Appaloosa Radio

This is Wilson Arz. When my kids were small, I used to play a bedtime game with them. They would tell me a letter, and I would make up a nonsense song with every word starting with that letter. One that I still remember is -- “Bungling Bearded Burglars from Broadstone Beach”Just a whimsical song with lots of alliteration.We used to sing it as a round with me starting and then they would come in. Here’s my recreation of it.

Stingaree GulchA Ring-Tailed Roaring Good TimeBy J. J. Mounts-MillerFleeing a rigged boxing match and a deadly mob ultimatum, legendary promoter Tex Rickard arrives in the Nevada boomtown of Rawhide to build his ultimate masterpiece: Stingaree Gulch, a sprawling empire of vice. As the silver rolls in, Tex sets his sights on an impossible dream—staging a controversial heavyweight championship for Jack Johnson. But in a town built on illusions, Tex meets his match in Vera Locke, a brilliant "widow" executing a devastating con. Stingaree Gulch is a high-stakes historical thriller of boomtown greed, masterful hustles, and the explosive, championship prize fight that ultimately forced a millionaire into exile.

My Dad delivered batteries all over hilly Seattle. Drove a truck. Lead-acid batteries. Batteries for cars. Trucks. Fishing Boats. Picked up old ones. Delivered new ones. The acid ate his clothes. Scarred his hands. He had done the Army during Viet Nam. We lived in Ballard, near the locks. Upstairs in a once-Victorian house. My Mom worked at the doughnut shop. Coming in at four. Frying dozens and dozens.In 1981, my Dad went to night school to learn welding. He wanted a job at the Navy Ship Yard, but they wouldn’t  hire him because he had done drugs.So they loaded the 1968 Chevrolet station wagon and headed South. But at Rice Hill, Oregon. It died. Broke. No job. No place to go.Then a hippie guy in a pick-up truck offered to take us to a hippie commune. No charge. Doing it because of humanity.So that’s where I grew up. My Dad was never a hippie. Just a good place to make things out of metal. To fix things. To make a living.

Friends and Devoted Listeners –Appaloosa Radio Online is ending its podcast series effective January 15, 2026, shifting our focus to our VIMEO and YouTube video channels.However, we will continue to maintain an archive of our previous audio stories for those who wish to re-visit them.As many of you know, we began as four friends who wanted to create audio theater together. With our partnership with the Sacramento Suburban Writers, we grew into a web host for original fiction, posting over 300 audio stories.“Where stories come alive” was our both our slogan and our operating maxim. Now, we've expanded to include musical stories and contemporary music.Stories. Musicals. Songs.Join us in our new creative work.~ Appaloosa Radio Online  ~  

Appaloosa Radio OffersA new musical storyA Little Monkey MagicAct One A whimsical musical journey to the early days of cartoon animation, featuring Jiminy, the ever-inquisitive, always impulsive, and incredibly funny organ grinder’s monkey, and his three animator friends at the Carousel Cartoon Company of Chicago. It was 1934 during the very worst days of the Great Depression, and, unfortunately, the Carousel Cartoon Company of Chicago was forced to close. The three animators who had operated the company decided to store the nearly half-million ink drawings on transparent celluloid that they had created by hand in the safes of Vermont’s Old Stone Mountain Life Insurance Company. By saving these cels (as they were called), they hoped to someday begin re-animating cartoons, particularly their favorite character, Jiminy, the mischievous organ grinder’s monkey. Jiminy who so loved playing tricks and making people laugh.Even though he was now in fragments and  thousands of pieces, Jiminy’s unique anima kept doing his cartoon antics. His special monkey magic had not died.Filled with catchy tunes, laughter, and a dash of monkey mischief, this musical tale will have everyone dancing to the rhythm of courage, friendship, and a little bit of monkey magic. A musical story in three acts.  Song List for Act One·       Jiminy – King of Cartoon Comedy·       Magic of India Ink Lines·       I’m Still Me!·       Through the Keyhole·       My Love, Lillian·       Whispers of Wonder~Act One runs 41 minutes, 51 seconds

2025 Spring SongfestThis is a collection of songs from several stories that we have recently shared on Appaloosa Radio. Enjoy the 2025 Spring Songfest. Selections include:·       Shadows and Silhouettes·       Whimsey Lullaby·       Weight of Goodbye·       Middle-Aged Hippie·       Coyote·       25 is Too Slow·       Jar of Sand·       My Love is a Sonnet·       Strong Enough·       Barefoot Morning·       Grandma’s Rules·       Warm Hearts and Calloused Hands·       Beer, Cigarettes, and Stress --- My Life is a Mess 

25 is too slowBy Eureka Wallace Sign says 25,that's a snail in disguise. I'm a rocket on wheels, not a cloud in my skies. Got dreams in the trunk.Ambitions on my dash. Speedometer screaming, gotta move fast .25 too slow.Can't cage my flow. Road's a canvas, that I paint.Gotta let it show.Gotta let it show. Gotta let it show.  Wheels spinning symphonies, heartbeats in tow Ain't no limit when you got places to goAin't no limit when you got places to goAin't no limit when you got places to go 

Regarding a MurderPart 4 of 4By Stan MorganPrivate InvestigatorA True Story A private investigator revisits an old murder, one that impacted him directly when he was a child.“It was November 18, 1947. I had just turned eight and was in the Third Grade at Wayside Elementary School in the southern edge of Bakersfield. Every day, my younger brother and I walked the three-quarters of a mile from our house in the Southgate area to the school. To avoid walking along the busy Casa Loma Highway, we crossed the irrigation canal on a narrow cement bridge, a hundred yards south of the Highway. It was near there that the grisly event occurred. A kindergartener, a five-year-old girl was murdered the night before, battered innumerable times, the radio said, with a hammer.  Every time the radio re-told the story, a new set of shivers would go up and down my spine. I was afraid, pee-in your-pants afraid.To make matters even more fearful, she was murdered in our pretend ‘pirate’s cave’ just steps from the concrete bridge across the irrigation canal which we used everyday on our way to school. We had played in it often, sometimes spending all day there.” This is a true story using original source materials which may be graphic in their content. Listeners are encouraged to use discretion. 

