Podcasts about rantoul

Sweet and hardworking, altruistic and loving. She is the definition of selfless and the embodiment of maternal resilience. Listen as this Urbana-born woman breaks free from a traumatic childhood by seeking refuge at a woman's shelter near her neighborhood, prioritizing work over a higher education, eventually getting straight A's and building a career in respiratory therapy, finding love on the early iterations of online dating, enduring more miscarriages than she can count, carrying and delivering a child with a "death sentence," describing how this child changed the trajectory of her life, fostering dozens of children and adopting those that needed her to. Kelley decided to use a room in her home for good instead of a shrine. Now, she is running for the mayor of Clinton in an effort to further the spread the good! I'd like to thank this episode's sponsor, the United Way of Champaign County. Our local United Way is offering free developmental screenings for children in Rantoul, Mahomet, St. Joe, Philo, Thomasboro and Tolono. Visit readtalkplay.org and type “Champaign” in the search bar to register your little one. The link will also be available in all the descriptions for this podcast. Can's make it at the listed time or date? No worries. Contact the host sites to set up a screening all year long!Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don't forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops! Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

Movie Synopsis: While exploring a decrepit and abandoned facility, an auspicious photographer faces off against her traumatic past.Andrew, Andrew! Such a great and funny guest! I absolutely enjoyed this interview with Andrew and gaining his insight regarding his character and the concept behind the movie. What have we learned? That the movie was actually filmed in abandoned buildings at decommissioned Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois. Talk about the director using resources! We also learned that the best method for acting is to jump straight into your role without hesitating and overthinking. Andrew was successful at it and so could all of the aspiring actors out there. Overall, the movie is a great psychological mind-spank. Andrew brought up a great point, if there should be a sequel, the audience should know how the black mold works when messing with the mind… And Andrew and Brooke defeat it!

When I saw her on stage at That's What She Said 2025, she shined like a diamond. Authentic, sweet and funny. A few messages later, and I got to meet the star for a long-form interview of her performance. Listen as this Farmer City girl talks about the unique spelling of her name, her career in philanthropy, infertility treatments, the heart-wrenching ending to the birth of her triplets, how to approach a grieving mother and family and the effects child-loss has on parenting her son Hudson and girl Cooper. We then make the worst transition ever into divorce, online dating, dating coaching and her future in divorce coaching. Finally, and most importantly, Lesa talks about how she has never been happily. No one deserves a happier ever after more than this bright light. I'd like to thank this episode's sponsor, the United Way of Champaign County. Our local United Way is offering free developmental sceenings for children in Rantoul, Mahomet, St. Joe, Philo, Thomasboro and Tolono. Visit readtalkplay.org and type “Champaign” in the search bar to register your little one. The link will also be available in all the descriptions for this podcast. Can's make it at the listed time or date? No worries. Contact the host sites to set up a screening all year long!Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don't forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops! Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

Urbana Middle School moves to e-learning due to short staff, U of I may soon offer MS in video game development, IDPH says IL respiratory virus level dropped to low, building collapses in Rantoul.Hosted by Adelyn Mui.Stories by Shane Werner, Adelyn Mui, Emily Huffman and Alice Mei.Music by Boxout.

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the Rantoul Police Department still hasn’t implemented any department-wide trainings after the village’s first-ever fatal shootings by police.

Champaign Fire Department releases holiday warnings, lead contamination in cinnamon applesauce packets, new Urbana hotel tax implemented, and a Rantoul elementary school's inclusive playgroundStories by Emily Huffman, Ethan Oskroba, Nick Roacho, and Joy QuezadaHosted by Peter DerrahMusic by Boxout

President Joe Biden administers nine billion dollars in financial aid, the University warns farmers of potential fires, Promise Healthcare is coming to Rantoul, Danville's Vermillion County Museum is showcasing a Holocaust memorial exhibit and Illini Basketball Coach Underwoods is optimistic for outside shooting this season. Stories by Kate Morris, Lydia Nazarova, Adelyn Mui, Peter Derrah and Joaquim O'Malley MaciasHosted by Ashley GilbertMusic by Boxout

Claudia Aravello is a mother, wife, employee, communion minister, volunteer—a Mexican immigrant living in Rantoul, Illinois—whose approach to life and faith is both profound and simple. Her conversation with our Sister Denise Glazik is sure to inspire and perhaps lead to a moment of self-reflection on what it means to you to live as a person of faith.

