Hey Amarillo

A conversation with Zivorad Filipovic, director of marketing and communications for High Plains Food Bank. Z first came to the U.S. as a refugee from Serbia during the Balkans crisis in the 1990s. He learned English at Sam Houston Middle School and became the first in his family to graduate from college. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Z describes his intense upbringing, the Amarillo teachers who invested in him, and how he found a home in Amarillo's nonprofit world. This episode is sponsored by Little Texas for TEXAS, Shemen Dental and La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries.

A conversation with Jimmy Lackey, President and CEO of Kids, Incorporated, the nonprofit youth sports organization that celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Lackey tells how he arrived at the iconic organization in the 1990s, how he helped bring Kids Inc online in the early days of the internet, and how Cal Farley and a few friends originally founded the program in the 1940s. This episode is sponsored by the WT Enterprise Center and Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Abi Rivera, owner of The Society Barbershop. The first of her family to graduate from high school, Rivera has found success with her upscale shop, which specializes in men's cuts and beard services. She only opened a year ago but is already launching a second Amarillo location. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Rivera reveals why Amarillo was the perfect place to start her business. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, SKP Creative and Jimmy John's.

RERELEASE: A conversation with R. Taylor Moore, a former CIA operative and the author of the thriller Down Range, set in the Panhandle. Taylor grew up in South Texas, traveled the world, and found his way into a decade-long career in intelligence. With host Jason Boyett, he shares how he arrived in Amarillo "kicking and screaming" but saw that decision launch his writing career—and change the direction of his life. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical and the WT Enterprise Center.

A conversation with Julian Reese, head coach of the Amarillo Venom and a co-owner of Golden Gate Mortuary. Reese arrived in Amarillo as a football prospect hoping the Arena League would offer a path to the pros. He ended up staying, getting married, and coaching the local indoor football team. In this conversation with host Jason Boyett, Reese details his unconventional career paths and why he's chosen to stay in Amarillo. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, Shemen Dental and Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Shawn Kennedy, executive director of Blank Spaces Murals & Gallery. Kennedy teaches art at Caprock High School and guides this local mural group—made up of high school students—which is responsible for 20-plus public murals in and around Amarillo. He tells host Jason Boyett about his temporarily itinerant life after high school, the deep educational value of Blank Spaces, and how art is a form of storytelling. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, the WT Enterprise Center, and La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries.

A conversation with Ryan Culwell, a Texas Panhandle native and former Amarillo resident now working in Nashville as a singer-songwriter. Culwell's acclaimed album Flatlands was inspired by this area, and his recent work has won further accolades. Returning to Amarillo for a show at the Golden Light, he shares with host Jason Boyett about his career, his influences, and why he kept returning to Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like a Hole" during the pandemic. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, SKP Creative and Blue Handle Publishing.

A conversation with Viv Salomon, the Amarillo-based host of the national podcast How to Liv with Viv. Originally from Borger, Salomon ended up in Amarillo after college and works in the world of physical therapy. But she's passionate about mental health and helping others, like her, navigate successfully through their 20s. She tells host Jason Boyett about her upbringing, her career path, and the friendships that sparked her popular inspirational podcast. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical and WT Enterprise Center.

A conversation with Doug Lill, a local pharmacist, nutritionist and supplements expert at Drug Emporium. A local TV fixture as "Pharmacist Doug," Lill spent his career traveling the world as a relief pharmacist before returning to Amarillo a decade ago. After having grown up in this area, his travels helped him come to terms with who he is—and gave him a more positive perspective on the city as a result. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, Shemen Dental and Wieck Realty.

In this special 200th episode of Hey Amarillo, host Jason Boyett takes a seat on the other side of the mic, interviewed by KAMR Local 4 News anchor Jackie Kingston. They discuss his early career, the books he's written, how he chooses guests for the podcast, his new print magazine Brick & Elm, and the overall media landscape in Amarillo. Plus, Jason offers his answers to the typical Eight Straight questions. This episode is sponsored by the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, the WT Enterprise Center, and La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries.