Everyday Creation

Marianne Faithfull was part of the swinging London scene in the 1960s. She recorded Keith Richards' and Mick Jagger's song "As Tears Go By" before the Rolling Stones did. She and Jagger had a three-year relationship before it ended after a drug raid at Richards' house in 1967. Addicted to heroin, she lost custody of her child and lived on the street for two years. You can learn more about Faithfull and "As Tears Go By" in this episode. The photo of her in the thumbnail is from the album cover for "Come and Stay With Me: The UK 45s 1964-1969." You can see the cover in its entirety in the chapters. Also in the chapters, there's a Cashbox advertisement from Sept. 19, 1964 touting her version of "As Tears Go By." The song reached No. 9 in England and 22 in the U.S. in 1964. To listen to it, you can go here. And 12 years ago, Taylor Swift performed the song with the Stones. You can watch it here.The artwork framing two sides of the thumbnail photo was created by Bob Jones.Song of the Day creator Sheldon Zoldan researched, wrote and narrated this short story, one of 35 tributes to music stars who passed away in 2025. Song of the Day used to be a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. Sheldon ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day also deserves a tribute. The good thing is that the tributes live on.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Tenor Sam Moore and baritone David Prater Jr. made beautiful music together, but they fought like cats and dogs. Still, they had more success as a duo than they did when they went their separate ways as solo artists. As Sam & Dave, they had 10 consecutive Top 20 R&B hits and two Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits.In this tribute to Moore, you can learn the story behind the Sam & Dave partnership including how they decided to form a duo, their turbulent professional relationship and their personal demons. Known as the "sultans of sweat," they were known for their over-the-top performances and recorded successfully at Stax Records in Memphis with Isaac Hayes and Booker T. & the M.G.'s. In fact, Hayes co-wrote Sam & Dave's hit "Soul Man." How did Hayes and his co-writer, David Porter, get inspired to write "Soul Man"? You'll learn that in this episode too.You can go here to listen to the official audio recording of "Soul Man." Or better yet, watch them do the song and check out their pink suits in a 1974 performance. The black and white photo in the thumbnail is a publicity shot of Sam & Dave taken for a Stax trade ad in Billboard in 1967 to publicize their single "When Something Is Wrong With My Babe." Moore is on the left. The artwork framing two sides of the photo was created by Bob Jones.Song of the Day creator Sheldon Zoldan researched, wrote and narrated this short story, one of 35 tributes to music stars who passed away in 2025. Song of the Day used to be a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. Sheldon ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Lenny Lipton was studying electrical engineering at Cornell University when he wrote a poem that turned into a song. That song eventually became a hit, thanks to Lipton's roommate who later became Peter in Peter, Paul and Mary. Find out how all that came about in this short story by Sheldon Zoldan. Here, you can watch a 1965 recording of Peter, Paul and Mary performing "Puff the Magic Dragon." The thumbnail photo of Lipton is a self-portrait that Lipton shot with a Pixel 3 phone in 2021. It's available on Wikimedia under the license CC BY-SA 4.0. The artwork framing two sides of the photo was created by Bob Jones.Song of the Day creator Sheldon Zoldan researched, wrote and narrated this short story, one of 35 tributes to music stars who passed away in 2025. Song of the Day used to be a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. Sheldon ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day also deserves a tribute. The good thing is that the tributes live on.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Human beings are complicated and, as a result, life stories can include some not-so-shining moments. This is certainly true of this obituary for Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary fame. Sheldon Zoldan's story about Yarrow covers the highs and lows of the singer's career. Yarrow was a member of 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, who were the voices of the civil rights and anti-war movements. They had 11 top 40 singles, multiple Top 10 hits, one No. 1 single and two No. 1 albums.At the end of decade, the trio split to pursue solo careers and also because Yarrow was accused of assaulting a 14-year-old girl. They eventually reunited, and CBS News Sunday Morning aired a segment on the trio in 1984. You can watch it here.Yarrow's notable songs include "Puff the Magic Dragon," based on a poem by former roommate Lenny Lipton. Sheldon wrote a tribute to Lipton, who died in 2022. The recording, recently re-released as Episode 138, is titled An Engineering Major's Unfinished Poem Became "Puff the Magic Dragon." Yarrow also wrote "Day Is Done," which was Peter, Paul and Mary's last single, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Here, you can watch the trio perform it late in their careers. In the chapters, you'll see a promotional photo of the trio in 1968. Pictured from left to right: Paul Stookey, Yarrow and Mary Travers. There's also a shot of the "Day Is Done" album cover.The thumbnail photo, which appears in the chapters as well, was taken of Yarrow in 2008 in San Diego by Phil Konstantin and is available for use on Creative Commons under the license CC BY-SA 3.0.The art that frames two sides of the photo was created by Bob Jones.Song of the Day creator Sheldon Zoldan researched, wrote and narrated this short story, one of 35 tributes to music stars who passed away in 2025. Song of the Day used to be a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. Sheldon ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day also deserves a tribute. The good thing is that the tributes live on.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Courtesy of a friend, a few words of encouragement serve as a mantra for coping with this year of change and chaos. In this video, I share them with you along with a bit of info on the Year of the Horse designation in Chinese astrology. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Brenton Wood offered these final words to his fans: "Catch you on the rebound," referencing one of his songs.Brenton Wood wasn't his given name. In this episode, learn the inspiration behind the stage name, and also the moment that piqued his interest in pursuing a musical career.In 1967, after a career peak with three hits: "Gimme Little Sign," "The Oogum Boogum Song" and "Baby You Got It," he continued writing, recording and performing nearly until his death.You can watch Wood sing "The Oogum Boogum Song" a long, long time ago on this restored version of his performance on "American Bandstand."The thumbnail image of Wood was a promo shot for "The Oogum Boogum Song." Credited to Double Shot Records, it appeared in Billboard on April 29, 1967. The art that frames the photo on two sides was created by Bob Jones. Song of the Day creator Sheldon Zoldan researched, wrote and narrated this short story, one of 35 tributes to music stars who passed away in 2025. Song of the Day used to be a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. Sheldon ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day also deserves a tribute. The good thing is that the tributes live on.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

What began as a book about the Vietnam War evolved into a candid memoir about a self-centered life of thrill-seeking adventure transformed into one focused on service and meaning."Quest: Risk, Adventure and the Search for Meaning" by John Graham is available in print, on Kindle and as an audio book. To watch a brief video that promotes the book, go here.In this episode, you'll hear about John's close brushes with death; one long-ago personal failing that still weighs on him; life-changing mystical experiences; and struggles to shift from an adrenaline-fueled life to service-oriented work that includes his involvement with the Giraffe Heroes Project for nearly 45 years. Founded by his wife Ann Medlock, the Giraffe Heroes Project highlights individuals who "stick their necks out" for public good. You can learn more on the project's website. The black and white photo in the thumbnail is of a young John during a death-defying climb in Alaska. The picture is one of many in his new book, "Denali Diaries," which is available to access for free on John's site. John's short-form video series "Badass Granddad," on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, is his way to reach a younger demographic. The "Badass" episode about the war in Iran, mentioned in this conversation, was published on March 24. Here's a link. One of my favorite "Badass" episodes is the latest as of today. It's Ep. 70 about taking smart risks vs. stupid ones.Underlying each of John's projects is this message: Pursue meaning through giving back, use your personal skills to serve, and be willing to take risks for the public good. "Quest" is a well-told story about John's remarkable life. I recommend it highly.Also want to mention that the artwork framing the photos in the thumbnail is by my brother-in-law, Bob Jones, a prolific creator in his own right. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Garth Hudson agreed to join the Hawks, a precursor to The Band, on two conditions: that he'd be paid a little extra to be the group's music teacher, and that he'd have a Lowery organ to play. This tribute to Hudson includes a reference to The Band's song "Chest Fever." Hudson wasn't a singer or a songwriter, but he contributed mightily to the song's success with an intro based on J.S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. You can hear "Chest Fever (remastered 2000) here. To listen to the Bach piece, head to YouTube where you'll have choices. Here's a link to one cool version and to another. The public domain photo of The Band in this episode's thumbnail was taken by Elliott Landy in 1969 for Capitol Records. Pictured from left: Richard Manuel,  Hudson, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko. The photo was used for a trade ad in Billboard for the single "Time To Kill" / "The Shape I'm In." If you want to download your own copy, you can find it on Wikimedia.In the chapters, there's a photo of Hudson in May 1971 during a performance with The Band in Hamburg. It was taken by Heinrich Klaffs and is available for reuse under the license CC BY-SA 2.0 on Wikimedia.The artwork framing the top and bottom of the photo was created by Bob Jones.Song of the Day creator Sheldon Zoldan researched, wrote and narrated this short story, one of 35 tributes to music stars who passed away in 2025. Song of the Day used to be a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. Sheldon ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day deserves a tribute of its own. The good thing is that the tributes to music makers live on.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

For fans of historical fiction and anyone who loves a great story, here's a recommendation: Maria Tureaud's gothic novel "This House Will Feed." It's set during Ireland's Great Hunger, also known by its Irish name, An Gorta Mór. The author was born and raised in a part of Ireland that was devastated by the Great Hunger during the mid-1800s, yet she barely learned anything about the area's tragic history when she was growing up. She says it wasn't taught in school. Then she left Ireland to spend her junior year in college as an exchange student in the United States. She signed up for an Irish history class, expecting it to be an easy A. Instead, her eyes were opened to the atrocities that were committed during that terrible time. In this episode, Tureaud talks about why she didn't really want to tackle the subject of the Great Hunger yet felt compelled to write about it. She also discusses why she chose to make it a gothic story; how she developed her main character, Maggie O'Shaughnessy, and how the process affected Tureaud's personal life. Other topics include the urge to someday move back to her home country, as well as her own path to becoming published with some advice for others wanting the same. "This House Will Feed" came out at the end of January 2026. Tureaud's next Irish gothic historical novel, "Beneath It Sleeps," will be published in January of 2027. Also, before she entered the realm of adult books, she wrote a middle-grade paranormal novel titled "The Last Hope in Hopetown," which was published in 2022.You'll hear about all this and much more (for example, the difference between masculine rage and feminine rage, revenge vs. vengeance). Please join us for an illuminating — and fun — conversation.This is such a good book. Hope you're inspired to read it. Also, if you like the thumbnail for this episode, please let me know. The artwork behind the book cover is by my brother-in-law, Bob Jones, a prolific creator in his own right. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

For these two calming techniques, all that's involved is breathing in and out and focusing one's mind. They take maybe a minute or so to do both of them. I've found that they help me a lot when I'm feeling stressed, and I really like doing them proactively too — just to get into the right mindset at the beginning of the day or anytime. Please try them out to see whether they also help you manage stress and feel more clearheaded, and let me know by using the text link below. Credit and gratitude go to Bob Jones of Wyoming who created the artwork in the thumbnail. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