Rita Frazer and DeLoss Jahnke are on the ground in Rantoul with coverage of the Half Century of Progress Show. We celebrate the start of the high school football sesaon in Illinois with West Central head football coach Jason Kirby. It's also our first Friday of Pigskin Pickins'.

KJ Johnson of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association previews this week's MAGIE Show at the McLean County Fairgrounds. John Frederickson highlights the Half Century of Progress Show in Rantoul.Mike Kavanaugh from AgReliant speaks from Innovation Days in Champaign. State Climatologist Trent Ford talks hot weather.

Decatur top ranked for DUI arrests, Rantoul adding bottle cap mural and team develops all species COVID tests.Hosted by Nathalie Murillo.Stories by Elissa Eaton.Music by Boxout.

On the 4th of July, 2023, a Kewanee tradition will resume. The tractor show at a Francis Park in Kewanee is back and part of it will include a tractor drive through Kewanee organized by FFA Alumni members, Brett Bennett and Mark Rose. With that in mind, Dave Clarke came up with the idea to take a look back at Tractor collecting with a man who has a lengthy and deep knowledge of the subject. For more than a few decades, Dr. Marshall Martin, a Professor at Purdue University, who grew up not far from Kewanee, not far from Dave Clarke in fact, has collected and restored tractors. He's been part of numerous tractor shows over the years with plans to soon be in Rantoul, Illinois for one of the biggest tractor shows in the state of Illinois. Dr. Marshall Martin reflects on the history of collecting tractors on this edition of Kewanee Back When... 

Illinois State University has won a Department of Defense-sponsored rocket competition for the second straight time. The U of I Laboratory for Advanced Space Systems hosted the competition in Rantoul.

Rantoul resident turned Urbana homeowner tells tales that the best fiction writer could not put into words. Tony's childhood debauchery quickly goes from juvenile to criminal spanning coast-to-coast. Listen to Tony discuss his wrap sheet starting in early adolescence with a legitimate wildfire. This spark began a snowball effect of moves, booze, drugs, arrests and a baby girl. After too much being sick and tired of being sick and tired, Tony resorts to homelessness to rehab himself and clean up his act. Tony talks passionately about helping improve the growing homeless population in our own community. He also talks tearfully about pursuing a reunion with his now adult daughter and how that relationship grows today. Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don't forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops! Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

Pete, Chris, and Joey kill another episode with a feature on zombies for their monsters of October series. They recorded the episode remote at the Baldwin Asylum Haunted Attraction in Rantoul, Illinois and were joined by Courtney, Jenny, and friends. They discuss the origin of zombies, the movies, books, and various other places they've been featured, and much more. They all went through the amazing Baldwin Asylum and discuss what it was like and talked to one of the Baldwin actors, RJ, about his years as part of the cast. Pete did the metal feature on the Swedish death metal band, Cut Up, and they threw down a great Killer Cage Match brawl, karaoke madness, and much more.Music by Cut Up, Low Twelve, and Cannibal Corpse.Check out the Baldwin Asylum Haunted Attraction and go visit this awesome place in their final Halloween season!Order any of Pete's books on his new website with a great online store.Follow Joey's Goremonger page for updates on his music and his distro, FTA Records.Go to Murder Metal Mayhem to listen to our show!

A Rantoul resident tests positive for Monkeypox, Illinois abortion clinics experience an influx of out-of-state patients, and Zachary Tobe commits to the University of Illinois and the Fighting Illini football team. Hosted by Laszlo Richard Toth. Stories by Daniel Villareal, Madison Holcomb, and Laszlo Richard Toth. Music by Boxout.