Regarding a MurderPart 3 of 4By Stan MorganPrivate InvestigatorA True Story A private investigator revisits an old murder, one that impacted him directly when he was a child.“It was November 18, 1947. I had just turned eight and was in the Third Grade at Wayside Elementary School in the southern edge of Bakersfield. Every day, my younger brother and I walked the three-quarters of a mile from our house in the Southgate area to the school. To avoid walking along the busy Casa Loma Highway, we crossed the irrigation canal on a narrow cement bridge, a hundred yards south of the Highway. It was near there that the grisly event occurred. A kindergartener, a five-year-old girl was murdered the night before, battered innumerable times, the radio said, with a hammer.  Every time the radio re-told the story, a new set of shivers would go up and down my spine. I was afraid, pee-in your-pants afraid.To make matters even more fearful, she was murdered in our pretend ‘pirate’s cave’ just steps from the concrete bridge across the irrigation canal which we used everyday on our way to school. We had played in it often, sometimes spending all day there.” This is a true story using original source materials which may be graphic in their content. Listeners are encouraged to use discretion. 

Regarding a MurderPart 2 of 4By Stan MorganPrivate InvestigatorA True Story A private investigator revisits an old murder, one that impacted him directly when he was a child.“It was November 18, 1947. I had just turned eight and was in the Third Grade at Wayside Elementary School in the southern edge of Bakersfield. Every day, my younger brother and I walked the three-quarters of a mile from our house in the Southgate area to the school. To avoid walking along the busy Casa Loma Highway, we crossed the irrigation canal on a narrow cement bridge, a hundred yards south of the Highway. It was near there that the grisly event occurred. A kindergartener, a five-year-old girl was murdered the night before, battered innumerable times, the radio said, with a hammer.  Every time the radio re-told the story, a new set of shivers would go up and down my spine. I was afraid, pee-in your-pants afraid.To make matters even more fearful, she was murdered in our pretend ‘pirate’s cave’ just steps from the concrete bridge across the irrigation canal which we used everyday on our way to school. We had played in it often, sometimes spending all day there.” This is a true story using original source materials which may be graphic in their content. Listeners are encouraged to use discretion. 

Regarding a MurderBy Stan MorganPrivate InvestigatorA True Story A private investigator revisits an old murder, one that impacted him directly when he was a child.“It was November 18, 1947. I had just turned eight and was in the Third Grade at Wayside Elementary School in the southern edge of Bakersfield. Every day, my younger brother and I walked the three-quarters of a mile from our house in the Southgate area to the school. To avoid walking along the busy Casa Loma Highway, we crossed the irrigation canal on a narrow cement bridge, a hundred yards south of the Highway. It was near there that the grisly event occurred. A kindergartener, a five-year-old girl was murdered the night before, battered innumerable times, the radio said, with a hammer.  Every time the radio re-told the story, a new set of shivers would go up and down my spine. I was afraid, pee-in your-pants afraid.To make matters even more fearful, she was murdered in our pretend ‘pirate’s cave’ just steps from the concrete bridge across the irrigation canal which we used everyday on our way to school. We had played in it often, sometimes spending all day there.” This is a true story using original source materials which may be graphic in their content. Listeners are encouraged to use discretion. 

Science FictionThe Wine of Frogs by Anthony Marcolongo Indefinite longevity. Lengthening human life spans to millennia instead of decades. The firm had been working  for years and had finally achieved a major breakthrough. However, its founder had other, more sinister plans. This story was originally published in the anthology, The Moving Finger Writes...

Tattoo An original story for Appaloosa Radio Last December before Christmas he placed third in the Regional Finals for the Mr. Perfect Body competition. The year before, he had placed second, just seven tenths of a point behind the winner. Then, to celebrate he had an artist tattoo a full-color version of Leonardo DaVinci’s “Last Supper” across his pects and abs. It cost him nearly a thousand dollars and took the artist nearly a full day, and the pain was so intense that he couldn’t do a full workout for nearly three weeks.He told everyone that he did it to show his love for God because without His love he would be a nothing. God treated him special and protected him. The tattoo was an act of worship. An act of thanksgiving.However, when he placed third last December, one of the coaches told him that the competition’s  judges did not like the tattoo. It had probably cost him a full half a point, the coach said.Now, every time he looked at the tattoo, he realized that he had gone from being almost a winner to a never-again loser because of it.

Edge ClingingFor Appaloosa RadioAs we age, we lose both our mobility and our self-confidence, and in losing our self-confidence, we stick very close to the edge of the pool. 

