Carol & Susan McLeod are a couple of sisters who opened "Hold Fast Brewing" in an old firehouse here in Springfield, Missouri. I was friends with Susan before it ever opened and that, combined with the notion of them opening a brewery in THE VERY FIRST FIREHOUSE TO WHICH I WAS ASSIGNED, made it inevitable that they'd get on the show with a story to tell. They love beer, bourbon and storytelling, so buckle up for a great time with two powerhouses of the 417. 

My good friend Brittney Lumos has started a podcast called "Bitchin' With Brittney" and she came back to Springfield to visit friends, get some ink and popped into the studio to record an episode. She's got something to say to you about just about everything, and dammit, you're gonna listen! We enjoy some Dane Page music and Crank Arm Brewing beers as well as the Crazy For Swayze Hazy. Enjoy an hour with one badass mujer!

After visiting North Carolina and hitting 26 breweries in 6 days with some friends, I thought it was time to crack some open with my friends Ryan and Larry. Tune into another episode of "Behind The Beer With Lear" for their takes on some delicious beers and some music on the break by our guide's brother, Mr. Dane Page. 

Cheers!

The extrication from Afghanistan has seemed, from a lay-person's point of view, to be a mess at best. Today Jeff Butler sits down over some gin & tonics to shed some perspective and light on a very difficult situation, and give some possible explanations. It's not ALL somber news, however....we DO discuss the latest developments in our favorite show Ted Lasso as well. Please enjoy this conversation with a very intelligent soul.

Caution......it can be your best friend and your worst enemy, at least in the fire service. Today, my friend Scott sits down with me to go over the paradox of aging: we gain more experience of time, but the firefighting is a young person's game with the physical and mental toll stacking up with each call. We also talk shop about Val Kilmer, what movies stand up over time and Scott's 600+ mile solo self-contained, single speed bike trip across the state. As ever, a great conversation with one of my favorite storytellers. Cheers!

Ever meet someone and it feels like you met your long-lost doppelganger/cousin? Well, meet Jake Gullett, fellow firefighter, rapscallion and fool for the Foo Fighters. We recently traveled to Oklahoma City to take in a bucket-list show for the both of us. He's a motormouth who makes me look positively quiet, and I love him for it! So tune in for some music talk, some Ted Lasso chatter and an overall great show. Cheers!

Former Springfield, MO Mayor Bob Stephens took some time to talk about his life, politics and his current passion: getting folks vaccinated against COVID-19. I've known him through my work in the fire service, but never got to really sit down and dive into his story. In his own words....."Be out there in the world and make it better." Mr. Stephens has done just that, and continues to demonstrate the kind of integrity we ALL wish our political leaders would demonstrate. Cheers!

Time for a sit-down with Jeff Butler, a self-proclaimed 32-time guest on the podcast. In this installment, we spend the first half of the show talking movies, aviation, the Olympics and Ted Lasso. Second half is about Covid and the mechanics of vaccine hesitancy....real light stuff, ya know? Tune in for a great hour sponsored by a few gin & tonics. Cheers!

He's a man with self-described "flat knees", typical of his self-deprecating ways, but make no mistake: Mike Henderson is a whirlwind of positive energy, talent and love for this life. He understands what it means to surround yourself with passion, be it in the trades or musically. We enjoy some 4 By 4 beers while spinning tales, including how his maternal great grandfather was the conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Tune in!

Division Chief of Health & Safety Kelly Cardin has had his hands FULL over the last year dealing with the pandemic through the lens of the fire department where we both work. He sits down for Take 2 of this episode (where I'm slightly more coherent) to discuss our concerns vis-a-vis the continued rapid spread of the Covid virus in our area. Also, if you're an anti-vaxxer, you're not gonna like this message. In other words, get vaccinated, listen up and let's get through this madness together.