From The Empty Bottle Chicago: 21+ Years of Music / Friendly / Dancing to Mozos: A Decade Running with the Bulls of Spain, beautiful literary works of art go through Curbside Splendor Editor-in-Chief Naomi Huffman first. Naomi gives Rick a snippet of each new book, many of which highlight Chicago nuances.

Composer, pianist and sound engineer Bradley Parker Sparrow and his wife, Vocalist Joanie Palatto, own Sparrow Sound Design. They join Rick, and Henry Farag of “The Signal,” to discuss their new George Flynn CD, “Poetry and Music.”  Join Sparrow and Joanie August 7th for a CD release party at the Green Mill!

The late Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko gives his take on Chicago’s game.  

The Ben Hecht Show writer and performer Jim Sherman joins Rick in-studio to talk about Hecht’s unique rise to fame as a playwright, and what really interests people in his life today. Get your tickets to the one-man show at Piven Theatre, as it extends its run through the end of August!

Dillinger Day organizer Steve Sato discusses the former Public Enemy Number One with Rick, and interviews the creator of the commemoration, Bill Helmer.

Film producer Jason Brett joins Kate Hannigan, author of The Detective’s Assistant, to bring to life the story of Detective Kate Warne.

From the annual celebration of mooning Amtrak trains, to a nudist resort, Harvey Moshman and Will Clinger of “Wild Travels” tell Rick how they plan all their upcoming expeditions.

“After Hours” producer Elif gives her first “Around Town” report on Evanston’s Music Institute of Chicago. No matter your age, this music school has a place for you. Check out MIC’s upcoming Duo Piano Festival, and follow these “Around Town” reports to hear more from owners of establishments all over Chicagoland!

Musician Michael Miles joins Rick in-studio to talk about his career year by year, and what drew him to instruments like the guitar and the banjo. He explains how history has impacted his own creations, and how A-Sides came to be.

Author Gint Aras describes what he saw through a window made of garbage in his mind’s eye, when he came to create one of his first characters. The Fugue author tells us about the process of writing, and how this novel went from being a failure in his head, to publishable.