Appaloosa Radio Online offersAlligator A story from Nell Trustmon’s Magazine “Broken Tree Tales” In rural mining communities like Boyce, Colorado, the arrival of the “Alligator Man” created a community-wide celebration. How could any of the Lithuanian miners continue to work in the deep, hard rock silver mine when there was a real, live alligator in town? Gotta see that!Alligators were hardly rare in places like Florida or the bayous of Louisiana. And almost anyone who visited a zoo in one of the major eastern cities could see a tropical display featuring gators. But, here in the high western Rockies, the alligator was a very rare sight.The alligator came courtesy of a showman and promoter named Clyde Chantt who claimed to have a Ph.D. in reptile herpetology from a university that no one had ever heard of. “Professor” Chantt (as he preferred to be called) travelled among the mining towns of the West driving a 1917 Ford Truck, pulling a large, brightly painted metal tank filled with water and containing a 15 foot alligator. He charged patrons fifteen cents each to watch his “demonstrations” of the reptile’s cunning capabilities. Each “demonstration” ended with Professor Chantt climbing a tall metal ladder next to the alligator’s tank, and then holding out a long fishing pole with a hunk of chicken attached to it. He would encourage the animal to perform, and within a minute or two, the alligator would jump up out of the water ten feet or more and grab its meal from the end of the pole.In the evenings, after the last feeding demonstration, local children would often slip beneath the canvas fence that the Professor had set up to block the view of the non-paying spectators, and in a mixture of awe and fear, watch the alligator.===Story was originally webcast in August 2022. This revision has new voices and music.

Appaloosa Radio presents an original musical story Surprise Valley The hippie resort of perpetual happiness Here is another great song from Act 2 of the musical. You can download the full show on Appaloosa Radio Online.

Peace and perpetual greetings! Featuring new tie-dye songs in the hip style of the early 1970s.Appaloosa Radio presents an original musical story Surprise Valley The hippie resort of perpetual happinessHere is a favorite song from ACT 2! 

The Road of Life Has Many Detours A very personal story by Gisela Butler The pick-up truck came over the center divider and became airborne. I could see the wheels of the truck coming in my direction.  I just said, “Oh my God, please…” Instantly, I ducked towards the passenger side. Then I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my ribs. I lay there in pain going in and out of consciousness. That’s all I remember. I later woke up as my clothes were being cut from my body. Lying on a gurney on my stomach, I figured I was at the hospital. Later, my husband came in. The doctor gave me morphine for my pain. I was not talking much, just sleeping a lot. Every time I woke, I was in lots of pain but got medication immediately. Pain was my reminder that I was still alive. I knew I had been in a car accident but had no idea how badly it affected me. I also knew my husband was there in the ICU almost all day.  ======This story originally appeared in the anthology, From a Writer’s Finger to a Butterfly’s Wing, published by the Sacramento Suburban Writers’ Club, 2016.

Do you love Interactive Collaborative Fiction?Interactive Collaborative Fiction is the art of jointly shaping a narrative through collective storytelling.Appaloosa Radio Online, in collaboration with the Sacramento Suburban Writers, is launching an exciting new forum for Interactive Collaborative Fiction (ICF) and is seeking “Story Pilots” to guide the journey. ICF is a process where narratives are shaped collectively, not by a single writer, but by a community that evolves the story over time. Think of it as modern-day campfire storytelling, now facilitated through platforms like Instagram.We kick off our ICF forum in February 2025 with three captivating story starters:Code: Turquoise: A political thriller set in contemporary times, revolving around the assassination of a newly elected U.S. President just ten days into office by a foreign power that had previously supported him.Chambray: A fantasy romance where Princess Lis is kidnapped by a brigantine she-wolf pack and taken to Quericus, where she is forced to join the harem of Subus.Splotches: A science fiction tale exploring civilizations' relentless pursuit of speed, only to discover that greater velocity brings splotches—twisting the very fabric of space-time and creating billions of unrepairable holes.As a “Story Pilot,” your role will be to facilitate collaboration, allowing multiple contributors to develop the plot, generate dialogue, and enhance character development. You will also manage the Instagram platform for the story.Join us in creating stories that are fun, engaging, and connect people. Volunteer to be a “Story Pilot” on this new adventure.For more information, contact us at: [email protected]

The Devil is in the Details --- The Art of Deception An original story byThomas Hessler It really wasn’t a wild prank. Nobody got hurt, some were entertained for a while, and the incident displayed a principle of human characteristics. I would do it again, and I think if you asked those who know me, they would say, “Uh, huh.” Every so often I pick up a book about writing. I mean, some of the authors might really have something to say that is helpful. One author was explaining that no matter how unbelievable the plot might be, you sell the reader by plying them with details. The author provided several examples. And, I remembered a novel that I had read. The back cover’s summary of “the Invasion” said that in this story, the Chinese invaded the United States and created havoc in doing so. Now, this was twenty years or so ago, and the Chinese military and technology were not as robust as now. So, I scoffed. It would be hard for me to believe. Nevertheless, I read the novel and, bit-by-bit, induced by references to actual situations, detailed accounts of confrontations, familiar political history, and scene-by-scene narration, I bought into it. I remember remarking, at the time, that the author had convinced me that Chinese invasion was not a warp of reality. It could be done. Well, sometimes you actually put into practice that which you have read and understood. Thereafter, when writing, I remembered to craft some detail to convince the reader when the plot might be stretching things. But, I yearned to prove the point in a bigger way. -----------This story originally appeared in the anthology From a Writer's Finger to a Butterfly Wing

