Three Song Stories

Larry Ford (father of episode 75 guest Seth Ford) is a Grammy winning gospel singer who’s found audiences all over the world because of his truly commanding voice. Originally from Lubbock, Texas, Larry’s work has taken him to 49 of the 50 states -- and to as far away as South Korea and South America. He's also sang the National Anthem for the Boston Red Sox or Tampa Bay Lightning. Larry has attracted a legion of admirers who appreciate his clear, powerful tenor voice and utter sincerity. In 2003, he won a Grammy for Best Southern Gospel Recording. His arrival to the world stage was as a featured soloist on the Gaither Music Homecoming Series, which consistently ranks in the top of Billboard Magazines music charts, and which we heard a song from in Seth’s episode. 

Marlin Miller is publisher of Plain Values, a quarterly magazine dedicated to the notion that faith-centered simple living within community is still possible today. Through it, he and his wife Lisa also operate the nonprofit Room to Bloom - they raise money to help families adopt kids with Down Syndrome and special needs. They also founded Juneberry Hill Schoolhouse - a multi-age, inclusive homeschool co-op one room schoolhouse they built on their homestead using parts of a schoolhouse that dates back to 1850.SONG 1: "Tea of Sympathy" by Jars of Clay from their 1997 album Much Afraid.https://youtu.be/3u5BjMQ2LcE?si=-ATcIXWxXx0UHCtaSONG 2: "Called Home" by Over the Rhine from their 2013 album Meet Me at the Edge of the World.https://youtu.be/NfTQCgX0lwM?si=IuEuUIMZOj-frZkmSONG 3: "Hold My Hand" by Sam Burchfield from his album Graveyard Flower released in 2020.https://youtu.be/UJoTHzzkj2c?si=l5x_EMi92z-RXbSm

Matt Ross is an entrepreneur, author, and media executive. From 1989 to 2005, Matt led some major radio brands, including: New York’s Classic Rock Station, Q104.3 - and and its Hip Hop Station, Hot 97. He then invested in and became CEO of School of Rock. Under his leadership, School of Rock grew from 5 locations to 55.In 2012, Matt founded One River School in Englewood, New Jersey with a mission to “Transform Art Education.” Today, One River School operates fifteen schools in six states with plans for substantial growth in the coming years. He also works to support organizations that build communities for adults with autism, and he’s a champion of artists and arts-based organizations. His first book, “Grow or Fold: Transform Yourself in Midlife and Beyond” is set to release in mid-January.SONG 1: “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away from The Beatles” from their album Help! released in 1965.SONG 2: “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson Five (The Jacksons?) released in 1970 on their album Third Album.SONG 3: “It’s Not My Cross to Bear” by The Allman Brothers from their self-titled album released in 1969.

 Pam James has been a part of the WGCU Public Media team and family since 2013 - he’s been our Executive Producer of Content since 2020, leading our different teams across media platforms including radio and TV and how it all becomes digital these days. She began her career in 1995 as a TV producer for Kansas City Public Television (now KCPBS) where she created award-winning documentaries, magazine stories, interstitials, and promos, as well as producing live fundraisers for TV broadcasts like pledge drives and auctions. SONG 1: “Afternoon Delight” by the Starland Vocal Band from their self-titled album released in 1976. https://youtu.be/_dsn0zKSpMk?si=EYLb-sNJVC99F3lESONG 2: “The Other Shoe” by Old 97s from their 1995 album Wreck Your Life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr5_pDqQO_MSONG 3: ”Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)” from Hamilton  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqj0vylZAF4

John Joyce is host of the Solid State Podcast, it’s a weekly program devoted to all things tech. Born and raised in Fort Myers, John founded the computer firm Republic Technologies, while in college, and eventually merged it with CRS Technology Consultants to form one of this region’s largest IT firms which he is now CEO and Co-Owner of.His partnership with the IT Disaster Resource Center brought connectivity back to Southwest Florida after Hurricane Ian, helping first responders access areas and people in need of assistance. SONG 1: "Fly Me to the Moon" - Frank Sinatra with Count Basie And His Orchestra recorded in 1964.https://youtu.be/ZEcqHA7dbwM?si=Su_nbKODkZTNZSCwSONG 2: "Give Life Back to Music" - Daft Punk from their 2013 album Random Access Memories.https://youtu.be/Kwt3LZBc-44?si=bkNciErMVw_nebb2SONG 3: The Main Title Theme to "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" by Jeff Russo released on the Season 1 Original Series Soundtrack in 2023. https://youtu.be/SA1EnPz5onU?si=X-6wo9U6LP8ZtP7F