I recorded this short video after the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Renée Nicole Good, a mother and poet, and before Veterans Administration nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Jeffrey Pretti died, also at the hands of ICE. Each was shot at what has been reported as a peaceful protest. These are tense times and, more than ever, we need to follow the examples set by Good and Pretti by being more kind, not less so. Kindness is a form of love and, ultimately, love is far stronger and more resilient than the hate of bullies. In honor of all those who have been harmed by hate, let's spread love and lots of it.The vibrant artwork in the thumbnail is by Wyoming artist Bob Jones. Art is subjective, of course. To me, the angles capture the edginess of the moment. And, by the way, "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield made VegOut newsletter's list of "8 songs boomers still love because it reminds them who they were before responsibilities." Check out the entire list by searching "vegoutmag.com/lifestyle/k-bt-8-songs-boomers-still-love."Here's a link to the official Buffalo Springfield video.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Summary: Kate Jones offers two affirmations in this video.The first focuses on letting go, releasing any tense hold we have on people, places, events and things.The second centers on forgiving everything, everyone and all experiences needing forgiveness.Background: This is Kate. When I was in my 20s, I started doing two amazing affirmations thanks to my first husband. That was a long time ago, so the details of their origins are fuzzy. I think he learned them from a couple of women friends who were involved with the Unity Church. I always thought that there was a connection between these affirmations and Unity, though I've not been able to confirm that by searching online. Recently, however, I Googled the first line of the "letting go" affirmation, and this is what Google's AI came up with: "That is a wonderful mantra focusing on acceptance and releasing attachment to external factors. This perspective can bring about a sense of inner peace and freedom. By letting go of rigid control over people, situations and material possessions, you open yourself up to experiencing life with greater flexibility, resilience and serenity. It's a practice of mindfulness and trusting in the natural flow of life."So then I Googled the first line of the second affirmation about forgiving, and AI came up with this: “The phrase 'I forgive everything, everyone, every experience from the past or present' is a powerful affirmation for radical forgiveness, a practice to release resentment, find inner peace, and free oneself from past hurts by consciously letting go of anger and choosing love or acceptance, often through repetition in meditation or prayer, recognizing it as a gift to oneself for healing and growth, not necessarily condoning actions but releasing their power over you.” I think AI did a great job summing up these affirmations. I incorporated them into my life decades ago and have found them to be great tools for growth and healing. I hope they're useful for you as well. Also want to mention that although the speaker here is a woman (me), just change the wording so that it's right for you.  One other note: The thumbnail picture of the awe-inspiring interior of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona was taken in 2024 by my husband, Bernie Jones, for whom I'm grateful for our life together and the marvelous places we've visited. Speaking of gratitude, I also thank my former husband for introducing me to life-enhancing spiritual tools including the affirmations in this episode.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Each one of us can spread a little love in the world with just a smile or a kind word. And when we join together with other like-minded individuals, our positive influence grows exponentially. That's the effect that Impact100 has in communities throughout the U.S. and in England, Australia and New Zealand.You can learn about Impact100 in this interview with Brooke Potrzeba, who first got involved with the nonprofit organization in Pensacola, Florida, before moving to Ohio in 2024. Brooke is founding president of the Cleveland chapter, the 76th chapter worldwide. Impact100 gives $100,000 grants to nonprofits that can make transformative improvements to their communities. For more information, check out impact100cleveland.org or impact100global.org. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

"THE LIGHT" is an 18-page illustrated board book designed to empower youngsters with themes of self-connection, self-trust and self-love. Author Scarlett Lam and illustrator Mindy Lee have found that adults also are moved by the book's uplifting message.This short excerpt is from an interview that Scarlett and I recorded in early 2024 not long after the book was published. I highly recommend "THE LIGHT" and have revisited the interview more than once. So far, I've purchased four copies of the book and have given three of them away. The recipients love it too because it reminds people of their inner light and worth.To buy your own copy, go to readthelight.com. Scarlett is offering 10% off with the code EVERYDAYCREATION10, good through 2025.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

This is the sixth and last excerpt from a longer conversation (Episode 121) with philanthropist and author Iris November and two of her daughters: the Rev. Rachel Hollander, also an author, and Anita Hollander, an actress, singer and songwriter who joined us on Zoom from New York City.In previous excerpts, we talked about Iris' two books; Anita's long professional career as well as her activism on behalf of performers with disabilities; and Rachel's book about living (and thriving) with depression vs. suffering from it. We also talked about the death of Iris' husband when he was only 48 and how his sudden passing affected the family.To honor the memory of Bernard (Bud) Hollander, a lawyer, Iris set up an award to be given to a law school student who exemplifies her husband's unwavering commitment to public service. It first was presented in May 2025 and thereafter will be an annual award. In this episode, we start off with Iris' knitting group, Yarn Over Beachwood, and then we touch upon the Statue of Liberty Club, which she founded. From there, we move on to the thoughtful practice of leaving a legacy that benefits future generations. The public service award honoring Bud Hollander is an example of that.The episode ends with Anita singing an original song, "Beyond," inspired by some words that her father had jotted down about the importance of leaving something beneficial behind. You'll find the lyrics to Anita's beautiful song at the end of this episode's transcript.To hear a professionally recorded version of "Beyond," go here. And go here to learn about Rev. Rachel's online spiritual community, SpiritsHome. By the way, the Beachwood Library mentioned in this episode is in Ohio on Cleveland's East Side. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

In this fifth excerpt from a longer conversation, Iris November and daughters Anita Hollander and Rev. Rachel Hollander, talk about how the family struggled in the aftermath of the sudden passing of Iris' husband, Bernard "Bud" Hollander. Father of Anita, Rachel and their sisters, Celia Hollander Lewis and Lisa Hollander, he was the "cornerstone of our family," Rachel says.Iris was 42 at the time of her husband's fatal heart attack, and she quickly had to shoulder household responsibilities she had never handled before. Far worse, the family faced multiple health crises shortly after Bernard's death. Despite the many hardships, mother and daughters express deep gratitude for their lives and for each other.If this short episode piques your interest to hear more, please check out the other excerpts or the full interview, which is Episode 121.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

