The Volume Knob

If TVK is a success at all it's because of people like Will who is not only a talented storyteller and producer, he's been responsible for introducing me to many of the other wonderful storytellers in the New York area who have appeared on the show in the last year or two. For that generosity, I continue to owe him a great debt. Will is also one of the founding producers of the Awkward Teenage Years  storytelling series. You can follow them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Twitch (?). You can also follow Will directly on Twitter and the 'gram.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Working with Julia was a genuine pleasure. She is one of those people that is so entrenched in the NYC storytelling scene that Facebook has been suggesting we know each other for years. You can learn more about Julia's work by following her on Insta. Or you can follow the links get more info about Happy Hour Story Hour every Monday at the Duplex (60 Christopher Street) and Top Shelf Stories at UCB, NYC (this month's show includes TVK alumni Adam Wade and Jeff Simmermon). Side note, were you aware that Tom's Diner is an actual place? It's actually called Tom's Restaurant and it is most famous as the "exterior shot" of Monk's Cafe in Seinfeld. The more you know.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.And don't forget to sign up for the TVK Mailing List. To continue to hear the latest and greatest regarding Keith's live shows and other fun stuff.

So happy to finally have Gina on the show!  I love her style. Direct, vulnerable and delivered at a human pace. If you like it too, you might want to watch her work from The Moth or one of her many appearances on the stage at Confabulation.  You can also follow Gina on Instagram and (in case anyone is still doing it these days) Twi(x)tter. Oh! As promised here's the new TVK "places" playlist featuring London, LA, Ontario Cottage Country, New York - of course - and a little Birmingham).While you're in a following mood make sure you add The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

So happy Juanita could join the show this week! If you're paying close attention, you'll notice that the production schedule has slowed a little around here in TVK land but it's pitches like hers that keep me coming back to the mixing desk.You can learn more about her on her website or by following her on Instagram (not posting to Twitter anymore, so why should you?). While you're on her website be sure to read the info on Juanita's two books: Tales of an Inland Empire Girl and Portrait of a Deputy Public Defender: or, how I became a punk rock lawyer. Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Very happy to have Jesse on the show this week. He first pitched TVK over 2 years ago (things have been moving SLOWLY around here at world HQ) and I think you'll agree that this is a case of better late than never. You can learn more about Jesse by following him on Instagram.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Johnathan and I have been working for -- no exaggeration -- over a year on bringing this story to you. I hope you think the results are as worth the wait as I do.  He's an amazing storyteller and the writer of the one-man rideshare show We Are Traffic which you can learn more about here. If you're interested you can also follow Jonathan on Twitter and Instagram.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Hey everyone! Thanks a million to the lovely Meg Stafford for sharing her story this week. As I mentioned in the intro, Meg and I met on the set of PBS' Stories from the Stage. You can find Meg's story from that show here.  You can also learn a tonne about her work (including her two memoires, Topic of Cancer: Riding the Waves of the Big C, and Who Will Accompany You? My Mother-Daughter Journeys Far From Home and Close to the Heart) on her website. As a saxophone-playing teenager, I've always been amazed by Charlie Parker. That said, my all-time favourite sax player has always been John Coltrane. For the longest time the ringtone on my phone was Giant Steps. So, why don't we call it this week's "this story reminds me of" track.As promised here's the ticket link to my show The List: A Traumady About Probiotic Masculinity at the Montreal Fringe.  Also, there are only a limited number of tickets still available to the preview reading of the show at Variations Mile End on May 10th. You can get one of those here.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Hey everyone! Thanks a million to the lovely Greg Halpen for pitching the show and sharing his story this week. You can learn more about Greg at his website or by following him on the Instas.As I said in the intro this week, Greg's story really reminds me of a queer John Hughes movie. In light of that, it might be time to inform you that Smashmouth actually covered Simple Minds' classic Don't You (Forget About Me). You don't really want to hear it. The phrase "Smashmouth covering Simple Minds" should be enough. Oh wait, you're going to do it anyway? Oh well, don't say I didn't warn you.As promised here's the ticket link to my show The List: A Traumady About Probiotic Masculinity at the Montreal Fringe .Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Hey lovelies! So good to be back making audio-deliciousness for you and what a great way to start the season John's visit was. John is a fixture in the storytelling scene in Northern California.  He's a storytelling instructor, coach, and assistant events producer for Capital Storytelling in Sacramento and the host of the Do Tell! open mic series in Rancho Cordova. He's also, in case you can't tell from the sensitivity and emotional tone of his storytelling, a really nice guy. You can check out more of John's storytelling talent on Youtube or follow him on Instagram.As promised, here's a link to the dramatic and wonderful Jerusalem by Dan Bern. (The release when he screams "I am the Messiah, I am the Messiah!" gets me every time.You can get tickets to Confabulation's Food Fights here. Hope to see you there!Oh! And also, at the time of uploading, I still don't have a ticket link for my show The List: A Traumady About Probiotic Masculinity, but you can get to the front of the line on news like that by going over to our website volumeknob.net and signing up for the newsletter.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook .And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Aida Zilelian is an American-Armenian writer, educator and storyteller. She has been featured in the Huffington Post, NPR's Takeaway, Kirkus Reviews, among other literary and media platforms. Her novel All the Ways We Lied is slated for release in January 2024. You can follow her on Instagram or Facebook.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