  Dr. Robert "Bob" Zepecki has been practicing veterinarian medicine in Hot Springs Village for 19 years. From Dr. Bob's website we get this introduction: Dr. Bob Zepecki is a 1973 graduate of the University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine. "Dr. Bob" as he is known, was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and served in Pakistan. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for his exemplary efforts in supervising the Military Personnel Section during his tour of duty. While doing his undergraduate work at the University of Illinois, Urbana, he worked with the Champaign Park District on several innovative programs for handicapped children where he initiated the first program with small animal interaction for the handicapped at Adler Center at the University of Illinois. While serving in the Illinois Air National Guard in Chicago, Dr. Bob was the liaison officer for the United States Air Force Academy in the North Central Illinois area. Dr. Bob also served in the USAF Reserves at Chanute AFB, Rantoul, Illinois, where he performed duties as a military veterinary officer in conjunction with the Base Veterinary Section. Dr. Bob has pursued a career in veterinary medicine for the past 45 years. During that time his involvement in veterinary medicine has spanned all areas of applied practice and preventative medicine from exotic species such as lions, tigers, to domestic animals and pets. He has worked successfully with Eastern European organizations on projects to upgrade livestock genetics. Dr. Bob describes himself as a "Villager through and through." He's also totally dedicated to the health and well-being of our pets. You don't believe me? Well, just check out his hours of operation: 8 am to 8 pm seven days a week. And the man answers his phone for emergencies when you call (501) 626-0237. We don't know anybody who does that, including the fine doctors with human patients. ;)  Dr. Bob provides extraordinary services that include superior pet care, emergency or trauma care, grooming, and boarding. He even solicits your questions at his website: HotSpringsVillageVet.com.   • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To The Podcast Anyway You Want • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel (click that bell icon, too) • Join Our Facebook Group • Tell Your Friends About Our Show • Support Our Sponsors 

Notes In 2018, Lyndsey made a quick facebook recording of Well Held, and she said, “This little ditty tapped me on the shoulder, came through intact, and has basically been hanging out in my lap…” That's very much how this song is for me -- it just gently rumbles around in my head, letting me know that even while there is part of me that is anxious or jittery or grieving, there is another part of me singing this song -- it  has my back, can remind me to breathe, and reassure me to pay attention to this very moment, in which all is well. Such a relief! ​  Here's Lyndsey singing the original song, shortly after its appearance in the world... Songwriter info Born and raised in Rantoul, IL, Lyndsey is no stranger to the strange, plain beauty of small town spaciousness. After studying painting at the University of Illinois, she fled to St. Louis, MO for a decade of community art & rambunctious collaboration, letting kids nurse back the creative soul that art school stole and letting the south side streets be the hard knocks school of social justice. One healing crisis, two superhero bike tours, a yoga teacher training, and a permaculture design course later, she followed insistent gut-tugs to move back and rekindle the Home fire, with these new treasures in tow. Led by the embodied inquiry: "What does earthspeed, restorative culture feel like from the inside?" ~ for 7 years, she practiced weaving a hyperlocal web with Song, gardens, circles, and art, as well as creating a small yoga studio and doing healing work with her blood family. During the pandemic, she closed the yoga studio, moved, taught art at the local juvenile detention center, and began gathering online groups to dismantle internalized scripts of patriarchy and white supremacy through community singing, study, & story-sharing. Now she's asking in (covid-safe) travel motion:: if “grief and Love are sisters”, what rituals and pathways are needed now to tend this unique cultural threshold wisely and grow our bandwidth for building Beloved Community? Songwriter contact You can find Lyndsey lots of different ways online: At her Patreon Account  On Facebook: We Belong Community of Song ​On Youtube - "Song as Prayer" channel  On Instagram @lila.gaia ​And a website!  Nuts & Bolts 4:4, melody with optional lower harmonized layer, Aeolian (natural minor) Visit abreathofsong.com for lyrics, more of Patty's artwork, and a way to nominate songs or songwriters for the podcast. Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me. Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!

Tuesday on AOA farm broadcaster Max Armstrong previews this week's Half Century of Progress Show in Rantoul, Illinois, National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen shares his disappointment over possible lower RVO levels and AFBF economist Veronica Nigh looks at farm bankruptcy numbers and trends.  

A new instructional facility at UIUC, a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Rantoul, the funeral of a Chicago police officer, the trial of R. Kelly, and more. Support this podcast

On this episode, we talk about the history of Juneteenth and share a clip from an interview with local historian Mark Hanson. Mark discusses the 99th Pursuit Squadron: The 99th Pursuit Squadron was the first black flying squadron, and the first to deploy overseas. This squadron is more commonly associated with the Tuskegee Army Air Fields but did you know they got their start in Rantoul, Illinois? Mark Hanson took the time to chat with us about this monumental squadron's start at Chanute Field! Visit our YouTube channel for the full interview: https://youtu.be/gXRkZwV6ayY View our full Virtual Juneteenth Celebration here: https://champaignparks.com/virtual-juneteenth-celebration-2021/ Champaign Park District Program Guide https://champaignparks.com/programs/program-guide/ 1000 Hours Outside Tracker: https://champaignparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/1000-Hours-Outdoors-Tracker-2021.pdf

