Essie Mae Brooks from Perry, Georgia has been singing and writing gospel songs since she was a girl. So, she’s kind of an expert. Her songs are meditations on getting through hard times, facing mortality, and living in the moment. She has raised 5 children and is blessed with many grandchildren. Often, Essie calls in […]

I just had a big birthday. When I reached 40, I was irked, because I felt the compulsion to accept certain realities about my life and where it might not go in the future.  Having not won an Olympic Gold medal to date, chances were it wasn’t going happen in my lifetime, nor would I […]

After Sam visited the Orange County Charter School for the second time, we received a stack of thank-you notes and drawings done for him by the students! Sam was so moved, and we were too – these are really heartfelt and creative. We thought we would share a couple with you, because Sam thought you […]

Listen: Chapel Hill Boogie I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Chapel Hill, NC – ask any UNC graduate and they’ll say the same. For me it’s about more than just school; I grew up in and around Chapel Hill, formed a connection with the town (and its neighbor, Carrboro) that extended […]

Nobody works as hard as a Bluesman, and if you’ve ever been at a bar where Ironing Board Sam is performing, you believe it. An energetic stage show is almost always followed by mingling with the audience, as Sam is a consummate professional, and on top of that is genuinely pleased to see everyone who […]