I met Frank in a storytelling workshop this spring and he has revealed himself to be one of the hardest-working and most creative storytellers and producers I've had the privilege to work with since starting TVK. Frank's show It's Funny Now is at the Crow in Santa Monica the second Monday of every month. You can learn more about it here or by listening to the It's Funny Now podcast. You can also follow Frank on Instagram.You can get tickets to TVK and Confabulation present: The Songs that Saved Your Life (at Sala Rossa, November 23rd) right here.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Gastor is most definitely one of my favourite storytellers in North America. His presence, timing, sense of humour and humanity are all larger than life and it's always a pleasure to have him on the show. Do yourself a favour and watch this (it's one of the Comedy Central appearances Gastor referred to in the story and its hilarious) when you're done watching that check out his story Heavy High & Far which originally introduced me to this guy's talents. Gastor also has his own podcast (The War Report) which he co-hosts with fellow stand up Shalewa Sharpe. You should check it out and follow Gastor on Twitter, Insta and Facebook.  Oh, and don't forget to listen to his record Immigrant Made. Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Dan wrote his own bio!Back in 2011 I, along with a group of best friends started Story Luck, a Chicago based Non Profit.It has been my life's grand adventure. Where I've gotten a chance to create art so awesome, if I died today, I'd die happy and proud of what I've accomplished. From producing giant city wide games of tag wrapped in the story of a robot apocalypse ,to making a living teaching the art of storytelling via group cohorts. I'm grateful to be part of this universe where a guy like me can dedicate so much to storytelling.Follow me on the social platform formally known as twitter @StoryLuck. There I help you tell better stories about your life through daily essays and writing tips.You listened to my story today, your attention is valuable and I'd like to reward it. As such, DM me with a link to your favorite episode of the Volume Knob (pro tip: don't pick my episode!) and I'll send you a free gift pdf of 10 Storytelling Mistakes, why you're making them and how to fix them.Thanks, Dan!  So glad to be back sharing Volume Knob stories with you all! As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

Sean Ewert has told his stories in Chicago and Los Angeles at such shows as The Moth (storySLAM Winner "Nostalgia" Los Angeles 2021), USA Today Storytellers Project, JAM Creative Stories, This Much Is True, Story Club Chicago (winner audience favorite), and Story Salon.  Recently, his stories have been published in two book anthologies, Rings of Kindness  and Storytellers' True Stories About Love Vol. 2.  Sean works during the day at the Spondylitis Association of America, helping those living with the disease share their stories about being a pain warrior.  Sean lives with his partner John and rescue dog, Pilot. You can follow him on Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

Katya is the author of the public transit blog “Tales from the Bus.” She is a frequent participant in storytelling shows and contests in Los Angeles, and is a Moth StorySLAM winner. You can learn more about Katya by following her on twitter or instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

Erica says it's her goal to tell compelling, authentic, and inspirational stories which incorporate the comedy and the tragedy of life, and reflect the universal power of the human spirit to harness positivity, make connections and survive. She's done so on Risk! The Moth and through her own monthly storytelling series Revealed in Glendale, CA. You can learn more about Erica by checking out her website or by following her on Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

You can learn a lot more about Lea (and her performances and writing) by visiting her website.  Or following her on Instagram.You can get tickets to The Volume Knob and Confabulation Present: The Songs that Saved Your Life (live!) right here. I really hope to see you there in big numbers.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.  

