Big Blend Radio

Join host Lisa D. Smith and co-host Johnny Schaefer, an award-winning singer-songwriter, who joins us every first Sunday of the month, for Songs for Positive Change on Big Blend Radio’s "American Jukebox," part of our America 250 celebration. Autumn is a season of change, and these songs remind us that change is inevitable, that ordinary people have real power, and that it all starts with love.We spotlight Nina Simone, Tracy Chapman, Blind Melon, Patti Smith, Aloe Blacc, the late Joey Stuckey, and Johnny’s own “Love Shines On,” plus a special interview with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester about her song “‘Til We Remember Who We Are.”🎵 Hear the episode with every song, and enjoy both playlists, and check out all the links mentioned: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/american-jukebox-songs-for-positive-change🎙️ Keep up with Johnny Schaefer: https://hearjohnny.com/🎙️ Listen to all of our American Jukebox episodes: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/american-jukebox

Have you ever scrolled past a gorgeous old stone house in Italy and thought, “I could live like that”? Our guest Debbie Levitt did more than dream. An American who now lives full-time on the island of Sardinia, Debbie is an Italian citizen who calls herself the Italian Inpat: an immigrant who came to Italy and found home, not an American who left.In this candid conversation on Big Blend Radio, Debbie shares what it really takes to make the move. She talks about how two days added to a 2017 vacation turned into a self-employment visa, five suitcases and a new life, and why she kept her move easy to undo for the first two years.You’ll hear about:- The difference between an “expat” and an “inpat”- The visa paths Debbie mentions, from self-employment to investment, retirement and digital nomad visas- Why citizenship takes years, and what Debbie understands about recent changes to citizenship by ancestry- Paperwork stories, including the flight to Rome to swear she is really herself- Why a geometra (a local surveyor) belongs on your team before you buy, and how zoning can surprise you- The truth about one-euro houses: distressed properties, hidden costs and villages with no grocery store- The residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) wait- Everyday life in rural Sardinia, from the village butcher to the driving school sagaToday closes out Italian American Heritage Month, and we’re marking it with the real story of moving to Italy.Debbie shares her personal experience and general information. This is not legal or immigration advice, so check current rules with an immigration attorney or official sources.Links:- Debbie Levitt, Italian Inpat (the first call is free): https://ItalianInpat.com- Follow Big Blend Radio on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BigBlendRadio

October is Blindness Awareness Month and Emotional Wellness Month, and this conversation fits both. Director and filmmaker Gina LeVay Goldstein joins Big Blend Radio to talk about "Blind AF," the award-winning documentary following blind Paralympian, Army veteran and world-record holder Shawn Cheshire on a 60-day, 3,600-mile solo bike ride across America.Shawn lost her sight to a brain injury in 2009 while working as a paramedic, and the film goes far beyond the miles. Gina explains how she met Shawn in 2015, how the story grew from an endurance ride into a film about trauma, healing and reclaiming your authentic self, and why trauma “tells no time.” She also talks about the filmmaking, the team behind it, and the moment on the road when a stranger reminded Shawn that blindness isn’t a disability, it’s a difference.Among others, Gina thanks executive producer Jeff Zimbalist, editor Michael Culyba, and cinematographers Cristobal de Alba and Benjamin Soto of Zenith Adventure Media."Blind AF" premiered at the Bentonville Film Festival, won Best of Fest at the 2025 Sedona International Film Festival, and is now streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Tubi and Documentary+.LINKS & RESOURCES:Watch the film: https://www.blindafdoc.comMeet the team: https://blindafdoc.com/the-teamShawn Cheshire: https://www.shawncheshire.orgBig Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com

The Congo Basin absorbs more carbon than any other tropical forest on Earth, yet it receives just 11 percent of international tropical forest funding. Professor Lee White, Special Envoy to the Science Panel for the Congo Basin, joins Lisa D. Smith on Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast just after New York Climate Week, where he launched a new brief on funding tropical forests.Hear why the Congo Basin and the Amazon are the two chambers of the Earth’s green heart, how trees keep cities cooler and kids healthier, why science funding matters, and how modern farming can protect the forest. Also what happens when ecosystems fall out of balance, and what each of us can do.LINKS & RESOURCES:- Science Panel for the Congo Basin: https://www.spcongobasin.org - Scaling Tropical Forest Finance brief (SDSN): https://www.unsdsn.org/resources/scaling-tropical-forest-finance-perspectives-from-the-amazon-basin-the-congo-basin-and-borneo/} ABOUT OUR GUESTProfessor Lee White CBE is Special Envoy to the Science Panel for the Congo Basin and an Honorary Professor at the University of Stirling. A joint British-Gabonese national, he has spent four decades working in tropical Africa. His roles include senior positions with the Wildlife Conservation Society, ten years directing Gabon’s National Parks Agency, and more than four years as Gabon’s minister of forests, environment and climate.Visit us for more episodes in the Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com

A demand letter lands on your desk, and your stomach drops. Now what? On this episode of Big Blend Radio’s "California Employment Law" Podcast, San Diego employment attorney Ward Heinrichs walks through a sample demand letter and what employers (and employees) should know.Ward breaks down the two very different kinds of demand letters: the records request, and the traditional demand letter that lays out claims and asks for money. He explains why a demand letter isn’t always an emergency, why settling early can be a smart business decision, and how often “you don’t have a case” actually works. He also covers why meal and rest period claims get thrown in so often, what a strong employer defense looks like, who can be personally on the hook, and whether a demand letter has to come by certified mail. You’ll also hear what happens if a company can’t pay and why both sides are better off with an attorney. There are also a few poker metaphors, because it really is a bit like a card game.LINKS & RESOURCES- Read the episode highlights and download Ward’s sample demand letter: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/demand-letters-what-employers-need-to-know - Ward Heinrichs’ Employment Law Office: https://bestemploymentattorneysandiego.com - California Employment Law Podcast:https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/california-employment-law - California Employment Law Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/california-employment-law-magazine This episode is for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. New episodes of California Employment Law air every 4th Wednesday on Big Blend Radio. This episode also airs on Big Blend Radio's "Success Express" Business & Career podcast channel.

