The Volume Knob

Can you hear the warmth and humanity in Rich's voice? 

This week's episode was one of those rare incidents where I wish there was video because rich is a special human being; genuine, gracious and funny. I really enjoyed making radio with him and hope this week's episode gave you some insight into his personality.

If you want more Rich Cardillo you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram or check out his appearances on The Moth, Story Collider, Nancy, Other Men Need Help and Love Hurts.

Bonus question: I (sorta) hid a third "faith" song in the mix this week. Did you hear it? If so, let me know via email [email protected] 

As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

See you in two weeks!

Ophira Eisenberg may be Americans' favourite Calgarian. 

Perhaps this damns her by faint praise given that America's most famous Calgarian is probably Ted Cruz. 

At any rate, it's for good reason that Ophira is so well and widely loved; she's almost embarrassingly multi-talented. She's an author, radio/podcast talent, stand up and a frequent host of many a live event at The Moth.  She's a houseplant gardener. 

She's also really nice. 

It was a real pleasure spending time (and making this episode) with her. You can (and should) learn more about Ophira at her web site, or by following her on twitter and instagram.

As you can imagine, I get to spend a lot of time with each of the "songs of the week" and few of them are as pleasurable to spend time with as Let's Go Crazy.  It's not only a shiny piece of candy from the days of my youth, it also has a little something in it for the law/copyright geek in me (the guy whose day job pays for this podcasting problem I have).

As always, remember to follow the show on instagram, twitter and facebook and to get over to the website to sign up for the TVK mailing list.

See you in two weeks!

I am such a fan of Dr. Ray Christian. You can learn more about his work on his website or by following him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. His podcast, What's Ray Saying? is also definitely worth a look. 

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net. Have a safe and restful holiday season. See you all in 2022!

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].

How about the incredible warmth, charm and empathy in the storytelling of the talented Devin Wilson?  The video of Devin's Live Out Loud subway concert is available here (her performance of She Used to be Mine starts at the 9:30 mark). 

You can also learn more about Devin's work as a storyteller and social advocate on her website or by giving her a follow on instagram or twitter.

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].

Sara and I met while doing improv at Impro Montreal. These days she is the founder and a member of They Go Low, We Go Laugh (If you're in Montreal, you should check them out!) and a producer for Confabulation.

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].

Once again so many thanks to David Crabb for his dedication to the craft of storytelling and his generosity in sharing those talents on the show. 

If you enjoyed David's story this week, be sure to check out the episode of the show he recorded in May or the TVK mixtape he did in September. David's memoir, Bad Kid is a fantastic read that I'd highly recommend and there's more info about him (including links to his storytelling workshops) on his website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

Also, as promised, here's that scene from Cabaret:

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].

I am a huge HUGE fan of David Crabb.

That's it. That's the tweet.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, his energy, honesty and talent come through in everything he's done with The Volume Knob (and everything else he has put out into the world as an artist).  If you enjoyed David's story this week, be sure to check out the episode of the show he recorded in May or the TVK mixtape he did in September. David's memoir, Bad Kid is a fantastic read that I'd highly recommend and there's more info about him (including links to his storytelling workshops) on his website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

Be sure to tune in again next week for the development of his relationship with Bob. 

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].

You'd think that, as a podcast producer, I make time to listen to a lot of podcasts myself. The truth is, before the dog entered our life in May, I didn't. 

That said, with an hour or two a day now spent wandering the same path through my neighbourhood, I now get to listen to all of my favourites on the regular. That list includes, probably unsurprisingly, The Moth. It's where I first heard John Mack's storytelling chops.  His story (about bringing his husband to his dying grandma's birthday party) is so precise and beautiful...I immediately looked him up and wrote him a fan email/invitation to appear on TVK as soon as I had put Theo's leash away. John Mack doesn't have any social media accounts, but you can send him fan mail via his web site. You can also hear episodes of The Gingham Altar, here. (Easter egg, the Gingham Altar Instagram account also has a vintage photo of Megan and John Mack. No telling if it was from homecoming, but I'd like to think it says a bit about their friendship). 

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].

If you, or someone you love is in need of support in the context of a situation of domestic violence in the United States you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline by phone at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or by texting START to 88788. In Canada, domestic violence resources are organised provincially and regionally. You can find a pretty comprehensive list of them here.

If you feel like supporting agencies that help folks in situations of domestic violence you can donate to The Hotline in the States. Here in Montreal we're lucky to have the work of SOS Violence Conguale and Chez Doris (which works with homeless women and not solely situations of domestic violence. They're a great organisation that I've supported for some time).   

What more can I say about Brittany Brave and her remarkable story except that it only shows one side of her talents. She is also a very funny stand up. You can learn a lot more about her (and see her work) on her web site and by following her on twitter, instagram and facebook. She also has a whackload of content on YouTube. 

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].

What energy! What pace! What a treat to work with Jamie Brickhouse.

You really ought to check out more about him including his website (which includes links to fantastic videos of several of his live performances) and his instagram and facebook feeds. While you're there, be sure to check out Jamie's book Dangerous When Wet. 

Jamie also has a pretty significant presence on YouTube and is one of the only storytellers I'm aware of who is taking full advantage of TikTok.

Make sure you follow The Volume Knob on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or at our website volumeknob.net.

And if you have a story about the song that saved your life be sure to send it to me at [email protected].