Jen Chapin was born and raised in New York in Huntington, Long Island - the daughter of Harry and Sandy Chapin. Over the years has produced a bunch of albums of her own music, including Open Wide, Linger, Ready, and Reckoning. She also put out a tribute album called ReVisions: Songs of Stevie Wonder. Recently she’s been performing with the J.Chapes Jazz Band which includes her husband, jazz bassist Stephan Crump.Over the decades she’s served on the board of directors for WhyHunger, that’s the nonprofit co-founded by Harry Chapin in 1975.Jen is also a high school history teacher in Brooklyn, New YorkSONG 1: “The Ocean” by Led Zeppelin from their 1973 album The Song Remains the Same.https://youtu.be/H8bVaTW6UCU?si=H9gF8Qka2ENganiVSONG 2: “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)” by Stevie Wonder from his album Talking Book released in 1972. https://youtu.be/VfDZNwJ3jVU?si=o2U3ySrqE0XChFuYSONG 3: “Teach Me Tonight” by Nancy Wilson released in 1960...it was the first song on her album Something Wonderful.  https://youtu.be/OF7pxY9KXsg?si=Jk-U7tZQexcJdblt

A return to the very first (Pilot) episode of Three Song Stories with Co-creator, producer, and sometimes host, Richard Chin Quee. Richard is FM Station manager at WGCU where he and Mike Kiniry make Three Song Stories, and this episode was the prototype for our show, today.

Janine is an artist who has worked on The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, and she did network work for shows including 20/20 and The View and things on PBS. She also produced a 4-hour watercolor course with renowned watercolor artist, Charles Reid.A trip to Italy in high school illuminated her love for travel and experiencing other cultures. While living in Victoria, BC she entered the world of media production and video editing. She worked for the CBC and also became a specialist in editing dance videos for Quebec stars, where she once edited puppet music videos for Chicken Minute on The Learning Channel.In the year after Hurricane Ian Janine decided to focus on her visual art and joined a community that supports artists, launched her website, arpeggioart.com, and began exhibiting at art fairs across Southwest Florida.SONG 1: Kate & Anna McGarrigle's “Complainte Pour Ste Catherine” from the album Kate & Anna McGarrigle released in 1976. https://youtu.be/k-xR6s9zyWY?si=Mk6mELqfKB9gjM3lSONG 2: Philip Glass's ‘Heroes’ Symphony No. 4 https://youtu.be/Hepf31JoBNo?si=EGlGjr2GpRtCPidASONG 3: “Days Gone By” by Eastern Sun & John Kelley released in 2009 on the album We Are One. https://youtu.be/_I92aZAsyeM?si=THTkOu8E2PFEdrPI

Nancy Cote is Executive Director of Beacon of HOPE Pine Island, where she leads transformative efforts to strengthen education, recovery, and community resilience across Bokeelia, Saint James City, and Matlacha. Originally from Mexico but raised in California, Nancy has developed a deep understanding of diverse life experiences—from immigrants to combat veterans—thanks to her personal journey and professional background.SONG 1: “Oye Como Va Mi Ritmo” by Santana from his 1970 album Abraxas. https://youtu.be/J7ATTjg7tpE?si=A2xH8mzxlJ-O64PzSONG 2: “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel from their self-titled album released in 1972. https://youtu.be/ln7Vn_WKkWU?si=lXDjs3PNYaz3eHRVSONG 3: “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival released in 1969 on their fourth studio album, Willy and the Poor Boys. https://youtu.be/ZWijx_AgPiA?si=57QPjliKr7dsO0w_