In this fourth excerpt from a longer interview with Iris November and daughters Anita Hollander and Rev. Rachel Hollander, the conversation revolves around lost loved ones and how they can be remembered in positive and joyful ways. Iris envisions her two late husbands helping her out when she needs something; Rachel performs personalized songs for those who have passed. What could have been a somber discussion instead gravitates toward joy. If you have a few minutes, please join us. And if you have more time to spare, please check out the other excerpts or the full episode (#121) itself. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Rachel Hollander is an InterFaith/InterSpiritual minister and the author of "From There to Here: An Insider's Guide to Navigating the Darkness," a captivating book about living with depression. Rachel also is a performer who is skilled in American Sign Language, and she has a great podcast that you can access from her website. If you love dogs, you may want to check out the specific show about Maddie, her late canine companion. It's mystical and quite lovely. Also on Rachel's website, you can buy her book and find out about her spiritual center, SpiritsHome. By the way, I had mentioned in the interview that I was two-thirds through Rachel's book. It didn't take me long to finish and I highly recommend it. This is the third excerpt from a longer show (Episode 121) with Rachel, her sister Anita Hollander, and their mom, Iris November, three remarkable women who are creative and good-humored, as well as extraordinarily candid about how they've dealt with devastating loss.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Anita Hollander, a multi-talented performer and advocate, says she was born to be a performer, following in the footsteps (and footlights) of her grandmother. In this excerpt from a longer conversation, Anita talks about her performing career, which began when she was 8 years old. Anita also is a passionate advocate for performers with disabilities, and she is one herself. While still in college, she was diagnosed with cancer in her leg and eventually had to have the leg amputated. That didn't stop her from returning to the stage, however. On Oct. 8, Anita received the Harold Russell Award as part of the Media Access Awards in Hollywood. A replay of the awards ceremony will have its broadcast debut Nov. 5 on PBS CoCal Plus. To learn more about Anita, please visit her website. Also, you can go to YouTube to watch "Still Standing," her first one-woman cabaret show, and her second one, "Spectacular Falls." Anita also mentions "From Where I Sit," and you'll find that video on YouTube as well. This is the second excerpt from an extraordinarily candid conversation with philanthropist and author Iris November and two of her four daughters: Rev. Rachel Hollander, also an author, and Anita. All three are accomplished and delightful. For the full interview, please go to Episode 121.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

This is the first of six excerpts from an extraordinarily candid conversation with philanthropist and author Iris November and two of her daughters: the Rev. Rachel Hollander, also an author, and Anita Hollander, an actress and composer. All three are accomplished and delightful. This episode focuses primarily on Iris' book "Goodnight, Shoebox," designed to help children get to know people who don't live close to them. It can be useful for adults with memory issues as well. The book is available on Amazon with three different titles: "Goodnight, Shoebox," "Laila tov, Shoebox" and "Buenas Noches, Shoebox." We also touch upon other topics including "The Fine Art of Schnorring: The A to Z's of Fund Raising and Philanthropy," which Iris wrote with Mort November, her second husband who has since passed on. And, just to be clear, these 15 minutes or so represent just the tip of the full episode, in which my guests talk about subjects such as love and loss, grief and gratitude with honesty and good humor. Please join us for more excerpts as they're published or, if you have the time, check out the entire interview, episode 121.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Losing a loved one and losing a leg; picking up the pieces of a fractured life; creating beautiful things that serve others. These are only a few of the themes that emerged from this extraordinarily candid (and often funny) conversation with three members of a talented and accomplished family. In this episode, you'll hear from:- Iris November, a philanthropist and former librarian with two books to her name: "The Fine Art of Schnorring: The A to Z's of Fundraising and Philanthropy" and "Goodnight, Shoebox." The latter, available on Amazon, is a memoir activity scrapbook written for kids and also quite useful for adults who have memory issues.- Daughter Anita Hollander, a multi-talented performer who has dealt with cancer and a subsequent leg amputation. A disability advocate in the entertainment industry,  Anita will receive the Harold Russell Award this October as part of the Media Access Awards in Hollywood.- Iris' youngest daughter, Rachel Hollander, a minister, writer and performer who is skilled in American Sign Language. Rachel also is the author of "From There to Here: An Insider's Guide to Navigating the Darkness," a captivating book about living with depression. And she has a great podcast that you can access from her website. I recommend the specific show about Maddie, her late canine companion. It's mystical and quite lovely. Also on Rachel's website, you can buy her book and find out about her spiritual center, SpiritsHome. This episode begins with the four of us talking about "Goodnight, Shoebox" and continues with Iris, Anita and Rachel's personal stories and what they went through as a family. It ends with Anita singing an original song, "Beyond," inspired by some words that her father had jotted down on a piece of paper. His note was about the importance of leaving something behind to benefit future generations. Family members found the note while going through his papers after he had a fatal heart attack 50 years ago. The lyrics to Anita's beautiful song are at the end of this episode's transcript.To honor the memory of Bernard (Bud) Hollander, a lawyer, Iris set up an award to be given to a law school student who exemplifies her husband's unwavering commitment to public service. It first was presented in May 2025 and thereafter will be an annual award. To hear a professionally recorded version of "Beyond," go here. While we're on the subject of Anita's performances, you can go to YouTube to watch "Still Standing," her first one-woman cabaret show, and her second one, "Spectacular Falls," also on YouTube. (The latter video doesn't begin right away. The introduction is about 3 minutes in, and Anita comes onstage near the 7-minute mark.) In both videos, you'll see Rachel's expressive ASL interpretation. Anita also mentions "From Where I Sit," and you'll find that video on YouTube as well. For more about Anita, please visit her website.We also covered a couple of other topics: Iris' knitting group, which makes items that the members give away to help others, and the Statue of Liberty Club, which Iris founded in 1991. She has donated her collection of Statues of Liberty to the Strong NSend us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Patricia Falvey left a successful and financially rewarding career in accounting to do what she always wanted: write full time. She made this her second act and encourages others who have a dream to do all they can to pursue it. This episode is an excerpt from my full interview with Falvey titled "Author Patricia Falvey on Being Brave, Resilient, and Focused on Your Dream." There are also three other excerpts: "Five Books and Counting: the Novels of Patricia Falvey," "Always a Writer at Heart," and "Goodness, Resilience and Paying it Forward."To learn more about Falvey's books, visit patriciafalveybooks.com. And if you read one or all, please write a review.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

