Radio “Drive-by” Podcast

Due to a late Blackhawks game, we wrapped up St. Patrick’s Day weekend with a really short “drive-by” show on WGN Radio.

With a 1AM start time, we thought we might see a bit less traffic on our Midnight ride to the studio, but we still had a lot of company as we closed in on Chicago’s downtown.

Talk about the city that never sleeps!

Things finally thinned out a bit as we segued onto the lower level of the drive and got closer to our destination.

One solitary car on the lower level. Wonder where he or she was going.

Once we landed at the WGN Radio complex, we settled in and got ready for our mini-drive by.

That’s Gabe Salgado in the WGN Radio newsroom.

It may have been a short show, but it sure had a lot of twists and turns and they’re all available in the podcast. Here’s the link.

As always, thanks for hanging out with us on the air and online.

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, 2023!

Just a little sharin’ o’ the green from our house to yours on this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

On St. Patrick’s Day, in 1975, Steve was riding on the WLS Musicradio float sitting up on top next to Yvonne Daniels. On the front of the float are Bob Sirott and John Landecker. In the middle row that’s Fred Winston sitting next to Tommy Edwards.

All of the above are gifts from our wonderful listeners. The tiny tea set came all the way from Ireland.

Under the tree is the Illinois Lottery lucky leprechaun next to the pot of gold.

Everything from Beanie Babies to Trolls decorate tree #2.

The smiling Irish lass in the upper right hand corner of the collage above is Steve’s Mom, Mary Elizabeth Carroll, who was born on St. Patrick’s Day.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

Our “Spring Forward” Podcast, Pictures & .. Malort!?!

As we got ready to fast forward our clocks ahead one hour to Daylight Saving Time we filled the hours by driving to the WGN Radio studios and, once there, “wound up” introducing you to some wonderful food that’s made in Chicago along with the history behind it, got a showbiz report from Gino Salomone, shared some pre-Oscar show picks from brother Lee, demonstrated AI Voice Cloning with Patrick Crispen and a whole lot more.

It was spitting rain as we closed in on Chicago’s downtown and the drops on our windshield enhanced an already pretty view that we happily soaked up.

A little rain, but a lot of pretty!

Once we settled in to the “friendly confines” of the WGN Radio complex, we began the show, as we usually do, with a “round robin,” checking in with all the usual suspects.

One of our favorite “usual suspects,” Gabe Salgado, who mans the news desk in the wee hours.

Then, it was on to our first guests, Monica Eng and David Hammond, authors of “Made In Chicago Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites.”

While our show was packed, David and Monica were our only in-studio guests and it was a genuine treat to meet them.

HimNHer with Monica Eng and David Hammond.

We think they had a good time, too. Although … we’re not sure Monica wants to repeat the experience of having her first sip of Malort anytime soon.

Monica meeting Malort.

The rest of the show just flew by so fast that by the time we wrapped up at 2AM it was 3AM!!

If you’d like to rewind and hear how it all played out, just click this link.

Now, where did we put the instructions for setting the clock on the microwave?

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

Back In Chicago with a Podcast Twofer!

Our apologies for lagging behind on posting podcast links to this blog. Because we know not everyone who follows this blog follows us on Facebook, Twitter or our other social media sites, even though we post podcasts on those sites, we do our best to also post them in this space. But, now and then, we get a little behinder in our work, so this post will be a podcast twofer!

First up, our Feb. 26th show.

We knew our first show back in Chicago, on Sunday morning Feb. 26th, after our visit to the Panhandle would be a short one, but the Chicago Blackhawks game going into overtime made it even shorter. “The Musical Mentalist,” Sidney Friedman, made the moments we had left mystifying and entertaining.

Sydney Friedman working some jellybean magic!

Just point your browser right here to hear some of the fun.

But, Wait! There’s More!

Second up, our March 4th show.

Him with new headphones and Her with Andrew B., our producer, on the other side of the glass.

A HUGE thank you to Jessica Radloff, Shannon MacDonald, Patrick Crispen, Susan Rakis and our usual suspects for making our first show in the month of March so much fun.

Our March 4th show on ran the gamut from Girl Scout cookies to computers to The Beatles to The Big Bang Theory and behind the scenes TV stories to … well, since the podcast is now posted, just click this link and hear for yourself.

As always, thanks for hanging out with us!

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

Our 2nd Panhandle Podcast & Pictures

Our 2nd WGN Radio show from Florida is in the books! This time, fortunately, there were no technical problems, just a ton of fun with a lot of great guests.

Once again we were broadcasting from Studio 812, in Lynn Haven, Fl. This is a state of the art recording studio that is used to hosting musicians and singers but, thanks to our friend Tom Hoots, it was reconfigured to accommodate our needs for a radio broadcast.

Johnnie during a commercial break at Studio 812

This past Saturday night we slid back into your radio speakers with a combination of new and old friends.