Kurt has told stories for PBS's Stories from the Stage, the “RISK!” true stories podcast, and for GRIT: True Stories podcast, which he co-founded. He's written for Powder, Paddler, Men's Journal, Canoe & Kayak, Berkshire, and for websites, newspapers, and literary magazines. You can learn more about Kurt by checking out his website or following him on Twitter or Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

Emily doesn't have a very high public profile as a storyteller but you might want to follow her on Instagram in case she decides to start telling the world about her up and coming exploits as a storyteller.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

If you have a pitch for TVK Live (May 13th at Sala Rosa in Montreal) please don't hesitate to send it to me or to the fine folks at Confabulation . Their email is tellastory@confabulation.caAn honour to have Emira give of her time and vulnerability this week. I have to admit it, I was surprisingly moved by listening to What a Feeling, while mixing the show. I found it really strange to hear something that I'd heard so many times associated with true emotion rather than mocked for being ubiquitous or silly (even if it might actually be both).  As always, I'd encourage you to spend a few minutes listening to the entire song either before or after you listen to the episode (or even both).As Emira mentioned, she is a writer in addition to being a lawyer. Her essays can be found on her blog Montreal Murmurs  or in the pieces she wrote as the the CBC/Quebec Writers' Federation Writer in residence.  Her work has also appeared in The Montreal Gazette  and  The Globe and Mail.  Emira's storytelling has also been featured at a Montreal Confabulation show that you can listen to here. Check out her stuff!Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Ronna lives in Brooklyn but is a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan. She is a Moth Slam winner, has been featured on the PBS-WGBH Stories from the Stage series, and is a National Storytelling Network (US) slam finalist. You can learn more about her by visiting her web site or following her on Instagram or Twitter.If you're interested in getting tickets to see Keith (and five very talented storytellers) at the PHI Centre in Montreal, just follow this link! Hope to see you there.As for Lionel Richie's All Night Long (All Night) (YES! That's the full title) it's pretty easy to underestimate as a cultural phenomenon in the early 80s. First of all, those of us of (um) a certain age will remember that Richie performed it at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The single itself went to number one in six different countries (including Canada) and the video (which, to be honest, is a hilarious throwback for me today) was actually produced by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. Too much 80s pop culture!!!  As always, the story might sound even a little bit more interesting to you if you listen to the whole song. (Or if you're interested in a little rabbit-hole, Jacob Collier's Grammy winning re-arrangement)As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.  

I was so honoured to have the chance to work with Carolyn Erickson to bring this story into the world, not only because it's powerful and finely wrought , but because it's one of the first times she's shared a story in public. She lives a little bit off the personal storytelling "beaten path" in Michoacán Mexico and doesn't have a big social media presence. It's just wonderful, though, that this pod keeps reaching all of these fantastic, brave and powerful people all over the world. Keep an eye out for Carolyn (I know she's talking about doing other podcasts and the like) I think she's amazing.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

Hey! Great to be back for another season of the show and really great to start the season with Steve Zimmer (who was far too modest when he introduced himself as a "formerly very active amateur storyteller" in this week's show). Steve's work -- particularly in the "first wave" of New York storytelling around the turn of the century -- is not only funny, considered and wonderful, it's also very influential on many of the artists that I respect most in this space. Don't believe me? You can watch a bunch of Steve's work here. It's also worth mentioning as well that Steve recently finished his first novel, a black-comedy murder mystery set in the NYC storytelling scene,  and is currently seeking representation.I don't want to get into another Bowie rabbit hole too quickly, but I did want to share one of the cool things I learned while listening to Young Americans on repeat over the last couple of weeks. Did you know that Luther Vandross got his big break singing back up on Young Americans? Now you do!As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