Most Despicable BruteAn Original Story by Appaloosa RadioFrom the continuing City of 4000 Spies Series“If Noble Son Dusko Rarrko, the Second Son of the 19th Great Nobleman of Sassko were ever to write his memoirs, telling about his entanglement in the world of espionage, he could tell of great schemes involving the greatest of empires and nations. He could also tell of well-planned assassinations that were eons in planning and implementation. He could tell of technologies stolen, and of other (even more secret) technologies created to solve the most difficult problems. He could tell of those he loved and those he had to sacrifice. But he could also write of brutish individuals who met even more brutish ends.He might tell the tale of Chil-ezz, a minor figure in the larger scheme, but one whose brutality was beyond despicable.To be truthful, neither Dusko Rarrko nor the Dominion of Sassko were directly involved in the killing of J*X*Z.alpha Chil-ezz. Nonetheless, they both celebrated it. And it led to a most productive long-term friendship between the J.X.Z, city state and the Dominion.”

On the Morning Commuter BusAn original storyFor Appaloosa Radio CHAPTER 3Many contemporary hi-tech employees ride express commuter buses daily to and from their work sites. Larry Jay Connors is just one of the many. He is a numbers guy, a veritable filing cabinet for numbers, whose specialty is making fiscal projections, doing benefit analyses, and generating cost-to-price determinations.Unfortunately, Larry is also a “quasi social isolate” who stares at his own shoes to avoid eye contact with others. As the story begins, Larry’s personal life has been reduced to doing his laundry, playing with his dog, and watching old movies on television.One morning, when he boards his usual commuter bus, everything changes. He is no longer who he is. He is now living another’s life, and he is a stranger in his own body.

On the Morning Commuter BusAn original storyFor Appaloosa Radio CHAPTER 2Many contemporary hi-tech employees ride express commuter buses daily to and from their work sites. Larry Jay Connors is just one of the many. He is a numbers guy, a veritable filing cabinet for numbers, whose specialty is making fiscal projections, doing benefit analyses, and generating cost-to-price determinations.Unfortunately, Larry is also a “quasi social isolate” who stares at his own shoes to avoid eye contact with others. As the story begins, Larry’s personal life has been reduced to doing his laundry, playing with his dog, and watching old movies on television.One morning, when he boards his usual commuter bus, everything changes. He is no longer who he is. He is now living another’s life, and he is a stranger in his own body.

On the Morning Commuter BusAn original storyFor Appaloosa RadioCHAPTER 1 Many contemporary hi-tech employees ride express commuter buses daily to and from their work sites. Larry Jay Connors is just one of the many. He is a numbers guy, a veritable filing cabinet for numbers, whose specialty is making fiscal projections, doing benefit analyses, and generating cost-to-price determinations.Unfortunately, Larry is also a “quasi social isolate” who stares at his own shoes to avoid eye contact with others. As the story begins, Larry’s personal life has been reduced to doing his laundry, playing with his dog, and watching old movies on television.One morning, when he boards his usual commuter bus, everything changes. He is no longer who he is. He is now living another’s life, and he is a stranger in his own body.

TravellingbyPamela Hummel-Morgan This week we visited some friends in Monterey. They had recently returned from a seven-week trip driving across Europe, putting over 6,000 miles on their rental cars.

TautologiesBy J. J. Mounts-MillerFor Appaloosa RadioOctober 2024 I have been thinking a lot about something I read in a magazine. I had read: “Brain waves spike during death.”Researchers found that in the process of dying, brain activity increases. When it is graphed, it represents a distinct series of sharp, upward spikes. Before these spikes, there is usually a period of low-level dormancy, typically a relatively flat line of limited brain activity. Then, during death, brain wave activity spikes.This has taken me into an extended philosophical meditation about logical truth and the nature of consciousness.

Here are four micro-stories that I worked up for the Summer 2024 Micro-Write Challenge. All are extremely short, ranging from 116 to 465 words.They are:·        Shoes – a basketball story·        The Man with the Perpetual Cough – a western character sketch·        Risk Averse – taking risks as a senior adult·        My English Teacher was a Space Alien – a fictional memoir Enjoy!J.J. Mounts-Miller

Appaloosa Radio offersAn original musical storySkirts Swayin’ Celebrating the infectious rhythms of Western swing music It happened in Fort Worth, Texas in the summer of 1928. It could not have happened anywhere else. It could not have happened at another time. No one else could have done it.A cigar salesman with a rich baritone voice, a barber who was also the best fiddle player in Texas, and a fifteen-year-old waitress who loved to dance.Together, they created a style of music that still exists today. A style of music that is now the official music style  for the state of Texas. Some called it Texas Swing. Most people just called it dance music.They were Milt Brown, Mollie Perkins, and Jim-Bob Wills.This is Mollie’s story.  Act 1-           Deep in the Heart of Texas  ##-           Panhandle Rag  ##-           Thanks for Your Letter ##-           Come and Kiss Me, Goodbye  ##-           Oh, Miss Mollie               ##-           Star Spangled Banner  ##-           Boot Kickin’ Dance Music-           Times is Hard-           Feelin’ Rhythm in the Air-           Swingin’ Western Style## - historical music from 1945 Armed Forces Radio broadcastAct 2-           Lonesome Prairie Polka-           Boot Kickin’ Dance Music-           Brandin’ My Man with Love-           Breakfast for a Texas Man-           Crystal Springs-           Dr. Lawson’s Little Pills-           Zip-Zip Zipper *-           Pass them Biscuits-           Country Howdown*Historical music performed by Light Crust DoughboysAct 3-           Truth Wars Against My Heart-           Somebody Loses, Somebody Wins  YY-           When I was Young and Handsome  YY-           Galveston-Town Blues-           Hand and Hand, We Face the Sea (Glorious Morning)-           Melody Ranch Two-Step-           San Antonio Rose zz-           Fort Worth Molly-           Silver Wings  YYHistorical music performed by Texas Jim RobertsonzzHistorical music performed by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys Disclaimer:This is a work of fiction built around historical circumstances. Molly Perkins as depicted in this work is a fictional character. She does not represent any person alive or dead.Original music composed using Suno-AI and Soundful software.Historical music was drawn from the American Armed Forces Radio Network Archives, Archive Number 3, 1945.  It was accessed through the Internet Archive. Org website on May 11, 2024. 

