinthe (death in the afternoon) 56:40

3M ago56:40

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This week, we discuss the chemistry and infamous history of the anise-flavored spirit, absinthe. Get ready to see the Green Fairy!By HOOT Studios

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English Civil Wars - Part 3 (tumbledown dick) 1:15:01

3M ago1:15:01

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This week, we wrap up our series on the English Civil Wars - get ready to learn all about the Lord Protector.By HOOT Studios

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The story of this radio promotion is said to be one of the most elaborate, complex, dangerous and successful in broadcast history. I know, because I did it. This is a special documentary episode of Talking ... 1:03:33

3M ago1:03:33

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Send us a text This radio promotion is so complicated, there is only one way to tell the story in its entirety. None of the original sound exists so now I tell this story in a 57 minute mini audio book style so that all of the twists and turns can be described in detail. It is chronicled in this podcast to be saved for all of history. All of us in …

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English Civil Wars - Part 2 (new model army) 1:12:13

3M ago1:12:13

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This week, we continue our series on the English Civil Wars and discuss the rise of Oliver Cromwell and the execution of Kings Charles 1.By HOOT Studios

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Doug Clark, also know as Jack Scott, has done it all. He is a 4 decade radio veteran who knows the secrets to successful local radio. He is the guest on this edition of Talking About Radio With John Leslie ... 1:17:23

4M ago1:17:23

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Send us a text Any broadcasting job you can imagine, Doug Clark, known professionally as Jack Scott, has done it. From early radio and television, morning show host on both coasts, program management, general management and ownership, Doug is a thru broadcast professional. He joins us on this edition of Talking About Radio to talk about his transit…

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English Civil Wars - Part 1 (ship money) 1:01:01

4M ago1:01:01

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This week, we start a series on the English Civil War and focus on the fighting between King Charles I and the Parliamentarians.By HOOT Studios

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What a fun and exciting episode of Talking About Radio. We had a guest host, the entertaining, polished and veteran broadcaster Elizabeth Grattan, who switched scripts with me. I was her guest on this ... 1:07:47

4M ago1:07:47

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Send us a text This podcast episode is Talking About Radio with, yours truly, John Leslie…with guest host Elizabeth Grattan. I recently had the opportunity to interview Elizabeth on a previous episode about her career in the industry and we decided it might be interesting to flip the script and the result is an entertaining and insightful look into…

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Brian Wilson is a hoot. If you missed this entertaining episode last December, with one of New York's most celebrated morning show talents, we have this summer rerun for you. 1:18:55

4M ago1:18:55

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Send us a text In honor of the memorial day weekend Z-morning Zoo special with Ross Brittain and Brian Wilson, we are re-running this entertaining episode of Talking About radio featuring the ever talented Brian Wilson. It aired December 14, 2024 and if you missed it or would like to hear it again, I am pleased to air this entertaining episode of T…

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Sharks (we're gonna need a bigger podcast) 1:14:01

4M ago1:14:01

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This week, we discuss sharks!!! Need we say more?By HOOT Studios

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"RadioElizabeth" is Elizabeth Grattan and she is among the best voice talents in America today. Elizabeth joins John Leslie on this episode of Talking About Radio. We had lots of fun. 1:05:16

5M ago1:05:16

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Send us a text All you have to do is listen to Elizabeth for five minutes to hear high quality that she puts in her voice tracking, imaging, voice overs and everything else that she says professionally. She stumbled onto the moniker RadioElizabeth by accident and it not only stuck by has served her well in her profession. She is also a talented wri…

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National Delicacies - Part 4 (southern cough syrup) 1:07:19

5M ago1:07:19

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This week, we continue our series on national delicacies and explore some cocktails and entrees from around the world.By HOOT Studios

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Personalities, Formats and Radio Stations. They come and they go. The tears and heartbreak: This is a special editions of Talking About Radio With John Leslie 47:15