I know I throw around "multi-talented" quite a bit to describe the storytellers who come on TVK but it'd be a mistake to use a less complimentary word to describe Deb. In addition to being a storyteller and a valuable member of the production team at Montreal's Confabulation storytelling series, Deb is a media artist, videographer, and writer. She also (after my own heart) is an experienced radio producer having (for sixteen years!) produced and hosted Dykes on Mykes, at CKUT 90.3 FM. She won the 2015 3Macs carte blanche  QWF prize for her short story Self-Serve, and published Ghost Station in the Queer Perspectives edition of The Malahat Review. Deb is the production coordinator at Ada-X, a feminist artist-run centre.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

Fantastic to work with a professional like Marc this week. You can learn more about his work as a personal storyteller (and a writer of horror fiction) from his web site or by following him on Twitter and Facebook.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

Alexia is just starting out as a storyteller (I met her back in September when her story about dating a man nearly twice her age brought the house down at Confabulation's Summer Love show). As such, you can't get much about her storytelling from her web presence. That said, watch out! She's talented and energetic and just a little fearless. You may well be hearing from her again soon.Attentive listeners may have noticed some alternate recordings of Bowie's Heroes in this week's mix. I rather enjoyed this version featuring the Gothenburg Symphony. It's not the original, obviously, but I'm quite fond of covers which take songs in directions very different from the originals. As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

It's hard to think about storytelling here in my home town of Montreal without thinking of Johanne Pelletier. She'll soon be appearing on WGBH Boston's Stories From the Stage and is a regular at events here in Montreal and in the states. You can keep an eye on her work via Youtube, Twitter and Instagram. As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

James does stand up comedy in the NYC area under the stage name "James Mac" you can learn more about that part of his life by following him on Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. He also produces a comedy night at Mulligan's Pub in Hoboken NJ which you can learn more about here. Check him out!Even though Katie was, once again, not overly impressed by Zac Brown Band's Toes, I found it catchy as hell. Sometimes there's a reason why popular music becomes popular, after all.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.  

Anyone who wants to learn about personal storytelling as a craft could do a lot worse than to listen very closely to a bunch of the work of Erin Barker. She's won story slams and grand slams and, in a personal storytelling world that is pretty much dominated by The Moth, she has ably guided The Story Collider (and it's podcast which I would recommend) to a place where it can continue to do fantastic work all over the world. You can follow Erin on Twitter and Instagram and Story Collider on Insta, Facebook and Twitter.Also, if you're looking for a blast of rhetro-pop sci-fi weirdness, spend 3 minutes or so watching this Spice Girls' video for Say You'll Be There and try to explain to me why there are exploding throwing stars in it.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

Mariah is a first-time storyteller but a careful and talented performer. Working with her was a great experience.  Just a caveat that most of Mariah's online presence is NSFW. Now that you've been warned, here she is appearing on an episode of the Guys We Fcked Podcast and her Instagram and Tik Tok accounts.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

Shannon's Atlanta based storytelling consultancy is called StoryMuse. Check out their website here. You can also follow her on Instagram and Twitter.While listening to Celebrity Skin this week, I was inspired to head down a little rabbit hole regarding, well, Hole. More specifically, I read a few articles about Hole's bassist during the Celebrity Skin era, Montrealer Melissa Auf der Maur who, according to this 2010 article in The Guardian hadn't played a "real gig" before getting  on stage with Hole at Reading Festival in 1994. There's video of that show, including a moment where Courtney love inexplicably suggests that Auf der Maur is a French name, right here.At any rate, Celebrity Skin is a massive banger and you should use any excuse you might have to listen to the whole song. (Just don't mention that lifeless Doja Cat cover).As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list (which is the best place to get updates on when season 5 of the show will be available). 

In addition to her work as a comic and storyteller, Robin is the longstanding producer of the Yums the Word storytelling series in NYC. You can learn more about Robin from her website or by following her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

Matt Storrs is, in addition to being a very bright and very friendly guy, a very funny comic and storyteller with a surprisingly large following on TikTok?You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about him from his website and get info on the next How Was It? storytelling show on Facebook. As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.  