Lyndsey Scott is an artist, a weaver, a sacred space holder. Through her example, she has taught the people she engages with to open their hearts more with compassion and grace and to lean on the strength of ancestors. Kelly & Lyndsey have a fascinating conversation about rekindling kinship with the earth, the power of song and other spiritual technologies, and anchoring anti-racism as a contemplative and embodied practice. During the episode, we talk about: Permaculture and plants Her early Christian years and deconstructing/reconstructing Power of forgiveness to liberate Who is the beloved in me? And the people I interact with? The positive practice of loss and grief Spiritual technologies Being contemplative and embodied in racial justice, art, and work What does love mean for you? Song as a spiritual practice and community singing Meet Lyndsey Lyndsey is well-versed in social and spiritual practices that support enjoyable, sustainable societal transformation: yoga, song-weaving, visual art, dancing, and gardening. Educated as a painter and trained as a yogi, Lyndsey spent a decade as a community artist in St. Louis before returning to the area to run a yoga studio in Rantoul. She enjoys designing projects to feed her inquiry about life while attracting adventures and connecting with tribes that grace her journey with experiential wisdom in creative healing and joyful sustainability. Her passions are catalyzing radically simple + beautiful + fun intentional community, sparking spontaneous collaborative singing and dancing, long journey bike-abouts throughout the Heartland, permaculture, and loving children. Creating and leading Song has taught her to hold each moment as prayer, whatever the task at hand. She loves to honor thresholds, bring beauty to gatherings, tend the grief in our bones, liberate the pleasure in our bodies ~ all woven in Song, all in service of this great big Coming Home. When she leads Song, she has a deep desire to nourish each person as they claim and wake into our divine birthright, Freedom. Her current growth edge, with mentorship from Holistic Resistance, is leaning into Song as a tool to dismantle internalized white supremacy. Her song teachers and mentors include Liz Rog, Lisa Littlebird, Laurence Cole, and Barbara McAfee who model the path of singing as heart-opening. Learn more about Song Power Hour and other events led by Lyndsey. You can follow Lyndsey on Instagram (@lila.gaia) and YouTube and follow the We Belong! Community of Song on Facebook You can support Lyndsey’s Sacred Song work on Patreon. Resources We Mention My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem The On Being podcast

Sam Hankins had the great fortune to be born into a musical family that would help cultivate his own talent and ambitions. Encouraged by his father, Samuel Hankins Sr., young “Hank”” began with the guitar, then switched to his trademark trumpet in middle school and began playing in churches, professional bands, and orchestras. Hankins remembers clearly being one of only 5 African American kids being bussed to the predominantly white Harmony Elementary School in Oklahoma City.He earns his Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He then joined the air force jazz band, The Pacesetters, stationed at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois as a trumpeter.Hankins then returned to school, earning both a second Bachelors's Degree and a Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Before becoming a solo artist Hankins performed with numerous legendary artists, including Al Jarreau, Clark Terry, The O'Jays, The Temptations, The Dells, The Impressions, Aretha Franklin, and the Glenn Miller Big Band. A prolific composer, Hankins had composed over 150 pieces, as a solo recording artist. He laid the groundwork for Nothing Between Us (May 2012) by releasing Dream Catcher (July 2011), a compilation of his catalog of music in every genre from smooth jazz and dance to techno.He released his third CD, Joyous Celebration, a Christmas CD which is a collaboration with David McLorren in November 2015. His latest CD, Do That Thang was released in March 2016.All 4 CDs have received lots of radio play in the US & around the world and have won over 25 independent music awards. He has single “Carol Dream” was released on September 10th, 2020. he will discuss his newest single 'It's Okay' which has been released this year 2021.

In this episode, Jeff and I talk Illini basketball and their continued surge in the national rankings, we catch up with Kevin Taylor, SJO girls basketball coach and AD Justin Franzen on the restart of HS athletics. We also recap the SJO boys opening win over Rantoul and spend a few moments talking about Seinfeld and their many relationships on this Valentines Day special. Check us out!! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jim-cotter/support

On the outskirts of Rantoul, in east-central Illinois, about 100 migrant farmworkers are living at an old hotel in a sleepy part of town. Every day at the crack of dawn, Samuel Gomez and the rest of the crew get their temperatures checked on the way out the door. Most workers, donning masks, load onto a big yellow school bus for a 30-minute drive to a large warehouse, where they will spend the day sorting corn on large conveyor belts.