Appaloosa Radio offersAn original musical storySkirts Swayin’ Celebrating the infectious rhythms of Western swing music It happened in Fort Worth, Texas in the summer of 1928. It could not have happened anywhere else. It could not have happened at another time. No one else could have done it.A cigar salesman with a rich baritone voice, a barber who was also the best fiddle player in Texas, and a fifteen-year-old waitress who loved to dance.Together, they created a style of music that still exists today. A style of music that is now the official music style  for the state of Texas. Some called it Texas Swing. Most people just called it dance music.They were Milt Brown, Mollie Perkins, and Jim-Bob Wills.This is Mollie’s story.  Act 1-           Deep in the Heart of Texas  ##-           Panhandle Rag  ##-           Thanks for Your Letter ##-           Come and Kiss Me, Goodbye  ##-           Oh, Miss Mollie               ##-           Star Spangled Banner  ##-           Boot Kickin’ Dance Music-           Times is Hard-           Feelin’ Rhythm in the Air-           Swingin’ Western Style## - historical music from 1945 Armed Forces Radio broadcastAct 2-           Lonesome Prairie Polka-           Boot Kickin’ Dance Music-           Brandin’ My Man with Love-           Breakfast for a Texas Man-           Crystal Springs-           Dr. Lawson’s Little Pills-           Zip-Zip Zipper *-           Pass them Biscuits-           Country Howdown*Historical music performed by Light Crust DoughboysAct 3-           Truth Wars Against My Heart-           Somebody Loses, Somebody Wins  YY-           When I was Young and Handsome  YY-           Galveston-Town Blues-           Hand and Hand, We Face the Sea (Glorious Morning)-           Melody Ranch Two-Step-           San Antonio Rose zz-           Fort Worth Molly-           Silver Wings  YYHistorical music performed by Texas Jim RobertsonzzHistorical music performed by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys Disclaimer:This is a work of fiction built around historical circumstances. Molly Perkins as depicted in this work is a fictional character. She does not represent any person alive or dead.Original music composed using Suno-AI and Soundful software.Historical music was drawn from the American Armed Forces Radio Network Archives, Archive Number 3, 1945.  It was accessed through the Internet Archive. Org website on May 11, 2024. 

Appaloosa Radio offersAn original musical storySkirts Swayin’Celebrating the infectious rhythms of Western swing music It happened in Fort Worth, Texas in the summer of 1928. It could not have happened anywhere else. It could not have happened at another time. No one else could have done it.A cigar salesman with a rich baritone voice, a barber who was also the best fiddle player in Texas, and a fifteen-year-old waitress who loved to dance.Together, they created a style of music that still exists today. A style of music that is now the official music style  for the state of Texas. Some called it Texas Swing. Most people just called it dance music.They were Milt Brown, Mollie Perkins, and Jim-Bob Wills.This is Mollie’s story. Act 1-           Deep in the Heart of Texas  ##-           Panhandle Rag  ##-           Thanks for Your Letter ##-           Come and Kiss Me, Goodbye  ##-           Oh, Miss Mollie               ##-           Star Spangled Banner  ##-           Boot Kickin’ Dance Music-           Times is Hard-           Feelin’ Rhythm in the Air-           Swingin’ Western Style## - historical music from 1945 Armed Forces Radio broadcastAct 2-           Lonesome Prairie Polka-           Boot Kickin’ Dance Music-           Brandin’ My Man with Love-           Breakfast for a Texas Man-           Crystal Springs-           Dr. Lawson’s Little Pills-           Zip-Zip Zipper *-           Pass them Biscuits-           Country Howdown*Historical music performed by Light Crust DoughboysAct 3-           Truth Wars Against My Heart-           Somebody Loses, Somebody Wins  YY-           When I was Young and Handsome  YY-           Galveston-Town Blues-           Hand and Hand, We Face the Sea (Glorious Morning)-           Melody Ranch Two-Step-           San Antonio Rose zz-           Fort Worth Molly-           Silver Wings  YYHistorical music performed by Texas Jim RobertsonzzHistorical music performed by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys Disclaimer:This is a work of fiction built around historical circumstances. Molly Perkins as depicted in this work is a fictional character. She does not represent any person alive or dead.Original music composed using Suno-AI and Soundful software.Historical music was drawn from the American Armed Forces Radio Network Archives, Archive Number 3, 1945.  It was accessed through the Internet Archive. Org website on May 11, 2024.