This episode is an excerpt from a longer interview with the novelist Patricia Falvey, a former accountant who now writes historical fiction. Here, we talk specifically about her latest book, "The Famine Orphans," which sounds like downer of a story but isn't because the focus is on the characters' resilience and their resistance to being victims of circumstance. We also comment in general how we all have the power to spread more kindness and joy in the world.To hear more, go to the full interview titled "Author Patricia Falvey on Being Brave, Resilient, and Focused on Your Dream" (Episode 116). The other excerpts are titled "Five Books and Counting: the Novels of Patricia Falvey," "The Courage to Embrace Your Second Act" and "Always a Writer at Heart."To learn more about Falvey's books, visit patriciafalveybooks.com. And if you read one or all, please write a review.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Patricia Falvey had a successful 30-year career in accounting, yet what she really wanted was to become a full-time writer. After taking a leap of faith to pursue her dream, she's happier and already has had five books published: "The Yellow House," "The Linen Queen," "The Girls of Ennismore," "The Titanic Sisters," and her latest, "The Famine Orphans." All five novels have a connection to Ireland, where she lived with her grandmother until she was about 8. This episode is an excerpt from a longer interview. To hear more, go to the full interview titled "Author Patricia Falvey on Being Brave, Resilient, and Focused on Your Dream." To listen to Falvey's descriptions of her historical  novels, you can go to Episode 117 titled "Five Books and Counting: the Novels of Patricia Falvey."Two other excerpts will be published later this week: "Goodness, Resilience and Paying it Forward" and "The Courage to Pursue Your Second Act."To learn more about Falvey's books, visit patriciafalveybooks.com. And if you read one or all, please write a review.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Hello, I'm the host of Everyday Creation. Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing author Patricia Falvey. She and I covered a lot of territory in the full episode, including her successful 30-year career in accounting before she took a leap of faith to become a full-time writer. In this excerpt, Patricia talks about each one of her five books. All are historical fiction with a connection to Ireland, where she lived until she was about 8 years old. To listen to "Orphan Girl," which is referenced in the interview, go to @watch?v=-zlUEhxDDhg&list=RD-zlUEhxDDhg&start_radio=1. The song is performed by the Choral Scholars of University College Dublin.If this episode piques your interest enough to learn more about Falvey and how she's had success in two very different careers, please check out the full interview. It's Episode 116 titled "Author Patricia Falvey on Being Brave, Resilient, and Focused on Your Dream." Three more excerpts are publishing this week: "Always a Writer at Heart," "Goodness, Resilience and Paying it Forward," and "The Courage to Embrace Your Second Act."To learn more about Falvey's books, visit patriciafalveybooks.com. And if you read any or all, please write a review.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Patricia Falvey is the author of five historical novels that focus on Irish history and ordinary characters living through major historical events, blending fact with fiction. Her latest, "The Famine Orphans," follows six characters — "orphan girls" — who take part in a real-life effort by the British government to decrease the number of orphans in Irish workhouses and boost the population of Australia. In this episode, Falvey shares her own experience of immigrating to a foreign land. She talks about how she made her way in the United States, initially working in Omaha for the Job Corps before heading to Boston, where she received a scholarship to Suffolk University and went on to have a successful career as an accountant and CPA.She spent 30-plus years in that field although she'd always dreamed of being a writer. She had even told bedtime stories to herself as a young child. When she finally took a leap of faith to become a full-time writer, it was the beginning of a fulfilling second act. She encourages others with a dream to consider finding a way to make it come true.To listen to "Orphan Girl" sung by the Choral Scholars of University College Dublin, go to this video. To learn more about Falvey's books, visit her website.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Sugar Pie DeSanto was just under 5 feet tall, yet she had a powerful voice and a daring stage presence. She'd do back flips, splits, and stunts that included jumping off pianos.Signing with Chess Records led to DeSanto collaborating with major R&B and soul artists, including Etta James and James Brown. She toured with The James Brown Revue for two years.Her original name was Peylia Marsema Balinton, but Johnny Otis gave her a new name that was easier to pronounce.DeSanto also was a prolific songwriter, penning over 100 songs such as "Slip-in Mules," "Use What You Got," "Soulful Dress," and her first hit "I Want To Know," which reached #4 on Billboard's R&B chart in 1960.You can go here to listen to DeSanto sing "I Want To Know." The image in this episode's thumbnail is the cover of her album "Go Go Power: The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966." In the chapters, there are a couple of other images: the cover of another album, "A Little Bit of Soul 1957-1962," and a photo of DeSanto performing in August 2006. The latter is credited to Michael Albov and is available on Wikimedia Commons under the license CC BY 2.0.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Mike Brewer began his music career writing songs and playing in coffee houses, eventually meeting Tom Shipley in Cleveland. They recorded their first album in 1968 and played mostly in Midwest college towns.Their song "One Toke Over the Line" was inspired by a backstage experience involving hashish. They wrote it in an hour and never thought to include it in a concert until one time they did it as an encore. The audience loved it, so they put it on their "Tarkio" album. The song reached #10 on Billboard's Hot 100 despite the Federal Communications Commission's ban on drug-related songs.It even made it on "The Lawrence Welk Show." You can watch here.You can listen to Brewer & Shipley's version here.Brewer & Shipley had two other Hot 100 hits: "Tarkio Road" (No. 55) and "Shake Off the Demon" (No. 98).The image in this episode's thumbnail shows Brewer & Shipley in 1971. Brewer is on the right. Attributed to Nick DeWolf, the photo originally was posted to Flickr as 020313 by steve the archivist, CC BY-SA 2.0. This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.  Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Tyka Nelson, Prince's younger sister, began writing songs at age 10. She and her brother wrote together when they were young, but later on, Nelson chose to establish her own identity. She released four solo albums with moderate success on the R&B charts but was primarily a songwriter. She enjoyed singing, she said, but did not consider herself a singer.Her most successful single was "Marc Anthony's Tune" from her "Royal Blue" album, released in 1988. The song reached #33 on Billboard's R&B chart. To listen to it, you can go here. In the comments, one person wrote, "R.I.P. Tyka! Thank you for such a perfect song!""L.O.V.E.," also from "Royal Blue," charted at #52.Her other albums were "Yellow Moon, Red Sky" (1993); "A Brand New Me" (a gospel album, 2008) and "Hustler" (2011).After Prince's death, she and her half-siblings maintained his legacy, helping to manage his estate and transforming Paisley Park into a museum.The image in this episode's thumbnail is the cover art for her song "End of the Road," available on Apple and Amazon Music. You can hear a preview by going to the Apple Music website.To learn more about Nelson, go to her official site.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.  Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

