Episodes
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Madisen Ward is a Kansas City musician and songwriter. Hailing from Independence, Madisen was raised with a feeling that anything was possible, watching his mother Ruth playing shows at coffee shops and his uncle, actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., on the big screen.
Madisen started writing in high school, and after taking the stage with his mother a few times and writing some originals, the two formed “Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear”. The Americana/roots duo went from the kitchen to Letterman almost overnight, with live videos from their debut album, Skeleton Crew, catching on like wildfire.Now, Madisen has taken off on his own and lets us inside his creative process as he continues the Ward legacy. Hear the mantras and motivations that have brought him here, what lies ahead, and how Kansas City encourages artists to lean into warmth and their own unique style.
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A family-owned company lasting five generations is almost unheard of. But here in Kansas City, U.S. Engineering has defied the odds.
Tyler Nottberg, the company’s CEO, tells the story of U.S. Engineering’s founding by Gustav Nottberg in 1893, its twists and turns through World Wars, and how the company has helped to shape the Kansas City we know today. Tyler takes us through their colorful family history from Germany to Strawberry Hill, weaving the journey together with the stories of the men and women who built the company and continue to contribute to its success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Pasquale Trozzolo is the founder of Kansas City’s Trozzolo Communications — and so, so much more. The entrepreneur turned champion racecar driver turned published poet & budding chef might just have the Dos Equis guy beat for “most interesting man in the world.”
Pasquale is the Chicago-born son of Italian immigrants who found his “coming of age” adventures in Kansas City, from working as a political strategist, to finding success in sales, to following in his uncle’s footsteps by starting his own venture.
Pasquale believes making business work is like making a good ragu: you need the right ingredients. He lives his life by sayings like, “crisis is fun," “always leave a fragrance not an odor," and, “the world is watching — and so is your family.” From encouraging others to give their dreams a shot to philanthropic endeavors, Pasquale Trozzolo is always finding new ways to better himself and the city he loves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Claudia Meyer is the first female Latina president of Cristo Rey Kansas City.
At the age of fifteen, Claudia moved from her native Brazil to the United States and found herself in a new country, with a new culture, and a new lifestyle knowing just one word in the English language: NO!
But she didn't let that stop her. She quickly learned to say YES to take complete advantage of the opportunities before her. Her story is an inspiration to not just the students, but to everyone who comes in contact with her positive and infectious personality. She lives her life by her motto, “we rise by lifting others,” affectionately known by those around her as “the Meyer Effect”.
Don't miss this incredible conversation about all the ways the Kansas City community is embracing the Cristo Rey corporate work study model to break down barriers for young people across the metro.
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Heidi Gardner is an actress, writer, and comedian who's starred on Saturday Night Live since 2017. From Westport, to LA, to NYC, from the Tivoli, to the Groundlings, to 30 Rock, Heidi has done everything from popping popcorn, to cutting hair, to becoming the longest-tenured current female cast member on SNL. Even though Heidi had doubts on the way up, there was always someone there to give her the support she needed to keep on going.
The Kansas City native still calls KC home and reps the Chiefs and Royals proudly, and as the only female host of “The Big Slick” she continues to give back to the city she loves. What a journey it’s been, and she shares it all — yes, even the now-classic break in character during the “Beavis and Butt-head” skit from last season. All that and so much more with Heidi Gardner on this episode of “There’s Just Something About Kansas City.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Kansas City Royals Owner John Sherman was born on opening day for the Kansas City Athletics. His first date with Marny, his wife of 40 years, was a Royals game. But while it may seem that his leadership of the boys in blue was fated, in truth, it’s been an incredible and improbable journey.
John was born in Japan while his father served in the Air Force. The family of nine followed his father’s assignments all the way to Colorado Springs before John made his way to Kansas, pursuing a degree from Ottawa University and landing a telecommunications job with AT&T. That was just the beginning for this self-made man. Sherman crossed over to the energy industry where he made his mark, founding and selling his own company that afforded him the opportunity to buy a Major League Baseball franchise and set up the Sherman Family Foundation to fight illiteracy in KC.
In this can’t miss episode, John shares his story and talks about the 2024 season, including Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez’s leadership of the team and the franchise’s work towards the playoffs for the first time since their 2015 World Series win. He also talks about how his love for Kansas City set him on his path and why he and his wife Marny chose to call it home for their family.
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Chase McAnulty is the founder & CEO of Charlie Hustle, Kansas City’s signature “vintage made fresh” clothing brand and home of the now-iconic KC heart.
Shortly after graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute and getting a "real job" he didn’t particularly like, the entrepreneurial-minded Chase moved back into his parents basement and emerged as “Charlie Hustle.” No, not that Charlie Hustle — the Charlie Hustle who built the KC proud vintage t-shirt company. From Ebay to brick and mortar, Chase tells the story of the birth of the company, its meteoric rise with help from KC legends like Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis, and all that the brand has in store for the future.
Inspired by his late mother, Chase has also made sure the brand’s success benefits the entire community through the 1K for KC foundation, a partnership with Big Slick and other philanthropic causes. It’s the dream story of passion and hard work paying off - not just for Chase, but for our city as a whole.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Petra Kralickova has been serving as the Executive Director of The National Museum of Toys & Miniatures since 2017. From growing up in Communist Czechoslovakia, to watching the world “fill with color” during its fall, Petra shares her story of following her passion for art to the US and finding her way to Kansas City, the city she and her family now lovingly call home.