Scott and his production partner Katherine Mohr were a great deal of fun to work with on this episode of their podcast This is the Greatest Song I've Ever Heard in My Entire Life which you can also  follow on Twitter and Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

Since Madeleine was last on the show, her storytelling "career" has been blossoming. She's appeared in shows (both virtually and in person) all over North America. As always, it was a wonderful experience working with her. She has no social media, so you'll just have to keep an eye out for your next opportunity to watch her practice her craft (perhaps at a Confabulation show here in Montreal). If you haven't heard it, here's a link to her episode in Season 2 of the show. Easily one of the most compelling episodes we've had.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Once again my thanks to everyone at Confabulation Montreal for having me on Saturday. It was a real honour to be on the stage of the Centaur Theatre.Many thanks as well to Mario for his time and vulnerability. In addition to being a journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Mario drums in the Ottawa band Gentlemen of the Woods. He also shares his very photogenic adventures in Italian food and culture through his Instagram account This Italian Kitchen. In case you haven't heard it, you really ought to take a moment to listen to Caravan of Love and enjoy the intense, very-80s religiosity of the music video (bonus points for id'ing a 23-year-old Fatboy Slim). If you're falling down a rabbit hole, you might also want to hear the -- very different sounding -- original version of Caravan recorded by Isley Jasper Isley . It was the title track of their album released in 1985.As always, you can get in touch with The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.Do you have a story about the song that saved your life? Send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

In addition to his work as a storyteller, Morgan is a producer and a talented cartoonist. You can read more about Morgan's work on his website and by following him on Twitter.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

As a producer, sometimes you have to deal with requests from the talented folks that you work with, week in and out. That said, this episode is nearly 80 shows into making TVK and Amber is absolutely the first ever person to ask specifically to have Kate review the song that saved her life. I honestly wish Katie had been a little against type and found some of the magic that Amber obviously did when she was younger.Amber is a talented freelance writer with a list of clips as long as your arm. You can read some of them on her website (where you can also find examples of her storytelling and other writing credits -- including a piece she did for McSweeny's). You can also follow her on Instagram and Twitter.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list (which is the best place to get updates on when season 5 of the show will be available).See you next week! Be kind to someone (even yourself) today.

In addition to his work as a storyteller, Andrew is a stand up comedian and the host of a couple of podcasts. You can learn more about him on his website or by following him on Twitter and Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.See you next week!

In addition to his work as a storyteller, Rob is a talented writer, and improviser. He's also a Spurs fan, so he knows a little bit about suffering. You can learn more about him on his website or by following him on Twitter and Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list. 

Valarie is so brave and brilliant.Don't believe me? Even after listening to this beautiful story she's shared with TVK this week? OK, take six minutes to listen  to this amazing story she shared with The Moth. Just  lovely stuff.Valarie isn't big on social media, but she is a very committed activist in NYC. This here, is an article of her work as an organizer of New York's annual Dyke March.  She also acted in a landmark film in New Queer cinema called The Watermelon Woman.  You can see one of Valarie's scenes in that film here.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list!

I'm not exaggerating when I say that at some point in the future I'm going to proudly say "I had Jameer Pond on this podcast before he hit it big."This guy is talented, charming and clearly an absolute grinder. In addition, he's a pleasure to work with. Remember the name, friends.And, in case you don't want to wait for Jameer to hit it big before you learn a little more about him, feel free to follow him on Twitter and Insta. You can see the "live" version of his interaction with Travis Scott at Summer Jam right here. The retelling of this story to buzzfeed is also available here and this is a clip of Jameer's work hosting on BET.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list (which is the best place to get updates on when season 5 of the show will be available).See you soon! Be kind to someone (even yourself) today.

I might be repeating myself but who cares: Holy SMOKES. Julie FREAKIN' Polk.You should do yourself a favour and learn a little more about Julie by checking out her website and following her on Twitter and Instagram.  While you're surfing through there, be sure to check out this appearance she made on Risk! As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list (which is the best place to get updates on when season 5 of the show will be available).See you soon! Be kind to someone (even yourself) today.

Where do you begin talking about a talent like Michele Carlo?She's been in the New York storytelling game for a long time appearing across the U.S., including NPR with Latino U.S.A., the Clearwater Music & Arts Festival, RISK! live shows and podcast, Story Collider, PBS' Stories from the Stage, and the MOTH's GrandSlams and Mainstage in NYC. Many of Michele's early Moth stories appear in her book Fish Out Of Agua: My life on neither side of the (subway) tracks (Citadel/Kensington). You can also find her on twitter and instagram as well as her website. As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.See you in two weeks!