Andrew Bennett was born and raised in North Carolina, and then during high school, his dad’s job brought the family to Utah, where he attended college at Brigham Young University. He’s a lawyer who has called Southwest Florida home for the past 15 years. He and his wife moved to Naples in 2010 so he could attend law school at Ave Maria School of Law. They have three fully-Floridian kids ages 9, 11, and 13.  He mostly practices law as in-house counsel for healthcare companies. SONG 1: "A Long December” by the Counting Crows released in 1996 on their album Recovering the Satellites. https://youtu.be/7YiFGBaHDBo?si=gjykb-69_jwysnxfSONG 2: "Wouldn't it be Nice” by the Beach Boys from the 1966 album Pet Sounds.(1996 remaster) https://youtu.be/dmcNbsLCpBQ?si=Ou_hVP-5xWK4oemLSONG 3: "Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival off their 1969 album Green River. (1985 remaster) https://youtu.be/tKJwvQfraY8?si=LReknICiJku2OFgQ

Charles Monroe-Kane is a Peabody award-winning radio producer who spent 24 years as a senior producer and interviewer for the national public radio show To the Best of Our Knowledge which WGCU aired on Saturday mornings until about a month ago when it ended at least in part due to recent funding cuts across the public radio world.His 2024 audio documentary, “The Spirit of Jim Thorpe,” was awarded first place by the Indigenous Journalists Association and in 2025 he produced the “Climate Narratives” audio documentary series in Greenland.Charles’s 2016 book "Lithium Jesus: A Memoir of Mania" recounts many of his you could say far-out life stories: including being a teenage faith healer, world traveler, smuggler, liberation theologian, ladder-maker, squatter, halibut hanger, grifter, environmental warrior, and circus manager—all the while wrestling with schizophrenia and self-medication. SONG 1: "Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)" by Tom Waits from his 1975 album Nighthawks at the Diner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlPN2vtn-0sSONG 2: “Trucker Speed” by Fred Eaglesmith – it was released in 2012 on the album 6Volts. Live – The Fred Eaglesmith Travelling Steam Show on Sept. 30, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFr0CzZti2MSONG 3: Massive Attack’s “Protection” ft. Tracey Thorn from the album of the same name released in 1994. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epgo8ixX6Wo

Sheri Castle was the host and producer of the Emmy-winning PBS cooking show The Key Ingredient - for three seasons. She’s also an award-winning professional food writer, recipe developer, and cooking teacher known for melding stories, humor, and culinary expertise. Sheri has authored a tall stack of cookbooks and her writing and recipes appear in a long list of publications, including her role as featured monthly columnist of Our State and Contributing Editor for Southern Living. In 2024, the Southern Foodways Alliance presented Sheri with their prestigious Keeper of the Flame Award given to a “foodways tradition bearer of note”. The SFA also named her one of 20 Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller.SONG 1: "Sitting on Top of The World" by Doc Watson...this recording is from the box set Doc Watson Life's Work: A Retrospective released in 2021.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ner4hbSTfkESONG 2: "Blackbird” by The Beatles from their album The Beatles that hit the world in 1968.https://youtu.be/Man4Xw8Xypo?si=Daa_mqohN-FvC5QtSONG 3: “She Used to be Mine” by Sara Bareilles…she made it for her musical adaptation of the film The Waitress. She released it on her 2015 album What's Inside: Songs from Waitress…this version is her performing it with Rufus Wainwright at the Kennedy Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAZ1nfuluz0

Rob Kovacs is a multi-award-winning video game composer, pianist, songwriter, and Twitch streamer who bridges the worlds of gaming and music. He’s known online as 88bit, and performs at major gaming events like PAX, MAGFest, and TwitchCon. Rob made history in 2005 when he was a senior in college when he became the first person to perform Steve Reich’s Piano Phase solo on two pianos at once…one piano for each hand…the piece is designed to be performed by two pianists so four hands and two brains…with Reich on hand to watch the performance.He’s been streaming on Twitch since around 2020 - mixing video game music, pop, rock, classical, and his own originals—while also teaching composition and songwriting at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio and performing with the contemporary classical group No Exit. SONG 1: “Optimistic” by Radiohead from their album Kid A released in 2000.https://youtu.be/1On-ZHfTWOo?si=0OxDu5NwHDB8InhkSONG 2: “Air Man’s Theme” from (the video game) Mega Man 2 - the soundtrack was composed by Takashi Tateishi with Manami Matsumae (Mega Man composer) for providing the foundation and co-composing a minor part of the melody for Air Man's stage.  https://youtu.be/IhK4D3ytYMc?si=zU5x4131zZY8O3_CSONG 3: “Wichita Lineman” by Glen Campbell (written by Jimmy Webb) from his 1968 album of the same name. Its B-side on the single was Fate of Man. https://youtu.be/Q8P_xTBpAcY?si=3K0GMwaMLWVaDArl