Pittsburgh has long carried a reputation as a gritty steel-mill town with not much to see or do. Travel writer Debbie Stone grew up in Chicago hearing exactly that, but she kept hearing whispers that the city had changed, so she went to see for herself. On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures" Podcast, Debbie shares the museums, art and views that changed her mind.Debbie takes us through the Heinz History Center, where six floors cover everything from Pittsburgh's inventions to the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood puppets, the story behind Heinz's 57 varieties and an eleven-foot ketchup bottle. Then it's the seven-story Andy Warhol Museum and his famous silver wig, the Mattress Factory's site-specific installations, and the colorful public art of Randyland. Debbie also explains why Pittsburgh is the city of bridges, shares tips for getting around, and visits the Fort Pitt Museum and Point State Park. She rides the historic Duquesne Incline up Mount Washington, cruises the three rivers with Gateway Clipper, and stays at the Drury Plaza Hotel, a historic Federal Reserve Bank building.RESOURCE LINKS:- Read Debbie's article and see her photos: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/pittsburgh-buzz-worthy-museums-attractions - Plan your Pittsburgh visit: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com - More from Debbie Stone: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/debbie-stone-travel-writer - Global Adventures Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/global-adventures-debbie-stone - Global Adventures Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/global-adventures-travel-magazine New episodes of Big Blend Radio's Global Adventures Podcast with Debbie Stone air every 4th Tuesday at 7pm ET.

Joey Stuckey, Macon, Georgia’s Official Music Ambassador, passed away on October 17, 2026. This is one more conversation with him, recorded on October 10, just before the release of his new album, King of Strings, which he cut live in a single twelve-hour day on Les Paul’s own 1957 console at the Les Paul Recording Studio in Hollywood.Joey was a blind guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer, a Professor of Music Technology at Mercer University, and a longtime friend of Big Blend Radio. In this Music Talks conversation with Lisa D. Smith, he’s funny, opinionated, and generous with his stories. He talks about:- Why he made a CD instead of vinyl, and why a signed CD is “a souvenir of our time together”- Owning your music versus renting a license from the streaming services- How a request to touch Les Paul’s console for 15 minutes turned into the first album ever recorded there- Six songs, eight channels, no punch-ins, and a film crew capturing it all- The stories behind Temple in the Wind, Born to Be Your Toy, King of Strings, Hertsmere Blues, and Baby Don’t- Being ready when your shot comes, and being in the moment at a showLINKS:- Listen to King of Strings: https://found.ee/joeystuckey-kingofstrings - Joey Stuckey on Big Blend Radio (YouTube playlist): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm2zNDtr23NbGx4q90u3Ok0f&si=yUxe5i9wpaAxCF-f - Joey’s website and his family’s statement: https://www.joeystuckey.com/ - More from Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/

October means one thing on English Connection: it’s time for ghost stories. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "English Connection" Podcast, Glynn Burrows takes us on a tour of England’s spookiest corners, and England has no shortage of them.Glynn takes us down into the dungeons of Norwich Castle, where prisoners were once held for years. He tells the story of a public hanging in 1849 that drew crowds from all over. He also explains how plaster casts were made of executed murderers’ heads so phrenologists could “read” their bumps, and why those casts are still on display.From there it’s Norfolk’s legendary Black Shuck, the big black dog of East Anglian folklore. We wander through churchyards, battlefields and family vaults. We also get to the story Glynn loves to tell: Anne Boleyn arriving at Blickling Hall in a coach driven by a headless coachman and pulled by headless horses.Along the way: Guernsey, the underground hospital below Dover Castle, and the question of why some old places feel so strange. It’s warm, a little eerie, and full of history.LINKS & RESOURCES:- Glynn's article: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/haunted-england-spooky-tours - English Connection Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/english-connection - English Connection Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/english-connection-magazine - Keep up with Glynn and learn more about his custom tour services: https://www.englishconnection.uk/ - Follow the English Connection on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61594366433338

The Jefferson Highway begins in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and runs all the way to New Orleans. In this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Jefferson Highway" Podcast, producer Lisa D. Smith and Jefferson Highway Association (JHA) president Roger Bell travel north with Lou Erickson of the Morris & District Centennial Museum and JHA Board Member Derek Thille of Winnipeg. You’ll hear how a 1919 garage photo sparked a whole town’s Jefferson Highway pride, from a parade float to the first official Jefferson Highway Association sign in Manitoba in a hundred years. Derek shares his Emerson-to-Morris road trip, and we cover old cars in snow, the Morris Stampede, Winnipeg’s must-sees, and where to eat.RESOURCE LINKS:- Morris & District Centennial Museum: https://www.morrisdistrictmuseum.ca/ - Morden’s of Winnipeg chocolate: https://www.mordenschocolate.com/ - Jefferson Highway Association: https://jeffersonhighway.org - Get the guide, listen to more podcast episodes, and subscribe to the Jefferson Highway Dispatch: https://jeffersonhighwaytravelguide.com