On the 60th anniversary of that fateful day, Lawrence Lehmer talks about his book that chronicles the grueling nature of the bus rides on two-lane roads in the dead of winter, Iowa’s major role in the tour, and decisions that led to the crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, and Holly’s impact on American music and culture.

Dale Maharidge talks about his book, Bringing Mulligan Home, and his mission to locate the remains of his dad’s friend that takes him to Okinawa and on a very personal journey familiar to those of us with relatives who served in combat.

Bill C. Malone, author of Country Music USA and advisor to Ken Burns’ PBS documentary on country music, provides the answer and talks about the appeal of country music, its roots, impact on our culture and more.

Bill Medley, half of the famous Righteous Brothers, shares how his music spanned five decades in popularity, its impact on American society and other stories from his autobiography, The Time of My Life.

Bob Mann, author of Backrooms and Bayous: My Life in Louisiana Politics, takes you inside the halls of power in Washington and Louisiana, through his career transitions in journalism, politics and academics, experiences with legendary Louisiana political figures, and provides important advice for young people entering politics including the ability to ‘say no’ to people in power.

Sam Quinones, author of Dreamland, the best account of the opioid epidemic, talks about his book and the perfect storm that led to this scourge that became a leading issue in the 2016 presidential campaign.

I was fortunate enough to land JD Vance as a guest just before his popularity skyrocketed and led to a movie by Ron Howard and his current candidacy for the US Senate in Ohio. He discusses his book and applies a more even-handed approach to the politics of the white, working class based on his early, hardscrabble life in Appalachian Ohio and Kentucky.

Iowa-born John Wayne went on to become one of Hollywood’s most famous actors but was also involved in most post-World War II political controversies from the Red Scare to Vietnam. Author Scott Eyman discusses the Duke’s political life including his visceral reaction to ‘High Noon’ and the Wayne classic movie that he brought about in response.

While best known for his closeness to JFK, the ‘Chairman of the Board’ was involved with politics throughout most of his remarkable singing career. Hear biographer James Kaplan discuss Sinatra’s political metamorphosis along with his impact on American culture and, of course, his essential songs.

Bob Bruno, Director of the Labor Education Program and Professor at the University of Illinois, discusses the positive and negative impacts of Covid on American workers, the state of unions, a possible resurgence of domestic manufacturing, globalization’s role in the labor market, and much more.