At age 11, Quincy Jones found his purpose when he felt compelled to touch the piano at a local recreation center. It was a small gesture that set him on his way to a hugely successful music career. The first instrument he learned was the trumpet, and it didn't take him long to be good enough to play in jazz bands. From there, he went on to:- Collaborate with Frank Sinatra;- Compose film scores for movies and TV shows; - Produce hit songs for Lesley Gore; - Work with Michael Jackson on three albums, including "Thriller," the best-selling album ever; - Organize the recording of "We Are the World," which brought together more than 40 of the top rock and pop stars of the 1980s.- And write popular songs. "Soul Bossa Nova," the song referenced in this tribute, came out in 1962. More than three decades later, it was used in the opening dance scene in the 1997 film "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery."You can go here to watch Jones conducting an amazing group of jazz musicians playing "Soul Bossa Nova" on "Late Night with David Letterman."Or  to hear the song as the soundtrack to 1960s videos, go here."The Many Lives of Q" is a BBC documentary about Jones' life and career. You can find it presented in short segments on YouTube. Here's a link to Episode 1, which is intriguing enough to make you want to want to keep watching all seven episodes.The image in the thumbnail for this episode is a photo of Jones in 1980, attributed to the Los Angeles Times and available on Wikimedia under the license CC BY 4.0.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.  Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Phil Lesh originally played the trumpet and the violin. He learned to play the bass when he joined the Grateful Dead (then the Warlocks) in 1964. Jerry Garcia taught him how to play the instrument during one long lesson.Lesh's musical background in jazz and classical music influenced his bass playing. He also co-wrote several Grateful Dead songs, including "Truckin'," "Unbroken Chain" and "Box of Rain." He wrote "Box of Rain" for his dying father. You can watch Lesh and the Grateful Dead perform "Box of Rain" on July 7, 1989, in Philadelphia, by going here.  The photo in this episode's thumbnail shows Lesh performing in 2008. It's attributed to Tony, CC BY 2.0 and is available on Wikimedia Commons.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.  Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Liam Payne was a member of the English boy band One Direction, which was formed on Britain's "The X Factor" and became one of the world's hottest musical acts by 2011.The band achieved several historic chart milestones in the U.S., including multiple number one albums. Along with success, members faced personal struggles; Payne battled alcohol and drug addiction.He co-wrote many One Direction songs, including "Little Black Dress" from the "Midnight Memories" album. To hear the song, you can go to this YouTube video. In this episode's thumbnail, there's a photo of Payne at the NRJ Music Awards 15th Edition on December 14, 2013. It's by Georges Biard and is available on Wikimedia Commons under the license CC BY-SA 3.0.In the chapters, there's another photo of Payne, taken during a One Direction concert in Sydney, Australia, in April 2012. It's credited to Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.  Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney Houston, was a much in-demand backup singer who also won two Traditional Soul Gospel Grammy Awards.Cissy became a member of the Sweet Inspirations in 1963, joining her niece Dee Dee Warwick while replacing another niece, Dionne Warwick, who left the group for a solo career. The Sweet Inspirations' hit "(Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover" was their most successful R&B single and Houston's final recording with the group before she left to spend more time with her family. However, Cissy continued as a backup vocalist, collaborating with such artists as Paul Simon, John Prine, Linda Ronstadt, Bette Midler, niece Dionne, and daughter WhitneyTo hear the Sweet Inspirations sing "(Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover," go here. In the chapters, you'll see a public domain image of the four singers, from left to right: Sylvia Shemwell, Cissy Houston, Myrna Smith and Estelle Brown (Cissy is in the lower left corner). Credited to Atlantic Records, the photo appeared in Billboard in May 1967. It's available on Wikimedia Commons here. Also in the chapters, the black and white photo of Houston performing in 1975 is credited to Tom Marcello Webster, New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, available on Wikimedia Commons. The 1996 photo of Houston in this episode's thumbnail is attributed to Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel, Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.  This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.  Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

In college, Kris Kristofferson was a Rhodes scholar and a Golden Gloves boxer who also happened to play guitar and write music. After Oxford, he moved to Nashville to pursue songwriting and eventually managed to gain Johnny Cash's attention by delivering a demo tape by helicopter to Cash's home. Cash ended up recording Kristofferson's song "Sunday Morning Coming Down," which became a hit.So began Kristofferson's wildly successful career that included starring roles in movies. The image in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is from the cover of the 2010 unauthorized biography of Kristofferson by Stephen Miller, who also wrote "Johnny Cash: Life of an American Icon." It's available on Kindle and in paperback.  Miller (not the White House deputy chief of staff!) also wrote "The Million Dollar Quartet" about the recordings made during an impromptu jam session at Sun Record Studios in Memphis. The musicians were Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Cash.To watch Kristofferson and Cash performing "Sunday Morning Coming Down," go here. The clip is from Cash's Christmas show in 1978.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.   Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Multi-instrumentalist J.D. Souther achieved his greatest musical success by writing songs for the Eagles and other 1970s rock stars. It was Souther who suggested that Linda Ronstadt hire Glenn Frey and Don Henley for her back-up band. That connection eventually led to the formation of the Eagles.Souther released his own albums to modest success. His biggest hit single was "You're Only Lonely" in 1979. You can hear the song by going to the official audio. In the chapters for this episode, you'll see an image of the "You're Only Lonely" album cover. That album and his LP "Midnight in Tokyo," which is pictured in the thumbnail and the chapters, are available on Amazon Music.To learn more about Souther and see some great portraits of him, visit his website.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