Cherry Blossoms at Nighta biological warfare mystery thrillerAppaloosa Radio is pleased to offer a dramatization of the first chapter of Brandon Michaels’ forthcoming novel, Cherry Blossoms at Night --- a biological warfare mystery thriller. In 1945, the Japanese military ordered Operation PX, the release of biological weapons on civilians inside the United States in retaliation of the incendiary bombings of Tokyo. The designated targets were San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.  World War II ended in August of 1945, or did it?  This story captures the reality that an apocalyptic event can easily happen and for similar ill-conceived reasoning. COVID was just the beginning.Author Biography Brandon Michaels is an Award-winning American author.  Brandon, an extremophile, has run marathons and mountain climbed on all seven continents. He has traveled to the four corners of the world visiting over 100 countries.  Brandon is a retired homicide detective of 28+ years, and a licensed CA Private Investigator who writes short stories, anthologies, and destination travel articles for publications while writing his first novel.  Brandon lives in Northern California with his wife Audrey.  He can be reached  at:  [email protected] dramatization was created with voices using the Eleven Labs – AI software. The theme music was performed by Audio Hero and is entitled “9-1-1 – a jazz adventure.” It was downloaded from the Royalty Free Music Apple iPhone app.  Sound effects came primarily from the Pixabay website -- https://pixabay.com/ CopyrightThe author retains any and all copyright use and ownership rights, present and in perpetuity. Use of this dramatization in any form is prohibited without the explicit permission of the author. Appaloosa Radio Online makes no use or ownership claims on this material. It is webcast only with the kind permission of the original author.

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 10 On Making Bad Choices An itinerant musician gets off the Sacramento light rail train and brings his bicycle, guitar, and other belongings to where a group of frustrated and perspiring  bus riders wait in the hot August sun for a very late eastbound bus. He announces, “I’m riding up to Truckee. Some of my old friends are performing in a club up there. I’m hoping to do some riffs with them.” Then, he  adds “I’m going to ride all night. I think I’ll be in Truckee about dawn, maybe a little later.”It surprises no one that he is killed while riding on the Interstate highway in the dark.But then, the inexplicable adventure begins. =====================================A ten-chapter audio story with original music.

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 9 Lorraine An itinerant musician gets off the Sacramento light rail train and brings his bicycle, guitar, and other belongings to where a group of frustrated and perspiring  bus riders wait in the hot August sun for a very late eastbound bus. He announces, “I’m riding up to Truckee. Some of my old friends are performing in a club up there. I’m hoping to do some riffs with them.” Then, he  adds “I’m going to ride all night. I think I’ll be in Truckee about dawn, maybe a little later.”It surprises no one that he is killed while riding on the Interstate highway in the dark.But then, the inexplicable adventure begins. =====================================A ten-chapter audio story with original music.

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 8Tearing it into Little Pieces An itinerant musician gets off the light rail train and brings his bicycle, guitar, and other belongings to where a group of frustrated bus riders wait in the hot August sun for a very late eastbound bus. He announces  “I’m riding up to Truckee. Some of my old friends are performing in a club up there. I’m hoping to do some riffs with them.” Then, he  adds “I’m going to ride all night. I think I’ll be in Truckee about dawn, maybe a little later.”It surpirses no one that he is killed while riding on the Interstate highway in the dark.But then, the inexplicable adventure begins. 

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 7 Radio SurfingAn itinerant musician gets off the light rail train and moves his bicycle, guitar, and other belongings to where a group has gatherer waiting for a very late eastbound bus. Bicycle Guy began the conversation. “I’m riding up to Truckee. Some of my old friends are performing in a club up there. I’m hoping to do some riffs with them.”“In May, I rode over the Rocky Mountains, all the way from Boulder, Colorado to Salt Lake City. I did it in just four days. Once I get started, I just keep going.”Bicycle Guy loaded his bike onto the front rack of the bus, put his fare into the fare box, and grabbed a seat in the middle of the bus. Then, he shares for all to hear, “I’m going to ride all night. I think I’ll be in Truckee about dawn, maybe a little later.”Mr. Hawaiian Shirt is incredulous. “You’re going to ride at night? Maybe you should camp out until it gets light.”“I like riding at night. It really focuses my energy. When I rode over the Rockies last Spring, I did an overnighter. Better to keep going. Don’t ever stop.”Traveling in silence with a legendWatching the snow fall as we travel the milesFrom New Mexico to TennesseeRadio surfing all the while

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 6rode that bike like a maniac "Once we were in the rustic cabin, I began. “Mr. Kirkby was killed last month. He was riding on his bicycle up the freeway to Truckee from Auburn. It was dark. I don’t believe he had any lights on his bike. A vehicle hit him. Probably, not the driver’s fault. Apparently, Mr. Kirkby swerved suddenly out in front of the vehicle.”‘Crooked Leg’ Andersen looked saddened by the news. It was hard to see his face clearly in the dim light and he was still wearing his cowboy hat. After a couple of minutes, he spoke. “I’m not really that surprised. He rode that bicycle like a maniac. Just like he did everything else.”

 NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 5My Place is at the End of the Road"In the morning in my hotel room, I looked through the local phone directory to see what else Mescalero had to offer. I also wanted to cross-check the phone number that Stan had given me. In the slim phone book, I found two listings under “Andersen, Robert.” The first was just a phone number and a post office box number. The second was for “Anderson, Robert, Apache Cattle Buyers Association.” The two numbers were different, and both were different from what Stan had given me.Since it was after eight in the morning, I decided to call the Cattle Buyers number. I used my most professional voice. “Hello! I would like to speak to Mr. Robert Andersen.”“This is Bob. How can I help?”“I’m looking for the Bob Andersen who used to be a music performer, known as ‘Crooked Leg” Bob Andersen. Is that you?”There was a long pause. “It may have been a long time ago. Why do you want to know?”“I have some information about David Wayne Kirkby.”

