THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

Matt Busch manages Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, a position that even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed envy over. Originally from Long Island, he graduated from the University of Albany SUNY, where he majored in Sociology, then worked handling merchandise for God Street Wine. He went on to work with Gov't Mule, Common Rotation, Bob Weir and Ratdog, Further, The Dead, Phil Lesh, and Wolf Bros. He routes tours, selects venues, deals with travel logistics and tour accounting, puts together Dead and Company's set lists, and much more. Matt currently spends most of his time in California, but travels all over the country and the world with Bob Weir and Dead and Company.

Lee Miller is one of the greatest -- if not the greatest -- living bootmakers. Originally from Vermont, he has been wearing cowboy boots his whole life. He graduated from Oklahoma State University, where he learned how to make cowboy boots, in 1972. After working for various bootmakers, he was invited to work with Charlie Dunn, another legendary bootmaker, at his store Texas Traditions in 1977. Until Charlie's retirement, Lee learned many bootmaking techniques, some dating back over a century. Every pair of boots he makes is completely done by hand; if you want a pair, you'll need to join the 4 year waiting list. Now the owner and operator of Texas Traditions, Lee lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Carrlyn.

Lee Miller is one of the greatest -- if not the greatest -- living bootmakers. Originally from Vermont, he has been wearing cowboy boots his whole life. He graduated from Oklahoma State University, where he learned how to make cowboy boots, in 1972. After working for various bootmakers, he was invited to work with Charlie Dunn, another legendary bootmaker, at his store Texas Traditions in 1977. Until Charlie's retirement, Lee learned many bootmaking techniques, some dating back over a century. Every pair of boots he makes is completely done by hand; if you want a pair, you'll need to join the 4 year waiting list. Now the owner and operator of Texas Traditions, Lee lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Carrlyn.

Michael Beck, who grew up for 11 years in Germany, has been a teacher for over 20 years. After graduating from Arkansas State University in 1982 and Columbia College in 1990, he worked in the music industry as a booking agent for predominantly classic blues musicians for many years. Michael later earned 2 Master's Degrees, one in 2002 in Education and one in 2008 in Special Education. He taught Social Science in secondary education settings for 6 years, then worked as a Special Education teacher at the Chicago Children's Center for Behavioral Health for 9 years. Michael and his wife are retiring to Tennessee, where he will continue his passion part-time as a substitute teacher.

Vivienne Schiffer, a novelist and filmmaker, grew up in Rohwer, Arkansas. She attended All Saints Episcopal School in Vicksburg, Mississippi; Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas; and law school at Tulane in New Orleans, Louisiana. She has been a big firm attorney, worked as in-house counsel, wrote the novel Camp Nine, and directed and produced the documentary film Relocation Arkansas - Aftermath of Incarceration. Her works focus on the incarceration and experiences of Japanese Americans in the Deep South. Vivienne and her husband Paul have 4 children, 6 grandchildren (with one on the way!), and live in Houston, Texas.

Kristin Guiney is the Executive Director of Angela House, a non-profit organization that provides trauma-informed rehabilitative services to formerly incarcerated women. Prior, she graduated from Emory University, earned her JD at the University of Houston Law Center, was an Assistant District Attorney, and served as District Judge of the 179th and 232nd district courts. Kristin lives in Houston with her husband Ed and their two daughters.

Jessica Brown, a professor of sociology, is from Madison, Wisconsin. She studied Government, Psychology, and Women's Studies at Cornell, then went on to earn her PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010. She researches topics such as immigration, transnational sociology, gender, and race and ethnicity, and her articles have been published uncountable times. Jessica now lives in Houston with her husband Stephen, a criminal defense attorney, and their twins, Sam and Jane.

Jay Blakesberg is a commercial music photographer and filmmaker who has been keeping a record of the alternative and rock and roll music scenes since the 1970s. His work has been featured in hundreds of magazines including Time, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair; he has shot magazine covers, record covers and art, music videos, and live performance videos. In addition, he has documented the Grateful Dead and their subsequent incarnations. He has published numerous of his own books, as well as those of other photographers and artists, through his publishing company Rock Out Books. Jay currently resides in San Francisco and is dad to Ricki.

Bryan Kelly, a native Texan, is an Intensive Care Unit nurse. After college, he went to Chiropractic School, along with his brother Scott, in 2003. Wanting something different after graduation, Bryan entered nursing school, graduated, and has been practicing since 2008. The majority of his work is in Critical Care in the ICU. Bryan now lives in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife Andrea and their two children.

Fun fact: Bryan ran a marathon, which is how he met co-host Rand, with absolutely no training!