Ever walk into a venue back in the day and been greeted by the sounds of the Bukem, the Conrad, the DRS, Blame, Nookie, Blu Mar Ten, Makoto, Pariah, PFM, Alaska, Future Engineers, Pete Rann, Axis, Intense Artemis, Big Bud, Rantoul, Seba, Nu Moon, J Laze etc? Tonight we toast the music of Good Looking and Looking Good Records. This is a brief sojourn through their monumentous back catalogue picked out of my record collection at random. This weeks 7 inches of love is a very strange number from an outfit called Yonatan Gat on the wonderful Joyful Noise Records. It's actually a CD with vinyl grooves etched into one half of it so you can play it on a turntable. Awesome! 

We Check In With A Teacher - Jenna Flessner With Rantoul Township High School by WIXY 100.3

I am a graduate student at Illinois State University studying sociology within the Applied Community Economic Development Program through the Stevenson Center. Prior to enrolling in the Master's program, I served as an AmeriCorps member in City Year Kansas City providing added support in a classroom setting as a primary focus. I now continue to serve as an AmeriCorps member at a non-profit called Hope Meadows located in Rantoul, IL which provides below-market rent housing in exchange that residents provide 6 hours of volunteering within the 22 acre community per week.

30 years ago, Rantoul, Illinois, had the potential to become "one of the hubs of the Midwest in terms of commerce." Following the closure of Chanute Air Force Base, the community is looking for a catalyst to return to prominence. Narration by Peyton Wesner.

The construction and opening of Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois, turned a small community into a bustling village. Take a trip back in time to Rantoul's days of prominence and learn how its downfall began. Narration by Peyton Wesner.

Shot the breeze with his grandfather.

Rantoul, IL Born 1958 Hank Gamel is the Executive Director of Hope Meadows, a subsidiary of Generations of Hope.  He oversees the retirement community which partners seniors with foster families, and has a view of both sides of the human age.

Rantoul, IL Born 1958 Hank Gamel is the Executive Director of Hope Meadows, a subsidiary of Generations of Hope.  He oversees the retirement community which partners seniors with foster families, and has a view of both sides of the human age.

