Bobby Norfolk

Story: Wicked John & the Devil

Teller: Bobby Norfolk

Site: folktale.com

Notes: Bobby has been an Emmy Award winning TV host, National Park Ranger, stand-up comedian and now makes his living as a storyteller and educator. His ability to read and connect with audiences of all ages makes him one of our favorite storytellers. His performances are a perfect marriage of theatrics and education, and he inspires and motivates kids and adults alike through the tradition of oral storytelling. In this story, John and the devil try to outwit and outlast each other.

Octavia Sexton

Story: Jack and the Magic Sack

Teller: Octavia Sexton

Site: www.octaviasexton.com

Notes: A native eastern Kentucky, Octavia knows life in the Appalachians quite well. Her storytelling performances, workshops, and storytelling residencies utilize historical writing, drama, environmental awareness and much more. In this jack tale, see if you can recognize the conventions and characteristics of a classic storytelling trope.

photo © Lyn Ford

Lyn Ford is a fourth generation "Affrilachian" storyteller, teaching artist, workshop facilitator, writer, recording artist, mama, grandmama, great-grandmama and good cook. Lyn has a delightful repertoire of folktale adaptations, spooky tales, and original stories rooted in Lyn's multicultural heritage and traditions. Her stories and storytelling programs are often enriched with call and response, choral response, rhythm and rhyme, humor and heart. Lyn Ford's stories are as rich and fillling as a meal at the family table. In this episode, Lyn joins Sam Payne for a conversation and we feature the stories, "Sista Sarah Mae", "Wolf's Garden", "Fire and Rain."

To learn more about Lyn and find more of her work, visit her website at www.storytellerlynford.com

Stories included in this episode:

Dolores Hydock

Story: Different Versions

Teller: Dolores Hydock

Site: www.storypower.org

Notes: Dolores explains the truth about truth and its many versions.

Joel ben Izzy

Story: Stories of the Fools of Chelm

Teller: Joel ben Izzy

Site: www.storypage.com

Notes: The tiny town of Chelm is full of fools with a wisdom all their own.

Bil Lepp

Story: The Inflatable Easter Bunnies of Halfdollar

Teller:  Bil Lepp

Site: leppstorytelling.com

Notes: With Easter around the corner, this story from Halfdollar is from one of our favorite jokesters

Joel ben Izzy

Story: Stories of the Fools of Chelm (2)

Teller: Joel ben Izzy

Site: www.storypage.com

Notes: We travel back to Chelm for more stories of foolish wisdom.

Bob Reiser

Story: Warsaw is a Very Friendly Place

Teller:  Bob Reiser

Site: www.bobtales.com

Notes: Bob Reiser takes us for a trip in this clever Chelm tale.

Stories included in this episode:

Andy Offutt Irwin

Story: Risk Assessment

Teller: Andy Offutt Irwin

Site: andyirwin.com

Notes: A native of Covington, GA, Andy is a storyteller, humorist, singer, songwriter, musician, whistler who is especially known in storytelling circles for relating adventures of his eighty-five-year-old-widowed-newly-minted-physician-aunt, Dr. Marguerite Van Camp. In this story Aunt Marguerite deals with teenagers at summer camp.

Corinne Stavish

Story: You Can Learn A Lot on A Road Trip

Teller: Corinne Stavish

Site: www.stavishstorytelling.com

Notes: Corinne was born in The Bronx, and has since spent her years between many states, giving her given her an unusual perspective of this country that informs her storytelling and is indicative of a wanderlust embedded in her family. In this story, five-year-old Corinne and her family take a road trip in the summer of 1950.

Stories and songs included in this episode:

Motoko

Story: Master Meiser

Teller: Motoko

Site: motoko.folktales.net

Notes: Motoko recounts tales of her hard-working father live at the Bay Area Storytelling Festival.

The Yellow Room Gang

Song: Do What You Love

Teller: The Yellow Room Gang

Site: yellowroomgang.com

Notes: The Yellow Room Gang, featuring our friends from Mustard's Retreat, gives solid advice about feeding the belly and the soul.

Kevin Kling

Story: Circus

Teller:  Kevin Kling

Site: www.kevinkling.com

Notes: Kevin shares stories about an interesting part of his resume.

Ed Stivender

Story: The Sick Note

Teller:  Ed Stivender

Site: www.kevinkling.com

Notes: If you have to call in sick, take some notes from Ed Stivender.

Dolores Hydock

Story: On the Sales Floor

Teller:  Dolores Hydock

Site: www.storypower.org

Notes: Stories of from the life of Ninette Griffith.