David is an enthusiastic and professional guy whose fingerprints are all over the NY storytelling scene. You can learn more about him on his website or by following him on Insta or Twitter. He's also written a great piece on storytelling in Queens here.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

When I talk about how storytellers are great people, I'm talking about people like Sandi Marx. She's warm, wise and more than a little wacky. What a pleasure to spend time with her. If you're interested in hearing more of Sandi's unique brand of humour and storytelling be sure to check out her website which has links to her appearances on Risk! and The Moth and to follow her on Twitter Facebook and Instagram.  While you're on Sandi's web page, be sure to watch the trailer for The Fabulist the 2020 documentary about her storytelling journey.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

If TVK is a success at all it's because of people like Will Clegg. Will is not only a talented storyteller and producer, he's been responsible for introducing me to many of the other wonderful storytellers in the New York area who have appeared on the show in the last year or two. For that generosity, I owe him a great debt. Thanks, Will!As I mentioned in the closing credits this week, Will's story this week is a "beat" in a full one-man show he recently produced at New York's Frigid Festival called The Lonely Road.  Keep an eye out for potential tour dates for that show (and check out Will's website to have a look at some of the pictures he show on his road trip).Will is also one of the founding producers of the Awkward Teenage Years  storytelling series. You can follow them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Twitch (?). You can also follow Will directly on Twitter and the 'gram.Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at volumeknobpod@gmail.com.

Believe me when I tell you that I had an absolute blast working on this story with Bryan. He's a guy who not only understands storytelling but as a podcaster himself (check out his show Love Hurts in all the places you download) he was a really fun and easy guy to record and brainstorm with. Thanks a million, Bryan.If you'd like to hear more of Bryan's work as a storyteller, producer and comic you should check out his website, and follow him on Instagram and Twitter or give Love Hurts a like on Facebook. As you can imagine, I end up listening to the song that saved each storyteller's life dozens of times during a production cycle. It's been awhile since I enjoyed spending that much time with one track as I have with In Your Eyes this week. What an amazing song! Funny thing is, I didn't know that it was (at least supposedly) written for actress Rosanna Arquette who Peter Gabriel was dating in the mid-eighties. I also didn't know (thank you, internet rabbit holes) that Arquette was also supposedly the inspiration for Toto's 1982 hit Rosanna. Talk about the face that launched 1000 ships...As always, I love to hear from you. Be sure to follow the show on Twitter, Insta and Facebook and to get yourself over to the website to sign up for the mailing list! 

In case it isn't immediately obvious, Ria Spencer is a whole lot of fun to spend time with. What a joy to have had the chance to record her story and to share it with you.If you're interested, you can hear more of Ria on shows like Risk and The Antidote. You can also follow Ria on Instagram.As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.See you in two weeks!

Can you hear the warmth and humanity in Rich's voice? This week's episode was one of those rare incidents where I wish there was video because rich is a special human being; genuine, gracious and funny. I really enjoyed making radio with him and hope this week's episode gave you some insight into his personality.If you want more Rich Cardillo you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram or check out his appearances on The Moth, Story Collider, Nancy, Other Men Need Help and Love Hurts.Bonus question: I (sorta) hid a third "faith" song in the mix this week. Did you hear it? If so, let me know via email volumeknobpod@gmail.com As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.See you in two weeks!

Ophira Eisenberg may be Americans' favourite Calgarian. Perhaps this damns her by faint praise given that America's most famous Calgarian is probably Ted Cruz. At any rate, it's for good reason that Ophira is so well and widely loved; she's almost embarrassingly multi-talented. She's an author, radio/podcast talent, stand up and a frequent host of many a live event at The Moth.  She's a houseplant gardener. She's also really nice. It was a real pleasure spending time (and making this episode) with her. You can (and should) learn more about Ophira at her web site, or by following her on twitter and instagram.As you can imagine, I get to spend a lot of time with each of the "songs of the week" and few of them are as pleasurable to spend time with as Let's Go Crazy.  It's not only a shiny piece of candy from the days of my youth, it also has a little something in it for the law/copyright geek in me (the guy whose day job pays for this podcasting problem I have).As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.See you in two weeks!