Offering up a fresh and exhilarating vibe with his full length debut Nothing Between Us, trumpeter and composer Sam Hankins draws on a powerhouse resume as a music educator and R&B/jazz sideman that includes multiple awards as a middle school bandleader and performances with numerous legendary artists, including Al Jarreau, Clark Terry, The O'Jays, The Temptations, The Dells, The Impressions, Aretha Franklin and the Glenn Miller Big Band.Armed with an impressive array of degrees and multi-faceted musical credentials, the multi talented Oklahoma born and raised, Chicago based musician is widely recognized in educational circles for his tenure as Band Director at Edison Middle School, where he led numerous ensembles from 1995 through 2006. Hankins led a struggling band program with limited participation into one of the premier middle school instrumental music programs in the United States. During his first year as Band Director, he led two bands to place first in division ratings in the State Music Competitions. The program subsequently earned extensive recognition as one of the premier middle school band programs in Illinois and nationwide by winning numerous Division I ratings, State and National awards and recognitions.During this time, Hankins was invited to be a Guest Conductor for Jazz and Concert bands as well as a guest soloist. He also founded, organized and directed The East Central Illinois Jazz Institute, a summer jazz camp of approximately 20 students from throughout east-central Illinois. In 1998, he received The White House Letter recognizing the Edison Middle School Band Program signed by Hillary Rodham Clinton.A prolific composer, Hankins had composed over 150 pieces before he took his wife's advice and began pursuing the next phase of his diverse career, as a solo recording artist. He laid the groundwork for Nothing Between Us by releasing Dream Catcher, a compilation of his catalog of music in every genre from smooth jazz and dance to techno. Building up a supportive network of fans via social media, he blended old school R&B/funk with cutting edge grooves, dynamic melodies and wild brass sizzle on the new project, which is produced by bassist Paul Richmond and features Zorn McGuire on drums. Hankins has already received airplay on numerous internet outlets, including the GHP Radio Network and LUTG Radio.“From my many years of working with different producers and in various studios, I've learned what people like to listen to, and generally they love music that keeps things simple,” says Hankins. “I certainly had a lot of material that was artsy and complicated but for my first urban jazz project, my goal was to create tracks that people can enjoy that I personally felt good about. I admire popular contemporary trumpet players like Chris Botti and Rick Braun, but I take a different approach with my horn that makes my vibe unique to the genre. As a composer, I always want to write songs that uplift people's spirits and make them happy, or get them thinking about things. Because it mixes R&B and jazz, Nothing Between Us really gets me back to my roots as a musician.”Hankins has enjoyed a long history of doing gigs with many legendary jazz and R&B artists—from Al Jarreau to Aretha Franklin and Clark Terry. Over the years, while maintaining an active educational career, he has played with funk bands, circus bands, cruise ship ensembles and different “combos”. He is currently putting things together for more solo live performances and has numerous skillful musicians that he has previously worked with on eager standby.ABOUT THE MUSICHankins draws urban jazz fans into the pocket from the get go, playing a lighthearted trumpet melody over an infectious funk groove and soaring symphonic old school R&B textures on the opening title track. His dreamy and soulful melody on “We Come Together” is backed by cool ambience and easy rolling percussion; the tune features a hypnotic horn hook and tradeoff sections between the trumpet and saxophone. Hankins' Earth, Wind & Fire influence is front and center on the high energy “See Me”, who's bright brassy horns accent and provide a dynamic foundation for a playful lead trumpet melody all over a cutting edge funk groove. The trumpeter chills out and takes the tempo down a few notches on the sweet and romantic “I Can Be”, a vocal ballad sung by his brother Marcellus Hankins. The groove kicks back up only slightly on the sensual, light funk driven “Soft Touch,” whose 70s styled soul textures give way to a more 80s styled synth jam energy on the bass driven “Reach For Me”; the track features a playful interaction between Hankins' dancing trumpet melody and the synthesized grooves. He ventures into brassy gospel territory (complete with textured vocals) on the jangling funk explosion “Give It A Try” before moving into more hypnotic, lyrical territory on the easygoing, crunch groove driven “Where Am I.” Some infectious wah-wah guitar and old school synth bounce adds flavor to the horn-splashed funk of “You Should Have”. Hankins moves from old school to contemporary hip-hop on the final track “Get Back Step Back”, whose dramatic orchestral intro gives way to bouncy hip-hop with street signs and a spirited anthem-like rap.FROM THE BEGINNINGSamuel Hankins had the great fortune to be born into a musical family that would help cultivate his own talent and ambitions. His maternal grandmother played the piano and sang gospel. His father played harmonica and vocals in various R&B bands, and his brother Marcellus (who performs on Nothing Between Us) plays the piano, majored in voice and teaches elementary school music. Encouraged by his father, Samuel Hankins Sr., young “Hank”” began with the guitar, then switched to his trademark trumpet in middle school and began playing in churches, professional bands and orchestras.After earning his Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Hankins joined the Air Force Jazz Band, The Pacesetters, stationed at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois. He remained with the Pacesetters as a trumpeter until the Air Force Base closed in 1991. Sam then returned to school, earning both a second Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Hankins left Edison Middle School after 11 years in 2006 to pursue an international teaching career in the country of Bermuda. He then returned to the U.S. in 2008 to teach at McKay High School in Salem, Oregon, again leading their Jazz Band & Marching Band to place within the top three in state competitions. In 2010, the trumpeter returned to Chicago, where he was hired as Band Director at Christ Our Savior Catholic School in a temporary position; when this band program was terminated due to a lack of funding, Hankins began concentrating on pursuing his passion for arranging and composing, which ultimately led to the recording of Nothing Between Us. He recently accepted a position as Band Director at Crete-Monee Middle School in Chicago and is looking forward to working with band students again while pursuing his solo career.

General discussions. Tracy talks about upcoming trip to Rantoul. Pic of the Week - AFF instructor Junior Ludvik slaps the pilot chute a level 1 student's hand while instructor Jesse Watson watches. Photo by Shane Migliore. Cory reviews Birdmen, Batmen, and Skyflyers, by Michael Abrams. Dave and Tracy review The Ultimate Pro Pack. We have a cross dresser listening in Germany.