6M ago47:15

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Send us a text A retrospective on the birth, life and end of radio stations, their formats and their personalities. The tears, the anger and the heartbreak not only in the station but from their audience as well. You'll hear actual audio of stations big and small who met their early end. This is the most comprehensive report of its kind anywhere on…

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Richard III (there's a lot of Edwards) 59:08

6M ago59:08

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This week, we discuss the life and death of Richard III - the last English king to die in battle.By HOOT Studios

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Allergies (trees trying to f*ck your nose) 1:25:55

6M ago1:25:55

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This week, we discuss allergies - what causes them, how we figured out what causes them, and how we treat them.By HOOT Studios

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From Zero to 200 in just two years. From the first episode in March of 2023 'til today, two years later, we have had 200 of the worlds best radio professionals as guests on Talking About Radio. This ... 1:05:51

7M ago1:05:51

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Send us a text In this anniversary special episode we have put together segments from 11 great episodes featuring some of the to names in the Radio Industry. It was impossible to include all 200, but we think you'l enjoy hearing interesting and amusing stories. Thanks to everyone who has, in just two short years made Talking About Radio with John L…

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Don Clark is a truly unique radio professional. His upbeat, amusing style just flows out of the radio and into the audience. He is Talking About Radio with John Leslie 1:10:45

7M ago1:10:45

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Send us a text When I first heard Don Clark, I said to my wife, "listen to this guy, he is really great." Turns out Don has been entertaining audiences and making them laugh all across the midwest, northeast and south. His humor is contagious and fun to listen too. In this podcast, I believe Don Clark and I did more laughing than we did talking. Af…

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Hitler's Rise to Power (where's Mark when you need him?) 1:10:25

7M ago1:10:25

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This week, we discuss the events that led to Hitler and the Nazi's rise to power in 1920s and 1930s Germany.By HOOT Studios

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Very few broadcasters have have reached the heights that Jeff Young did in his long news career. He is Talking About Radio with John Leslie. 1:20:51

7M ago1:20:51

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Send us a text Washington DC native Jeff Young began his radio career while in college in Miami. He worked his way up and up from early "free form" radio to distinguished positions with ABC radio news, the Z100 morning Zoo in New York as well as other radio positions in the Big Apple. His news positions took his back to his native Washington, then …

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REPOST: Nuremberg Trials (oops all war crimes) 1:11:05

7M ago1:11:05

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This week, in preparation for next week's episode about Hitler's rise to power, we revisit our 2023 episode on the Nuremberg Trials.By HOOT Studios

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Jamie Grout is a midwest radio fixture. He has been heard radio stations in many markets in Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan and others. He is talking About Radio with John Leslie 1:08:03

7M ago1:08:03

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Send us a text Jamie Grout was a master at doing what makes radio work the best. He was always live and he was always local. Fund raising, amazing charity work, service club membership and ear catching promotions. Currently working at legendary WHO in Des Moines and hosting a podcast, Jamie is still a busy broadcaster after 50 years of service. He …

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Dave Freeman was heard on Binghamton, New York radio and television for many decades. He started his long broadcast career as part of an Explorer post while in High School. He is talking About Radio with ... 1:10:37

8M ago1:10:37

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Send us a text Triangle Broadcasting in Philadelphia was one of the nations largest media conglomerates back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. One of their radio television groups was in Binghamton, New York, where they initiated an experimental program to attract young men interested in broadcasting. They formed Explorer post 12 which was an arn if the Boy…

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Lincoln County War (¿quién es?) 1:07:10

8M ago1:07:10

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This week, we discuss the Lincoln County War and the legend of Billy the Kid.By HOOT Studios

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For over a quarter century Matt Ward, sometimes known as Tom Rivers was voice of traffic and transit reporting in and around New York City. He is Talking About Radio with John Leslie. 1:03:36