Two of our, Panhandle based, in-studio guests were …

Amy Hoyt, news anchor for WMBB-TV, in Panama City

Steve, Amy Hoyt & Johnnie

and

Crook Stewart, Tour Manager for Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Steve, Crook Stewart & Johnnie

As the night progressed, it did become obvious that not everyone was as used to our “Life After Dark” lifestyle as we are.

Johnnie going over show notes during a newscast while Tom Hoots grabs a quick 40 winks.

Along with Karen Morris (Host of “The Mix” on WKGC-FM), Tom Appel,(Publisher of Consumer Guide), Caleb Jordan (Gulf Coast State College Instructor), Ed Marszewski (President of Chicago’s Marz Brewery) and the usual suspects back in our Chicago studios, this crew made this week’s Saturday night adventure a lot of fun for us and, hopefully, for you, too.

In case you missed it or if you’d like to hear it again, the podcast is now available, so just click on this link to hear it.

As always, thank you so much for being a part of our adventures on the air and online.

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

Panhandle Podcast, Pictures & More!

In spite of some weather related technical problems, we had a great time Saturday night (2/11/23) during our first live broadcast from Studio 812, in Lynn Haven Florida.

Studio 812 is roughly a half hour drive from our Panama City Beach home and, because it was a windy, rainy, night, our trip across the Hathaway Bridge was, as Bob Collins use to say, “a character builder.”

Our windshield wipers did their best while Steve drove and Johnnie took pics.

When we finally got to our Lynn Haven destination, along with Studio 812’s Tom Hoots, we connected with our crew at the WGN Radio studios, in Chicago, to go over our show’s “game plan.”

Tom Hoots and Steve doing a pre-show check. (Photo: Michael Lister)

Along with the usual suspects, our special guest was New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Michael Lister, who is celebrating 25 years of his acclaimed John Jordan “Blood” mystery thriller series and the release of his first single, “A Certain Age.”

Johnnie, Michael Lister & Steve

“A Certain Age” is Michael’s beautiful, heartfelt tribute to Dave Lloyd, an extraordinary talent and human being who Michael, Tom Hoots and the two of us were fortunate to know and count as a friend.

Michael Lister’s video of “A Certain Age.”

Due to a Chicago Blackhawks game, we had a short show so, if you blinked and missed it or, if you’d like to hear it again, the podcast is now available, just click this link and it’s all yours.

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

We’re LIVE From the Florida Panhandle!

Just a heads up that, Saturday night (2/11/23) we’re taking you on the road with us on WGN Radio as we broadcast live from Studio 812, in the Florida Panhandle. Along with the usual suspects, our special guest will be New York Times bestselling author, Michael Lister, who is celebrating 25 years of his acclaimed John Jordan “Blood” mystery thriller series.

Steve & Johnnie with Michael Lister

Remember, due to the Chicago Blackhawks game, our show starts at 12:30AM (Central).

As always, we hope you’ll tune in to 720 AM but, if you’re not in the Chicago area, you can still listen by clicking this link to WGN Radio’s live stream.

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast!

We had a blast joining Tom Appel and Jil Ciminillo for this week’s Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.

Top row: Steve & Johnnie, Bottom row: Tom Appel & Jil Ciminillo

It’s now posted so, just click this link and take a drive with us.

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

Our First February Show!

Tonight (2/4/23) on WGN Radio, we have a FULL show, from 9PM-2AM (Central)!

Tonight’s game plan includes MotorWeek‘s John Davis with a preview of The Chicago Auto Show, an in-studio performance with Erika Brett and Josh Solomon from The Empty Pockets, a look back at Peter Green’s legendary Fleetwood Mac in Chicago sessions at Chess studios with Jeff Lowenthal and Robert Schaffner, a conversation with Steve Sarowitz, Co-Chairman of Wayfarer Studios, who will share his vision for the future of the Renaissance Theater, in Highland Park and a whole lot more.

We hope you’ll join us on 720AM, in the Chicago area, or click this link to listen live from anywhere else.

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie

WGN 1/28-30 Saturday Night Podcast

It may have been a short show, but we had a blast, Saturday night, talking about the Always Olivia Tribute with Annie Aiello and hanging out with our usual gang of suspects on WGN Radio.

Driving down to the station on a cold, January, winter night, of course, Johnnie had to take a photo or two.

DuSable Lake Shore Drive had a shiny, patent leather look.

As we closed in on the “Gold Coast” things had a bit of a “film noir” vibe.

Once we arrived at WGN Radio, got everything set up, and the countdown to showtime was on, Steve captured his studio view.

Steve’s view from WGN Radio’s Studio A.

Since it was only an hour and a half show, all too soon, it was over and time to head back out into a frigid Chicago winter night.

A 2:30AM view of Columbus Dr. and the Chicago river. Yep, it was as cold as it looks.

If you missed this show, or if you’d like to hear it again, the podcast is now available. Just click on this link to hear it.

Stay safe,

Steve & Johnnie