Jason Colannino is a singer-songwriter who was born and raised on the Jersey shore but has called Boynton Beach home since the early 90s.Jason has recorded four albums of his original songs: Since 1969, Piece of the Sun, Lost in Vacation, and his most recent A Hawaiian Music Tribute, which is a collection of cover songs by Hawaiian songwriters because in recent years Jason added the ukulele to his act after a trip to Hawaii led him down that path - breaking the uke stereotype by covering songs from the likes of the Beatles, Frankie Valli, Queen, among others.SONG 1: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performing "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" at Woodstock in 1969 on Monday, August 18th 1969 at three o'clock in the morning. https://youtu.be/9lembnHGIfU?si=Pd4fDBcg-Le0ejJXSONG 2: Simon and Garfunkel performing "The Sound of Silence"in Central Park in New York City on September 19th, 1981, on their live album The Concert in Central Park in 1982. https://youtu.be/yBg83_jHW4k?si=A06u6CdgZjMq8NnSSONG 3: "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin off his 1974 album Verities & Balderdash. https://youtu.be/2SALgIAdxjg?si=lv-1P5AjG7Hpls75

Gabe McCauley is an Emmy-winning writer, actor, director, and storyteller who says he is driven by a singular purpose: to shape the culture of tomorrow through the power of film. As founder of lilDRAGON and Soul Feather Studios, Gabe has built a creative legacy across genres and formats, from network TV to indie film and the feature film Heaven Bound. He’s directed nine seasons of national television, including the acclaimed Joey & Rory Show and Reconnecting Roots, now in its fourth season on PBS which he is also host of.SONG 1: "Let’s Go Crazy" by Prince off his 1984 album Purple Rain.https://youtu.be/WGtCC7bUkIw?si=3T1T_8lJL3pqOIc3SONG 2: "Conga!" by Gloria Estefan (Miami Sound Machine)...this was on her album Primitive Love released in 1985.https://youtu.be/5SXX-pWzOY8?si=ld9RsOrIhIa1RCjYSONG 3: "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" by the Avett Brothers released in 2009 on their album I and Love and You.https://youtu.be/jyfeOyglMtI?si=0Sr20Zv4W9dbO3WE

Sean Dietrich is Known to many or most as Sean of the South. He's Sean is a columnist, novelist, and stand-up storyteller known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Newsweek, Southern Living, Reader's Digest, Garden & Gun, and his column appears in newspapers throughout the U.S. He’s published fifteen books, makes the Sean of the South Podcast, and has appeared six times on the Grand Ole Opry.His 2020 memoir is titled “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: A Memoir of Learning to Believe You're Gonna Be Okay” and he has a new book coming out on October 7th called “Over Yonder.” SONG 1: “The Swan” from Camille Saint-Saëns “Carnival of Animals” performed here by The Kanney-Mason family in 2021. https://youtu.be/10Z1eNq21yc?si=UGUNUNEK2hbMWZVnIlia Laporev & Augustin Tjampens last year. https://youtu.be/RmQRcYuK5KY?si=6OXi7mNMjoJwEG2ISONG 2: “Howling at the Moon” by Hank Willaims (Sr.) released as a single in 1951 with I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You) as the B-side. https://youtu.be/FvsqlTGgKeg?si=2h85pWKGdydg3xs7SONG 3: “Drunken Hiccups” performed here by Tommy Jarrell...recorded in 1976. This song dates to the 1800s. From Legends of Old Time Music - https://youtu.be/-d6prY0iVEg?si=29AjvNdrSDfnh7MxSail Away Ladies - 1999 Country Records - https://youtu.be/rrEKXGWMy3s?si=uz24IzWwlqplOK47