The Jackson 5 started as a trio and became a quintet with the addition of Michael and Marlon. Older brother Tito was one of the group's original members. After his brothers pursued solo careers, he worked as a session musician and producer.Tito became a blues performer in 2003 and had his first commercial hit "Get It Baby" in 2016. The song reached number 20 on Billboard's R&B chart. To watch the lyrics video, you can go here. The song, which features Big Daddy Kane, is available on "Tito Time," Tito's first solo album. The album's cover is pictured in this episode's thumbnail and chapters.Also in the chapters, there's a publicity photo from The Jackson 5's 1972 TV special. Credited to CBS Television, the image is available for download on Wikimedia Commons. Here's the link.  To learn more about Tito including why he delayed his solo career, you can go to this 2016 VladTV interview. It's quite good.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Sérgio Mendes had a 60-year career, marked by perseverance and a decision to stay in the U.S. after a lukewarm tour. His success in the U.S. began after being signed by trumpeter Herb Alpert and forming Brasil '66 with two female singers. The group went on to have three Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and two Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the late 1960s. Mendes' first American hit was "Mas que Nada," reaching number 47 on the singles chart in 1966. Forty years later, he did the song with the Black Eyed Peas. It reached number six in the UK.You can go here to watch him perform the song in 1967 with Brasil '66. And there are a few videos on YouTube that feature the version with Mendes and the Black Eyed Peas. Your choice.I thought it would be fun to also feature a different song, "That Heat," with Mendes, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, and Erykah Badu. Go here to watch the video. The photo in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is of Mendes in 1971. It's attributed to Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Scott Simon joined Sha Na Na in 1970 after responding to an ad for a keyboard player; he stayed with the group until they stopped touring in 2022.The image in this episode's thumbnail is the cover of the album "Sha Na Na: Woodstock 20 Years After." Simon is pictured at the far left. In the chapters, there's also a photo of Simon signing autographs in 2009.To watch Simon and the rest of Sha Na Na perform "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On," go this video. To learn more about the band, visit the official website.Simon co-wrote the song "Sandy" for "Grease." To listen to John Travolta sing it, as he did in the 1978 movie, you can go here. This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Actor and singer James Darren's breakthrough role was as Moondoggie in the 1959 film "Gidget," where he also sang the title song. The film was a hit, and he became a heartthrob.The image in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is an ABC Television photo of James Darren and Shelley Fabares on "The Donna Reed Show" in 1959.Darren had equal success with acting and singing. His song "Goodbye Cruel World" reached number three on the Billboard charts in 1961. When acting roles slowed down, Darren began directing. He returned to music in 1998, portraying a lounge singer on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." In the chapters, you'll see the cover of "This One's From the Heart," which features songs he performed on "Deep Space Nine."This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

The music career of Maurice Williams spanned more than six decades, with groups that evolved from the Junior Harmonizers to the Royal Charms, the Gladiolas and, finally, the Zodiacs.Williams recorded his first hit, "Little Darlin'," with the Gladiolas in 1957. The song reached number four on Billboard's R&B chart.He was only 17 in 1955 when he wrote "Stay" after unsuccessfully trying to convince a girl to "stay a little longer." At first, Williams didn't like the song but ultimately released it as the B side of a record. "Stay" ended up being the hit, reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 on November 21, 1960. To watch the Zodiacs performing "Stay" in 1967, you can go to this video from the Reelin' In The Years Archives.To listen to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons doing the song, go here, and for one of Jackson Browne's versions, go here.The photo in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is a publicity shot of Williams (pictured in the middle of the first row) and the Zodiacs in 1960. It's available on Wikimedia Commons.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

John Mayall's influence extended to such notable musicians of the 1960s and '70s as Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Mick Taylor. In October 2024, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a musical influencer.Mayall was known as the godfather of British blues. His music was not mainstream popular, though his albums performed better than his singles. To hear "Sitting in the Rain," which showcases his songwriting skills and emotional depth in music, you can go to this video, which features Mayall on guitar and vocals, and McVie on bass guitar.For Mayall's complete discography and to learn more about the man and his music, visit the official website. On the site, there's an announcement that the John Mayall box set "The Second Generation (LIVE, 1968-1993)" is coming in summer 2025.The photo in this episode's thumbnail is of Mayall performing in Seattle in 2019. It's attributed to Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 4.0 and is available on Wikimedia Commons. In the chapter's closing remarks, there's an image of the cover of Mayall's autobiography, "Blues from Laurel Canyon: My Life as a Bluesman," which he wrote with Joel McIver. The book is available on Amazon.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Duke Fakir and his friends, Levi Stubbs, Obie Benson and Lawrence Payton, formed the Four Tops in Detroit. They became one of the biggest acts of the 1960s."Reach Out I'll Be There" was their second #1 hit on the Billboard chart and the second Motown hit to top the UK charts. Go here to watch them performing the song on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1966.The public domain photo of Fakir in this episode's thumbnail was taken by Jay Godwin at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2019. It's available on Wikimedia Commons. In the chapters, there's also an image of the album "The Best of Four Tops: 20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection," available in audio CD and on Amazon Music.Fakir was the last surviving member of the group. His 2022 book, "I'll Be There: My Life with the Four Tops," was co-written with Kathleen McGhee-Anderson. It's also available on Amazon.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Sandy Posey began her career as a session singer in Memphis, working with artists such as Percy Sledge and Elvis Presley. She had three top 20 hits in the 1960s: "Born a Woman," which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over 1 million copies; "Single Girl"; and "I Take It Back." The image of Posey in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is from her album "Single Girl: The Very Best of the MGM Years." Also in the chapters, you'll see an image of Posey's "22 All-Time Favorites: Country, Bluegrass, Gospel." Both CDs are available on Amazon.To watch a 1967 recording of Posey singing "Single Girl," you can go to this video.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

As a singer, Jerry Fuller had hits early in his career with "Betty, My Angel" and "Tennessee Waltz," but he made it big as a songwriter and producer. He wrote over 400 songs in eight years and discovered several talents, including Glen Campbell, the Knickerbockers, and Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. He produced the top 10 hits "Young Girl," "Lady Willpower" and "Over You'" and wrote two number one songs: "Show and Tell" by Al Wilson and "Travelin' Man" by Ricky Nelson. The image in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is of Fuller's "Teenage Love" album. Also in the chapters, you'll find an image of "Four Decades: A Songwriter Sings His Hits." Both of these CDs are on Amazon.You can listen to him singing "Betty, My Angel" in this video, which also features several vintage photos from the '50s. To watch Ricky Nelson perform "Travelin' Man" in 1985, go here.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