8M ago1:03:36

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Send us a text It takes a lot of practice and skill to be a radio traffic reporter, specially in a bustling city like the Big Apple. Matt Ward, who sometimes went by the name Tom Rivers worked for Shadow Traffic for 25 years on some of the biggest and best known stations in New York. In this episode of Talking About Radio with John Leslie, Matt tak…

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Jimmy Diele has been a radio broadcast fixture in and around New York City all his life. He is currently host of the wildly popular internet show "Celebrity Spotlight." Jimmy is Talking About Radio with ... 59:02

8M ago59:02

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Send us a text Jimmy Diele started his radio career like many of us. He worked at small suburban New York City radio stations on weekends running the religious tapes. At the same time, he was working for Robin Leach, host of "The lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." Pretty soon Jimmy found himself working in the Big Apple at some of the top stations…

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Very few Disc Jockeys are better known than John Records Landeker of WLS fame. This episode is a remix of his rare guest appearance on Talking About Radio with John Leslie 54:40

8M ago54:40

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Send us a text This is a remastered episode featuring the legendary DJ John Records Landecker who. appeared on Talking About Radio when it was in its infancy back in early 2023. Many of you may not have heard it since it it buried in a haystack of 220 episodes of this podcast. But you don't want to miss this rare appearance of Landecker on an inter…

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Gunfight at the O.K. Corral - Part 2 (buffaloed) 1:12:00

8M ago1:12:00

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This week, we're wrapping up our episodes of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral and discussing the subsequent trial and Wyatt Earp's vendetta ride.By HOOT Studios

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Logtime radio and television professional Steve Newvine has researched the unique relationship enjoyed by Jack Benny and Johnny Carson. He joins host John Leslie on this episode of Talking About Radio ... 1:05:22

8M ago1:05:22

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Send us a text Entertainment giants Johnny Carson and Jack Benny became good friends over the years. Each appeared on the others programs, and many people recognize Jack Benny's comic mannerisms in Johnny Carson. Steve Newvine, who spend many years in radio and television broadcasting broadcasting spent two years researching the relationship betwee…

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A 6 minute sampler of Disc Jockey jingles, shouts and liners. This is not a full episode of the podcast Talking About Radio with John Leslie 6:14

9M ago6:14

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Send us a text The topic of DJ shouts and DJ jingles came up recently and I asked my Facebook radio friends to send me their shouts and name jingles. I put them together in a six minute sampler that is fun to listen to, I think. Give it a listen. http://talkingaboutradio.buzzsprout.comBy John Leslie

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Gunfight at the O.K. Corral - Part 1 (Big Nose Kate) 1:08:39

9M ago1:08:39

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This week, we discuss the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the 1881 confrontation between the Earp brothers, Doc Holiday, and the Cowboys in the town of tombstone, AZ.By HOOT Studios

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I'm not sure if I'm allowed to have this much fun on this edition of Talking About Radio with John Leslie. My former morning show producer Michelle O'Neil joins me for tons of laughs and memories 1:07:55

9M ago1:07:55

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Send us a text Her name was Michelle Haun when she joined my morning show as producer in 1990. It took only a few days for me to become enormously fond of this bright, effervescent young lady. She brought sunshine into my studio every single day and learned the trade at lightening speed. When she wasn't grinding away to find show topics and guests …

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Matt Cundill is a 25 year radio broadcast veteran who has redirected his professional efforts to podcasting and assisting wannabe podcasters. He joins John Leslie on Talking About Radio 1:00:28

9M ago1:00:28

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Send us a text When Matt Cundill was told his radio job was dissolved, he took his skill in a different but similar direction. Matt is now owner of Sound Off Network. In addition to hosting a popular podcast titled "Sound Off", Matt is an experienced consultant to those who want to have a professional sounding podcast of their own. He counsels busi…

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REPOST: Christmas Traditions (funeral potatoes) 1:13:35

9M ago1:13:35

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This week, we return to our 2020 episode about Christmas traditions. New episode on January 10!By HOOT Studios