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 4Not on a CruiseAnyone in his right mind would want a five-day cruise sipping Margaritas next to their really sexy girlfriend (in a bikini no less). Far more preferable than a trip to the empty deserts of New Mexico. A trip for some poorly defined purposes. However, at this point, I was no longer in my right mind. I left early the next morning, following my GPS south.I was a hunter fixed on my prey. I was going to New Mexico, no matter what.

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 3  Winds of the Roaring PlainsStan, my private investigator friend, finally finished his two massive chili burgers, gulped down a 22-ounce Coke, and then shared the results from his latest investigation.“They are a country-western group, but they are not called Winds of the Plains. No, they named themselves the Winds of the Roaring Plains. By all accounts they really roared! A bunch of old rockers, perpetually on drugs, and living wild, playing what they called ‘red dirt Texas music.’ They thrived on live concerts and recorded only when they felt like it.”He continued, “Remember the old rocker, Bob ‘Crooked Leg’ Andersen, well he started the band to rebuild his own career.”“’Crooked Leg’ Andersen. Wasn’t he a headliner back in the Woodstock era?”“The very same. According to the band’s former agent, Andersen formed it to re-start his own career. It was a hybrid of old-time rock and Texas-style ‘red dirt’ western music. Woodie Guthrie thrown into a bubbling cauldron of acid music. Loud, raspy, but very Texas!”I mused over what Stan was telling me. “Wow! ‘Crooked Leg’ Andersen. That goes way back. That guy must be over 60, or even dead.”“Try, 70. Not dead, but very retired. Winds of the Roaring Plains broke up in the late 1990s, probably while your David Wayne guy was still in prison.”“So, they weren’t getting ready to perform a gig in Truckee?”“They haven’t done a gig any place in nearly 15 years. And the agent says that he doesn’t remember the band ever playing in Tahoe, Truckee, or Reno, for that matter.”“So, Bicycle Guy was riding all night up Interstate 80 to go to a concert by a group that no longer exists, and never played in the area.”

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 2 News Story Two days later, I was reading a local newspaper when a small news item caught my attention.“Transient killed riding bicycle at night on Interstate 80.”Not much more. The driver of the pick-up was not at fault, said the California Highway Patrol spokesperson. The bicycle had swerved unexpectedly into on-coming traffic. The article did give a name DAVID WAYNE KIRKBY and said that the transient carried an expired driver’s license from Tennessee.The whole affair should have ended there. I should have returned to my normal life. I had a moderately well-paying job, a great girlfriend, Terri, and a very playful Golden Retriever, Roger Dodger. Really, I had a pretty comfortable life. Sure, I griped about some things (OK, a lot of things!), but overall, my life was pretty good. I should have been satisfied.Nonetheless, after meeting David Wayne Kirkby, I found that I was having sleepless nights worrying about him. Why had he ridden over the Rocky Mountains? What was he doing in Tennessee? Why did he treat his guitar with such special respect? And, most frequently, what drove him to ride his bicycle up such a dangerous highway? He was meeting some musician friends. Who were they? Why did he have to get there? 

NIGHT RIDER UP TO TRUCKEEAn original story from Appaloosa RadioChapter 1 The Bicycle Guy An itinerant musician gets off the light rail train and moves his bicycle, guitar, and other belongings to where a group has gatherer waiting for a very late eastbound bus. Bicycle Guy began the conversation. “I’m riding up to Truckee. Some of my old friends are performing in a club up there. I’m hoping to do some riffs with them.”Mr. Hawaiian Shirt had information that the Bicycle Guy did not. “There’s no way that you can ride your bike up to Truckee. It is over 7,000 feet and the only road is Interstate 80. No bicycles allowed.”Bicycle Guy drew deeply on his cigar. I can’t stand the smoke, but I have been pulled into the drama. “In May, I rode over the Rocky Mountains, all the way from Boulder, Colorado to Salt Lake City. I did it in just four days. Once I get started, I just keep going.”Mr. Hawaiian Shirt was not impressed. “There is only one way up to Truckee. On the Freeway. Lots of trucks. Semis.”Bicycle Guy draws another lung-full of tobacco smoke. “There is another road. The old road goes alongside the Freeway. I took it down last Spring. Only had to ride on the Freeway for a few miles. They had all those orange barrels set up for construction. I just rode over there.”Mr. Hawaiian Shirt cannot let anyone else win the debate, even if there really was no debate. “Well, you should know that they raised the fare. It now costs $1.25 each way for the trip up to Auburn.”Bicycle Guy smiles. “Well worth the money! A whole lot easier than riding.”Everyone stood around, more or less silently, for another twenty minutes until our very late bus finally arrived. Bicycle Guy loaded his bike onto the front rack, put his fare into the fare box, and grabbed a seat in the middle of the bus.As the driver roared away, attempting to make up for lost time by not stopping at stop signs or red lights, Bicycle Guy and Mr. Hawaiian Shirt continued their conversation.Bicycle Guy shares, “I’m going to ride all night. I think I’ll be in Truckee about dawn, maybe a little later.”Mr. Hawaiian Shirt is incredulous. “You’re going to ride at night? Maybe you should camp out until it gets light.”“I like riding at night. It really focuses my energy. When I rode over the Rockies last Spring, I did an overnighter. Better to keep going. Don’t ever stop.”