Joel ben Izzy

Story: Moose Turd Pie

Teller:  Joel ben Izzy

Site: www.storypage.com

Notes: A story that doesn't need an introduction...

Allison Downey

Story: Migrating to Michigan

Teller:  Allison Downey

Site: http://allisondowney.com/

Notes: Produced for radio, this is a perfect perspective on making a living.

In this special two-part episode of The Apple Seed, we're pleased to bring you The Ballad of Ronnie Calloway, a folk operetta from the mind of the brilliant Kim Weitkamp. Set in the 1890s in Scurry, Texas, this story follows two lonely Texans, train robber Ronnie Calloway and orphan Lizzy Gibson. Recorded live at the National Storytelling Festival, this narrative is full of foot stompin' music, twists and turns, and haunting ballads and features such musical collaborators as Michael Reno Harrell and The Broken Bucket Band. In this episode, Kim joins us in the studio once again for a conversation with host, Sam Payne. 

To learn more about Kim and find more of her work, visit her website at www.kimweitkamp.com

photo © Sam Payne & Kim Weitkamp

In this special two-part episode of The Apple Seed, we're pleased to bring you The Ballad of Ronnie Calloway, a folk operetta from the mind of the brilliant Kim Weitkamp. Set in the 1890s in Scurry, Texas, this story follows two lonely Texans, train robber Ronnie Calloway and orphan Lizzy Gibson. Recorded live at the National Storytelling Festival, this narrative is full of foot stompin' music, twists and turns, and haunting ballads and features such musical collaborators as Michael Reno Harrell and The Broken Bucket Band. In this episode, Kim also joins Sam Payne in the studio to talk about Ronnie Calloway, music, and storytelling.

To learn more about Kim and find more of her work, visit her website at www.kimweitkamp.com

photo © Sam Payne & Kim Weitkamp

Interviews and stories included in this episode:

Tammy Hepps

Interview: Tammy Hepps

Site: tammyhepps.com

Notes: Producer, Andy Bay, spoke with genealogist Tammy Hepps at the 2014 IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. Tammy, a Harvard educated technologist, is a noted speaker, presenter and developer, and the founder of the family history blog, treelines.com

Jane Neff Rollins

Interview: Jane Neff Rollins

Site: www.apgen.org/jane

Notes: Host, Sam Payne, speaks with Jane Neff Rollins- medical writer, professional genealogist, and speaker. Jane belongs to the Genealogical Speakers Guild, the Association of Professional Genealogists, several local societies, and runs the blog, kitchensinkgenealogy.com

Stories and songs included in this episode:

Joseph Sobol ft. Kathy Cowan & Tom Orf

Song 1: I Am of Ireland

Teller: Joseph Sobol ft. Kathy Cowan & Tom Orf

Site: www.josephsobol.com

Notes: Joseph Sobol & company sets this William Butler Yeats poem to majestic music.

Yvonne Healy

Story 1: Lugh, the Shining One

Teller: Yvonne Healy

Site: www.yhealy.com

Notes: Lugh is one of the most well-known and best loved of the Irish mythological characters.

Brian Fox Ellis

Story 2: Ossein and the Isle of Tier na Nog

Teller: Brian Fox Ellis

Site: foxtalesint.com

Notes: Ossein proves himself to be just as great a hero as his father.

Brian Fox Ellis

Story 3: Ossein and the Isle of Tier na Nog

Teller: Brian Fox Ellis

Site: foxtalesint.com

Notes: Finn MacCoul is the classic mythical hunter-warrior hero of Irish mythology.

Norah Dooley

Story 4: Molly O' Donahue

Teller: Norah Dooley

Site: www.norahdooley.com

Notes: A clever but shy girl learns that stories are worth telling and life is worth living.

Paddy Tutty

Song 2: Lough Erne

Artist: Paddy Tutty

Site: www.prairiedruid.net

Notes: A beautiful farewell to Ireland.

Stories included in this episode:

Joseph Bruchac width=Story: The Boy Who Lived with Bears

Teller: Joseph Bruchac

Site: josephbruchac.com

Notes: For over thirty years Joseph Bruchac has been creating poetry, short stories, novels, anthologies and music that reflect his Abenaki Indian heritage and Native American traditions.This story is the title track from the album, "The Boy Who Lived with Bears."

MotokoStory: The Invisible Wall

Teller: Motoko

Site: motoko.folktales.net

Notes: A native of Osaka, Japan, Motoko first came to the U. S. as an exchange student and has performed professionally since 1993, going to hundreds of schools, libraries, museums and festivals.This story is from the album, "Like A Lotus Flower."