Hey Amarillo

In a special year-end episode, Hey Amarillo host Jason Boyett and editor Angelina Marie answer listener-submitted questions about the podcast, including surprises during recording, Jason's vocal tics, how he chooses guests, what Angelina edits out, and a lot more. They also discuss Amarillo itself: local "hidden gems," their individual Amarillo-related worries, and what their dreams are for the city. This episode is sponsored by the Discover Amarillo app, SKP Creative and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

Jason's father, Mike Boyett, passed away on December 16, 2021, after a year-long journey with cancer. As a result, there will not be a new Hey Amarillo episode this week. Instead, host Jason Boyett has recorded a quick message for listeners. Read Mike Boyett's obituary here. Contribute to the T. Mike Boyett Memorial Scholarship Fund here.

A conversation with Jim Whitton, who is officially retired but has made enormous contributions helping connect Storybridge to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Jim has had an incredibly diverse career, from international banking to talent representation in New York City to marketing at Hastings in the 1990s, followed by a lengthy tenure with The Hunger Project. He tells host Jason Boyett about the various stages of his career, how they led him to Amarillo, and why he decided to stay. This episode is sponsored by Pesttex and SKP Creative.

A conversation with Claudia Stuart, recently named Distinguished Alumni at West Texas A&M University. Decades ago, she became WT's first full-time, African American female faculty member and authored several books, including African Americans in Amarillo, which she cowrote. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Stuart shares about growing up in Germany, being one of the first Black students at WT, and her incredibly diverse career in sociology, criminal justice and other fields. This episode is sponsored by Shemen Dental and SKP Creative.

A conversation with Angela Workman, the proprietor of Aunt Eek's Books & Curiosities on historic 6th Street in Amarillo. Angela grew up in rural Amarillo, married early and left town. She eventually found her way back to Amarillo, where she spent time in the antiques world and working in temp agencies. Last year, during the pandemic, she opened the popular Aunt Eek's with a desire to create something fresh and new on 6th with a truly distinct personality. She tells host Jason Boyett that story in this episode, which is sponsored by La-Z-Boy and SKP Creative.

A conversation with Jill Goodrich, the executive director of Opportunity School. A native of Nebraska, Jill first came to Amarillo as an intern during her college years. She then spent the first decades of her career in marketing and communications—work that eventually brought her back to Amarillo. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Jill shares how she found her way into the nonprofit world and why early childhood education can be such a powerful force. This episode is sponsored by the Discover Amarillo app.

A conversation with Natalie Schlabs, a Nashville singer-songwriter who grew up in Hereford and spent the first few years of her music career in Amarillo. After working in the food and catering for a few years, Schlabs eventually moved to Nashville to take her burgeoning music career more seriously. In this episode, she tells host Jason Boyett about getting her start singing in church, the early influence of former podcast guest Ryan Culwell, and how the Amarillo area continues to inform her songwriting. This episode is sponsored by Blue Handle Publishing.

A conversation with the Honorable Judge Doug Woodburn of the 108th District Court in Potter County. A long-time family law attorney before his election in 2008, Woodburn is nearing his retirement. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, he shares why he committed so much time to family law, why he decided to run for judge several terms ago, and how the actual courtroom differs from what we see on television. Woodburn also shares about the new indigent defense plan he helped launch for Potter County. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Susan Sherali, a third-year medical student and one of nine Afghani siblings who arrived as refugees in 2000. Susan and her family fled the Taliban and happened to end up in Amarillo—and two decades later, continue to love living here. Susan tells host Jason Boyett about learning English at Lamar Elementary and First Baptist Church, practicing her Islamic faith in a predominantly Christian area, and why she's so grateful for the opportunities she's been given. This episode is sponsored by Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Brady Clark, the co-founder and executive director of Square Mile Community Development, an organization working to bring long-term improvements to the San Jacinto neighborhood. A former pastor and veteran nonprofit consultant, Brady spent several years working in inner-city Dallas before returning to his hometown. He tells host Jason Boyett about growing up in Amarillo's 1990s punk scene, what makes the SanJac neighborhood unique, and how Amarillo drew him back home. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative.