So Sez Rick

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Rick’s stories take audiences on a journey, from his days as a boy growing up on the farm, to working as an improvisor at The Second City in Chicago, to being an actor in Los Angeles. But you can’t take the farm out of the boy. He still owns a farm back in central Illinois, so Rick's a storyteller who worries about the price of grain! All of his stories are true… well, mostly true. “Rick Hall’s storytelling is spellbinding” – The New York Times

Rick Hall


    • Jan 8, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 18m AVG DURATION
    • 44 EPISODES

    5 from 33 ratings Listeners of So Sez Rick that love the show mention: farming, okay, stories, funny, like, listen, great, love rick's.



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    Latest episodes from So Sez Rick

    My Father Knows Best

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2022 19:57


    This episode features a fine storyteller, Sean Ewert. When I heard him tell this story about his dad a couple of weeks ago, I knew I wanted him on the show. Sean is not only a top notch story teller but he teaches storytelling and co-stars in a cooking show on youtube. As a bonus on this episode, Laura and I will make an official announcement about an upcoming life changing event for us.

    Christmas 1972

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2021 20:29


    Christmas day 1972 I got the best gift I've ever gotten, a lesson about life from my dad.

    Aunt Maude

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2021 24:03


    My buddy Ty Fance is the guest storyteller on this episode. I always enjoy the way he weaves his stories. His story is about when he was young and would steal tomatoes from the neighbor's garden. When you get caught, it can be a pain in the butt, literally.

    The Letterman Jacket

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2021 17:38


    I thought getting a varsity letter on the official letterman jacket would magically make me one of the cool guys at my high school. It didn't quite work out that way.

    First Kiss

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2021 16:15


    When I was fourteen, my Baptist church youth group went to an event in St. Louis and on the bus ride home I learned to French kiss. I saw glimpse of heaven. It was a profound religious experience.

    The Theater Ghost

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2021 18:58


    I remember when I first heard the story about the ghost in the MacMurray College Theater. I thought, what a bunch of baloney. But coming face to face with the ghost late one night made a believer out of me. Then, for an extra treat, after my story we close out the episode with a song Laura wrote about an abandon carnival. Happy Halloween everybody.

    Life Goes On

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2021 17:13


    When I went back to Chicago to do a play I thought it would be a walk down memory lane. It turns out the most memorable moment happened in the park on my walk to the theater one day.

    Little Italy

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 18:27


    Moving from the farm to Chicago to become an actor was culture shock but living in Little Italy is where I found my people.

    Laura's Big Project

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2021 15:37


    Laura is launching an online video class to teach musicians how to do what she does on Whose Line is it Anyway. We tell some stories about touring together with the Second City and then Laura will give us the scoop on her class, A Musician's Guide to Improv Comedy. There's nothing like this out there.

    A Glimpse of Grace

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2021 13:49


    Our band opened for Ronny Cox once and after the show a stranger from the audience and Ronny had a conversation that turned out to be a very special moment in time, a glimpse of grace. Every now and then you get to be in the right place at the right time.

    Julius Caesar

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2021 14:29


    I cut my teeth as a comic actor in 6th grade when I played the title role in Julius Caesar. My death scene was comic genius, although I'm not sure that was what Shakespeare had in mind when he wrote it.

    So Sings Laura

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2021 18:56


    It's time to have Laura tell some stories through her music. We take a look at the trajectory of Laura's songwriting/band career and play some her songs. It's a fun episode.

    Acorn Assassin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2021 22:10


    Storyteller, community organizer, and super mom, Suzanne Weerts, is our guest. She shares the story of when she was a kid and came close to thinning out the population on her block when she sold her homemade treats. Maybe she should have gone the traditional route and sold lemonade.

    Mekong Delta Blues

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2021 21:44


    I sat down with my friend Phil Swann who has written two of the books that I've narrated. We talk about the books, the music business, and stupid things we've done over the years. We had a good time.

    Monkey Soil

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2021 22:04


    Last month, I spent 10 days working with my brother, Rob, on our farm in Illinois. One night, after a long day of work, I turned on the recorder and we just talked. My brother is 100 percent farmer but he's a good storyteller too. When we got done recording we realized we had created the father's day episode. Happy Father's day!

    Lessons Learned from a Gorilla

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2021 15:48


    In second grade, I thought I was quite the Romeo when I kissed Carla Chambers behind the equipment shed at recess. But when I was a teenager, it was a silverback gorilla at the St. Louis zoo that enlightened me about what girls really want in a guy.

    Huskies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2021 18:16


    When I was young my mom dressed me in jeans for fat boys, aka, Huskies. At the time it was my burden to bear but it sure makes for good storytelling. Listen all the way to the end. Laura and I had a few bloopers that cracked us up. We thought we would share them with you all.

    Mother's Day

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2021 18:51


    Laura and I tell some of our favorite stories of our amazing moms. By the way, my amazing wife is also a darn good mom!

    The Creeper

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 18:51


    We invited my old buddy, Michael Raysses, to tell a story he wrote for this episode. Michael and I had a blast talking about living in Chicago, the business, and colonoscopies. Listen all the way to the end. After you might think it's over, I will enlighten you.

    Captain Friendly

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2021 17:57


    My family calls me Captain Friendly because I'll talk to anybody, anywhere. You can learn a lot about people when you get to know them just a little bit. Sometimes you learn something new about yourself. I certainly did in this episode. Who knew I would find enlightenment while standing in the median of a busy LA highway with two strangers?