In 1961, Bob Newhart won a Grammy for Album of the Year for his first album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which topped the Billboard album chart for 14 weeks. His second album, "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back," was rushed out and reached number two on the Billboard chart.The 1987 photo in this episode's thumbnail was taken by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, and is available on Wikimedia Commons. In the chapters, you'll see the cover of "The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back."To listen to "Retirement Party" from Newhart's second album, you can go to this YouTube video. The well-known comedy bit "The Grace L. Ferguson Airline (And Storm Door Co.)," also from his second album, is available here. And to listen to his first album, go to this video, which includes the very funny "Nobody Will Ever Play Baseball." This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Bernice Johnson Reagon was multifaceted: a singer, songwriter, civil rights activist, historian, college professor, and documentarian.Born in Georgia during the dawning of the modern Civil Rights Movement, she recognized the power of music in activism and co-founded the Freedom Singers. The ensemble performed across the South and at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival.In 1973, she formed another a cappella group, Sweet Honey in the Rock, which started as a quartet and expanded to five members with Reagon remaining until her retirement in 2004.She wrote "Ella's Song" in 1988 as a tribute to civil rights pioneer Ella Baker, who was active in the NAACP and other civil rights organizations.You can go here to watch Sweet Honey in the Rock perform "Ella's Song," and please check out the comments too. Here's a good one: "This group Sweet Honey in the Rock taught me the meaning of a cappella (without instruments) their harmony was amazing...It was a JOY to see them perform live. I sing this song when feeding the birds and they always respond!"Reagon's many accomplishments included earning a doctorate in 1975 and becoming a cultural historian at the Smithsonian Institution, focusing on music history. She also produced a 26-part series titled "Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions."The image in this video's thumbnail is a photo in the public domain of Reagon. It's available on Wikipedia.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Singer-songwriter Dave Loggins, a second cousin to Kenny Loggins, gained initial success when Three Dog Night recorded his song "Pieces of April." It reached 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973.Dave Loggins went on to write 14 number one country hits for artists such as the Oak Ridge Boys, Wynonna Judd, Reba McEntire and Kenny Rogers.His duet with Anne Murray, "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do," became a number one country hit in 1984, earning them the Vocal Duo of the Year award at the Country Music Awards.Loggins also wrote "Augusta," the longest-running sports theme, after playing Augusta National Golf Course in 1981; CBS has used it for Masters coverage since 1982. And his 1974 song "Please Come to Boston" reached number one on Billboard's easy listening chart and number five on the Hot 100.You can go to this video to watch him perform "Please Come to Boston" in 1974. Check out the comments too. Here's one of many that express appreciation for Loggins' songwriting skills: "I've always loved this song, but it wouldn't be until decades later I'd fully appreciate the core of its lyrical content. Simply put, a skillfully constructed song."The image in this episode's thumbnail is the cover of Loggins' digitally remastered three-album audio CD available on Amazon. There's also sheet music available on Amazon for "Please Come to Boston" and "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do."This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Kinky Friedman, who formed the band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, was known for outrageous song titles such as "Get Your Biscuits In The Oven and Your Buns In Bed" and "Ride 'em Jew Boy." He was a good writer not only of songs but also detective novels, stories for Texas Monthly and more. One of his pieces in the magazine was a beautifully written tribute to Lottie Cotton, a woman who had cared for him and his siblings.He wasn't born in Texas but moved there at a young age. In 2006, he ran for governor. The photo in this episode's thumbnail, taken the day before the 2006 election, is attributed to Stephen C. Webster, who followed his campaign. It's available on Wikimedia Commons with this license CC BY 2.0.Friedman's song "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore" became his signature piece, addressing themes of racism and antisemitism with a tongue-in-cheek approach. You can listen to a version of it here.He offended people and he had adoring fans. If you search his name on the Facebook page Traces of Texas, you'll find quite a few posts about Friedman, including some of his funny and insightful quotes. Here are a couple of them: "If elected, the first thing I'll do is demand a recount" and “Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.”To learn about his final album, "Poet of Motel 6," and for more about Friedman, go to the official Kinky Friedman site.This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

After serving in the Vietnam War, Mark James moved to Memphis and soon his songwriting career took off. In just two years — 1968 and '69 — he wrote "Eyes of a New York Woman," "Hooked on a Feeling" and "It's Only Love" for B.J. Thomas. Next, he wrote "Suspicious Minds." He recorded his own version to little acclaim, but the song became a major hit for Elvis Presley, revitalizing Presley's career. James also co-wrote "Always on My Mind," which won two Grammys and became a number one hit for Willie Nelson in 1982. BMI, the music performing rights organization, recognized him as one of the songwriters of the 20th century for the hits "Hooked on a Feeling," "Suspicious Minds" and "Always on My Mind."The picture of James in this episode's thumbnail is from his profile in the  Songwriters Hall of Fame, in which he was inducted in 2014. The photo is credited to Randy Anderson.James and Thomas were friends since childhood. You can watch Thomas perform "Hooked on a Feeling" in 2009 in this video and listen to him sing "It's Only Love" here. Or listen to the 1974 version performed by the Swedish rock band Blue Suede.You can go here to listen to James' version of "Suspicious Minds."This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.

Richard Sherman and his brother Robert wrote two hit songs — "Tall Paul" and "You're Sixteen, You're Beautiful (And You're Mine)" — before Walt Disney hired them to write exclusively for him. In 1965, they won an Oscar for Best Original Score for the film "Mary Poppins." The score included "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "Chim Chim Cher-ee." The latter also won Best Original Song.The Sherman Brothers wrote "It's a Small World" for a 1964 New York World's Fair ride that later became a Disneyland attraction. It's been deemed the most played song ever. Here's a not-quite 2-minute version, appropriately starring kids.If you'd like to hear Disney's first big star Annette Funicello singing "Tall Paul," go here. And here's Johnny Burnette singing "You're Sixteen" in 1960.Finally, for a fun and sweet diversion, check out this MsMojo video of "Top 10 Best Mary Poppins Moments." If you lean toward nostalgia, you might get a little teary during some of those moments. The image in the thumbnail and closing remarks for this episode is of Richard Sherman in 2014. In the chapters, there's a public domain photo of the Sherman Brothers receiving the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush in November 2008. It's credited to the Presidential Press Corps and is available on Wikimedia Commons. This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email [email protected] with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in major podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.