The note was all too brief. It had been placed where they believed it would be readily found, under the cairn marking the exploration of the region by an earlier expedition. The note simply read:“25th, April 1848. Her Majesty’s ships 'Terror' and 'Erebus' were deserted on the 22nd April, 5 leagues North, Northwest of this spot, havIng been beset since 12th September, 1846. The officers and crews, consisting of 105 souls, under the command of Captain F.R.M. Crozier.Sir John Franklin died on the 11th June, 1847; and the total loss by deaths in the expedition has been to this date 9 officers and 15 men. (Signed) JAMES FITZJAMES, Captain H.M.S. Erebus.(Signed) F.R.M. CROZIER, Captain & Senior Officer and on tomorrow, 26th, start for Back's Fish River.” And on tomorrow, the 26th, we start for Back’s Fish RiverWe start for Back’s Fish River.Consisting of 105 souls105 souls105 souls.

My True Love is a SonnetA Story and a Song Taken from  Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;And every fair from fair sometime declines,By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd;But thy eternal summer shall not fade,Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. 

Just the Facts“He had done this hundreds of times while working on hundreds of cases. The grizzled, veteran, police detective sergeant checked his notepad for details, and then he turned to the eyewitness to confirm the facts. His job was to confirm the facts. “Just the facts,” as the fictional radio detective Sergeant Joe Friday did every week on the show, Dragnet.”The police dectective believes that there are facts. Discoverable, evidence-based facts. Hard facts, as the detective sergeant would say. Facts. Not fictions. Facts are as real as bullets, burglaries, bullies, and bastards.Facts are discovered. Uncovered. Revealed. They are not made up. Not mere possibilities. Not speculation.Put all the facts together and you have a whole picture. You know what happened. You know what really occurred. You have the facts. Yet finding the facts is more obtuse than it seems. In truth, it may not even be possible. Determining which purported events occurred and which did not may ultimately prove fruitless. The Dragnet radio theme music is available on the Internet Archive in its Dragnet 1950s Radio Show collection. The audio used here is from: Episode # 33, originally broadcast on NBC Radio on March 18, 1950.

A Love LetterBerlinJanuary 1945 This letter was never mailed. It was found in 2011 neatly folded inside a family Bible. Ingrid’s father had been the Director of one of Berlin’s most prestigious hospitals which had provided care for many of the Nazi elite. After the War, he was sanctioned, but not imprisoned.The family moved to Dusseldorf where he again worked as a physician.In 1948, Christa Vogel applied for a secretarial position with the municipal government. To obtain it, she had to certify that she had never been a member of the National Socialist (NAZI) Party.Kurt Schneider was mobilized soon after this letter was written and was killed by the advancing Russian forces in mid-February 1945. Hans-Gunther Keller-Vogel, Ingrid’s brother, was also killed in February 1945 when his anti-aircraft battery was struck by a Russian bomber, destroying the battery’s ammunition bunker. MUSICNight Vigil by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Escape!A work of fiction based on a true storyPart 4 --- Surrender and Return Nearly 23,000 American soldiers were captured during the Battle of the Bulge. Among them were three G.I.s from Western Pennsylvania serving in the 422nd Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division who were captured on December 19, 1944. This work of fiction tells about their escape from the notorious Stalag IV-B P.O.W. prison and their eventual (and eventful!) return to the medical amenities of Camp Lucky Strike.The events included in this part occurred northeast of Leipzig, near Sieben-Arm-Säule during early April 1945.It is a work of historical fiction based on the actual experiences of Vernon J. Cumberland, Bruce Waldo, and Horace Catheay, to whom it is dedicated.

Escape!A work of fiction based on a true storyPart 3 --- A Bluff Nearly 23,000 American soldiers were captured during the Battle of the Bulge. Among them were three G.I.s from Western Pennsylvania serving in the 422nd Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division who were captured on December 19, 1944. This work of fiction tells about their escape from the notorious Stalag IV-B P.O.W. prison and their eventual (and eventful!) return to the medical amenities of Camp Lucky Strike.The events included in this part occurred northeast of Leipzig, near Sieben-Arm-Säule during early April 1945.It is a work of historical fiction based on the actual experiences of Vernon J. Cumberland, Bruce Waldo, and Horace Catheay, to whom it is dedicated.

Escape!A work of fiction based on a true storyPart 2 --- Time to Go Nearly 23,000 American soldiers were captured during the Battle of the Bulge. Among them were three G.I.s from Western Pennsylvania serving in the 422nd Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division who were captured on December 19, 1945. This work of fiction tells about their escape from the notorious Stalag IV-B P.O.W. prison and their eventual (and eventful!) return to the medical amenities of Camp Lucky Strike.The events included in this part occurred northeast of Leipzig, near Sieben-Arm-Säule during early April 1945.It is a work of historical fiction based on the actual experiences of Vernon J. Cumberland, Bruce Waldo, and Horace Catheay, to whom it is dedicated.

Susan Abrams gives us a short story about one of her favorite kitchen utensils, an older ice cream scooper with a yellow, fluted handle.

Gladys Patricia Symington by Jeannie Turner originally published in From a Writer’s Finger to a Butterfly’s WingAn anthology by the Sacramento Suburban Writers Club Jeannie Turner shares a brief poem about her favorite travel companion.