    Some Showbiz Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 18:10


    Laura and I have been in "the biz" since the mid 80's and we have plenty of stories. This episode we share a few like almost getting fired by Kiefer Sutherland or when Roger Daltry came over to record vocals in our little garage studio. Yep, true stories this episode.

    So Sez Ruthie!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2021 18:47


    Some of the episodes of So Sez Rick are about our daughter, Ruthie. In this episode she tells her version. Risky? Yep, but it turns out okay.

    Roy and Ginny: A love story

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 17:46


    We're making Valentine's day last a little longer into the month of February with a new story I wrote about how my mom and dad met. Then we end the episode with a love song that Laura wrote.

    Did You Call Me Tramp

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2021 21:30


    This episode features my first guest storyteller, Fred Rubin. Fred has had a long career as a writer and producer on episodic TV shows including the show where we met, many years ago. In this episode, he tells us about the time they had a very special guest star on the hit show Different Strokes.

    The Making of a Pigboy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2021 17:47


    Well, if you've ever wondered how I got the nickname -Pigboy-, here you go. Disclaimer: There are some basic details about working at a meat packing plant. It's not too graphic. You can handle it.

    Preacher Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2021 26:24


    In this episode Laura and I share a story and a song that speak to the times we are living in. Hopefully we can all find some middle ground to talk to each other. I have to say, I always knew Laura was a good songwriter but she sings the heck out of this song.

    The Mozart Conspiracy Prologue

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2020 32:16


    I just finished recording the audiobook of Phil Swann’s The Mozart Conspiracy. The prologue was a hoot to record. I’d like to share it with you. Enjoy.

    Oh Holy Night part II

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2020 19:05


    Here’s the conclusion of the story we started last episode. I hope it puts you in the Christmas spirit. Enjoy.

    Oh Holy Night

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 23:19


    This episode is the first of a two part series. It’s a story I wrote a few years ago about a live nativity scene and pageant that goes off the rails on Christmas eve at a small Baptist church. Even though it’s a fictional story, the characters are drawn from the people I knew growing up in my small farming town.

    The Turkey Memoirs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2020 19:59


    If you have ever wondered what a turkey is thinking around this time of year, you will find out in the episode as Rick reads The Turkey Memoirs.

    Right Place, Right Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2020 18:08


    Here are the last two chapters from my audiobook recording of Slice of Pie. Plus, for the first time, we have a guest on the show. I talk with film director, Tim Reischauer about what it was like to shoot the movie version of Slice of Pie.

    Right Place, Right Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2020 18:08


    Here are the last two chapters from my audiobook recording of Slice of Pie. Plus, for the first time, we have a guest on the show. I talk with film director, Tim Reischauer about what it was like to shoot the movie version of Slice of Pie.

    Another Slice of Pie

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 15:46


    Well, it’s time for the next chapter of Slice of Pie. If you didn’t catch chapters 1 and 2, you might want to take a few minutes and listen to Episode 11 first. FYI The conclusion of the story will be in episode 13.

    Slice of Pie

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020 17:36


    This episode goes back to the archives. We share the first two chapters from Rick’s CD, Slice of Pie. The movie, Slice of Pie was based on the CD version.

    Best Garden in Town

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2020 13:33


    In high school, I won an essay writing contest and got a trip to the state capital. If that wasn’t enough, I also ended up with a date to prom, a kiss while sitting on the bank of the Illinois River, and blue ribbon winning tomatoes.

    My Mild Summer Nights

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2020 13:33


    In high school my buddies and I would hang out at the church youth center playing bumper pool, drinking soda, and getting crazy… at least we thought we were wild. Laura helps set the record straight in this episode.

    Red Wing Boots

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 13:33


    I was working on my farm last week and have some sage advice about how to care for newborn calves. Plus, I get a little nostalgic about work boots. Yep, you heard me right, work boots.

    Roger Snout Tucker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2020 13:33


    This is a story from my one-man show, “Pigboy”. We’ve all had wise, sage people who’ve helped shape our lives. Sometimes that person is not a traditionally recognized source of philosophical advice. For me, it was the driver of the dead animal truck that came to our farm… yep, he’s a real guy.

    Farming 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2020 12:38


    This episode will introduce you to some of the basics of pig farming. My wife, Laura, is a city girl who will help clarify some of the more technical points of animal husbandry.

    Hello Prostate

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2020 12:38


    Nobody can really prepare you for the changes your body will experience as you age. You can trust me to give you the facts. I’ve played a doctor on TV.

    I Don’t Know What Heaven’s Like

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2020 16:11


    In honor of my dad on Father’s day.

    Topanga Acupuncture

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2020 17:36


    A very funny story I told recently at the Story Salon in North Hollywood. It’s about the first time I got acupuncture. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, including catching my back on fire. Yep, true story.

    Water on the Dance Floor

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2020 15:40


    When you’re a dad to a couple of teenage girls, everything you do is embarrassing. You can’t win. But every now and then, you can be their hero.

    Gastrointestinal Superhero

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2020 15:40


    My mom grew up during the depression so she learned to never throw out any food. No matter how old or moldy it was, she could resuscitate it and feed it to our family. She used to say Go ahead and eat it. It won't kill you. And she was right, I have eaten some amazing things in my lifetime and it has not killed me.

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