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I had the honor of appearing as a guest on one of North America's most respected podcasts, "Sound Off" hosted by Matt Cundill 1:17:30

9M ago1:17:30

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Send us a text Hosting my podcast "Talking About Radio" is typically me, John Leslie, interviewing other radio professional. In this case 25 year radio veteran and now podcast network executive Matt Cundill is interviewing me. It was an honor to be a guest recently on his "Sound Off" podcast from Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is a rebroadcast of his pod…

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Brian Wilson is one of America's radio morning show and talk treasures. He is a brilliant performer. Brian is Talking About Radio With John Leslie. 1:18:55

9M ago1:18:55

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Send us a text Wether Brian Wilson is performing alone or teamed up with Ross Brittain he is a true radio legend. From the very mountain top of New York city, nationally syndicated shows or radio shows in major markets across the continent, Brian is part of radio history. He is Talking About Radio with John Leslie. This is one episode that you don'…

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Idioms - Part 7 (in the pocket of big pickle) 58:52

10M ago58:52

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This week, we continue our anthology series on idioms, focusing on popular sayings related to winter and/or Christmas.By HOOT Studios

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Ken Hererra has been a radio news voice across the country for over 40 years. This well known broadcast news professional is talking about radio with John Leslie 57:11

10M ago57:11

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Send us a text Ken Herrera is a household name in Milwaukee. He's been the radio news voice there for many years on the biggest stations. His time in Milwaukee came after gigs on the NBC radio network, WBBM in Chicago, KNX in Los Angeles, UPI radio AP Radio and a bunch of stations in his native Texas. It was a pleasure to talk with this accomplishe…

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Randye Kaye is simply the best. She is a highly skilled DJ, voiceover artist, actor, entertainer, author and educator. She is talking about radio with John Leslie 1:27:03

10M ago1:27:03

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Send us a text I had no idea how good she is. You will not hear a more enchanting radio and entertainment professional than Randye Kaye. In addition to her years of radio work, Randye is a musician, singer, comedian, author, voice over artist and teacher, podcast host, blogger and alot more. You will find yourself lifted up by listening to the this…

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Ray Ross is a giant and articulate piece of broadcast history. Locally, nationally and internationally. He is talking about radio with John Leslie 1:26:48

10M ago1:26:48

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Send us a text Ray Ross was an accomplished top 40 DJ in the 60s and 70s. He was Billboard Magazine personality of the year when he was in the US Air Force. Ray was a longtime radio station owner and he head of a project to put over 100 FM radio stations on the air in the USSR. Lots of information, conversation, great stories and laughs in this epi…

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Turkeys (a much more respectable bird) 1:03:23

10M ago1:03:23

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Happy Thanksgiving, dear listeners. Let's talk turkey...their evolution, how they became associated with Thanksgiving, and how to properly prepare them.By HOOT Studios

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"Nothing But Old 45s" is a syndicated radio show heard on 65 stations in the US and more stations abroad. Larry Kratka is the mastermind and host of this great show. He is Talking About Radio With John ... 1:08:05

10M ago1:08:05

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Send us a text Long time DJ Larry Kratka retired from doing regular radio shows and news programs, but he wasn't ready to give up broadcasting. So he began to syndicate his brainstorm, a program that features "Nothing But Old 45s." It has developed a life of it's own and is currently on 65 terrestrial and online stations and continues to grow each …

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Chas Henry is an extraordinary individual. He is a talented DJ, video documetary producer and decorated Marine Corps officer. He is talking About Radio with John Leslie 1:33:39

10M ago1:33:39

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Send us a text Chas Henry's resume is as extraordinary as it is long. In addition to holding seven ranks in the United States Marine Corps he has worked with some of the nations most respected broadcast facilities. Having retired as a Captain from the Marine Corps, he was a natural to be National Security Correspondent at WTOP in Washington. He was…