Alexis Aggrey is a director and producer who has worked with public television, cable TV, and museum clients for more than 15 years, creating documentary content that educates and inspires.In 2016, she produced three galleries of media on African American History and Culture for the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.She formed The Aggrey Company in 2019, it’s a production company she describes as a “group of talented individuals with diverse creative skills, each working to foster an environment of collaboration and transparency.”Her latest project is "Becoming Thurgood: America's Social Architect" which she is producer and director of. It explores the life and legacy of our nation’s first African American Supreme Court justice, Thurgood MarshallSONG 1: "Blessed" by Jill Scott released in 2011 on her album The Light of the Sun.https://youtu.be/v0n_EdeuhwM?si=kxgMugICWPwAjSwPSONG 2: "Free" by Denise Williams released as a single in 1976 and then on her album This is Niecy that same year.https://youtu.be/OlLrn6AVV2s?si=tGqDIMNS7xFS1fq0SONG 3: "Nothing to Lose" by Pat Junior, featuring Tecoby Hines released in April of this year.https://youtu.be/SseznVZWb54?si=BM0Lc9MS9_qKbXTo

Jeannine Joy is the President and CEO of United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties. She began her journey with the organization in 1995 as a Campaign Associate and has since held several leadership roles, including Vice President of Resource Development and Marketing, before assuming the CEO position in June 2019. Over her 30-year tenure, Jeannine has helped raise and distribute more than $240 million, working alongside hundreds of community leaders and thousands of volunteers.SONG 1: "You Don’t Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce released in 1972 on his album of the same name.https://youtu.be/hickVDiW8k0?si=PoPWJsaMcGrCrtrCSONG 2: “Groove Is In The Heart” by Deee-Lite from their album World Clique released in 1990. This is Three Song Stories…home of biography through music.https://youtu.be/Y4TC2D7uGqs?si=ByQ11kZWN30PQXkuSONG 3: Jimmy Buffett's "Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season" off his 1974 album A1A. Studio: https://youtu.be/E8GcT5PBIC4?si=zCEidGYCjtSyfMRaLive: https://youtu.be/IZMH2EZeqN4?si=kgEPJaU7jj1ly90f

Scott Fais is host of Florida Road Trip produced by WUCF in Orlando and broadcast on PBS stations around the state including WGCU. Prior to joining Florida Road Trip in late 2023, Scott spent two decades in Central Florida as a television reporter, producer, and director. He hosted Florida on a Tankful for about a decade on News 13 in Orlando and Bay News 9 in Tampa.SONG 1: “Holiday Road" by Lindsey Buckingham...it was released as a single in 1983 for the film National Lampoon's Vacation...and then used in that film's sequels over the years. 2:12https://youtu.be/c3Ash2iSUjE?si=uylfN700SwNBypN6SONG 2: “Roam” by the B52s off their 1989 album Cosmic Thing. 4:55https://youtu.be/pE6vnv_vVpY?si=s2IebTOCl3Ejv3k4SONG 3: “Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac released in 1977 on their album Rumours. 3:38https://youtu.be/oiosqtFLBBA?si=LSEQJpuqFgYQvaF6

Abraham Joseph is co-founder and CEO of a brand new app called “BoomBox” that he’s created with a team of current and former FGCU students - he himself is currently an MBA student at FGCU.With a background in psychology and a passion for music's connective power, Abraham has transformed his personal experiences of disconnection into a platform that fosters genuine connections through shared musical tastes.They describe Boombox as “the digital block party.”SONG 1: "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" performed here by  Lydia Walker...it's off her album Communion released in 2015. 2:45https://youtu.be/L7XHeCZB5KU?si=MozLEFpTlyexxZZmSONG 2: "Angels" (feat. Saba) by Chance the Rapper released in 2016 on the album Coloring Book.https://youtu.be/c3WjFk47NqI?si=tbWSY1vCguHTt9CISONG 3: "327" by (Joey Bada$$) and Westside Gunn off the album Pray for Paris released in 2020. (ft. Tyler, The Creator & Billie Essco) https://youtu.be/kmhgibIoJj0?si=jVwcwp3dafTdgQwy