Petra also takes us back to our own childhoods in this on-site conversation surrounded by the toys we grew up with at The National Museum of Toys & Miniatures. This Kansas City treasure houses 93,000 objects that will fascinate you and your entire family. From summer camps, to wine nights, to dementia programming, Petra’s team has worked hard to create magic for guests of all ages and generations. Petra is on a mission to keep the dreams of founders Mary Harris Francis and Barbara Marshall alive in this one of a kind museum - just another incredible “something” about Kansas City.
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Mike Mahoney and Dave Helling have a combined 104 years of experience in both local and national political coverage here in Kansas City. For about a third of our city's existence, these two have been “chasing mayors and council members around with microphones and notepads." We’ll never see local politics covered like this again.
Hear the behind-the-scenes stories of some of the biggest political events and campaigns of the past half a century from these two rival journalists who have developed a mutual respect and a friendship that has endured to this day. From local elections to presidential conventions with a little sports and humor sprinkled in, this is a fascinating look behind the scenes with two of our best to ever do it in KC.
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Bill Zollars is a Kansas City transplant hailing from Minnesota. The now-retired CEO of Yellow Roadway Corp (YRC) came to KC with his wife and three kids in the 90’s and “immediately felt at home.”
Now leading Kansas City’s first CEO Academy at UMKC’s Bloch School this fall, Bill is passionate about cultivating a supportive community of leaders like the network he relied upon during his tenure. The program will be facilitated by some of KC’s most successful CEO’s, including Bill himself, along with Dan Hesse, the former head of Sprint, Greg Graves, the former CEO of Burns and McDonnell, and many more.
Bill talks parenthood, leadership, and the phrase his father, a WWII B-17 pilot and prisoner of war, said to him that has shaped his life.
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In the third grade, Bryan Busby knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up: a meteorologist. But that dream turned out to be easier said than done.
Bryan takes us on his life’s journey of overcoming every obstacle put in front of him to become one of the first black TV meteorologists in the country and now one of the most respected nationwide. Despite bigger markets trying to lure him away, including ABC’s Good Morning America, Busby has stayed right here in KC. Factor in his musical stints with the KC Symphony as a timpanist, his spot on cartoon character impressions, and his own cartoon character “Georgie Global”, and Busby’s is a story you won’t want to miss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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During an internship and short stint at WDAF-TV, Justin Gardner, a University of Missouri Journalism School grad, found out editing the evening news content wasn’t the life for him. I’m sure all the shouting, cursing and swearing coming from the sports department didn’t help. (I’m guilty as charged.) So Justin used his skills to create commercials and enhance brands for several media companies like AMC Theaters. He brought the film office back to KC and serves as the president of the Film Commission of Greater KC. He also created the Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund for aspiring filmmakers. And now that his younger sister, comedian Heidi Gardner, is making her mark on Saturday Night Live, Justin has joined the family board of The Big Slick Weekend. He’s a busy guy!
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In 2011, life was good for Stan Hays. He was raising his family, working for Farmers Insurance and competing in BBQ competitions all around the country. That’s when an F5 tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri. Stan wanted to help but didn’t know how, so his wife suggested he gather all of his bbq buddies and go feed the Joplin community.
Now, Stan heads up Operation BBQ Relief, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has served over 11 million meals in 47 states that have been hit with disasters ranging from tornadoes to wildfires. The organization also founded Camp Operation BBQ Relief in the Ozarks, a retreat space dedicated to military service members, veterans, and the families of fallen heroes who gather to heal through culinary therapy. Don’t miss this unbelievable story about giving back — not just to people you know, but to total strangers who become friends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Kathy and Pat Cocherl started out with nothing, and Pat always told Kathy that if they ever got into a position to give back, they would. Pat was true to his word. After figuring out a way to quickly fix circuit boards for Panasonic, they suddenly had the money to set up and fund the Cocherl Family Foundation. The Cocherl’s and all five of their children run this philanthropic juggernaut that awards full college scholarships to children in the Blue Valley School District with mental and physical challenges.
Pat, better known as “Mr. C”, has two other obsessions: Thomas Jefferson and the Christmas holidays. His office building is designed after Jefferson’s Monticello home in Charlottesville, VA, and he decorates the building every Christmas, turning the lights on Thanksgiving night and turning them off in mid-January on the same schedule as the Country Club Plaza. And if that’s not enough, all the video screens in the building run the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” on a loop throughout that same period. There are no Grinches in the Cocherl family!
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Joyce DiDonato is a transformative presence in the arts. The international opera star has been called “the most potent female singer of her generation.”
From humble beginnings in a big Irish family in Prairie Village, Kansas to international superstar, Joyce DiDonato has dazzled audiences from around the world with her mezzo soprano voice that has been labeled “24-karat gold.”Learn how she overcame rejection and turned it into motivation to rise to the top of her profession, but still refers to herself as “just Joyce from Kansas.” And stick around until the end to hear how she manages to bring even Frank to tears!
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In today's episode, we’re raising a toast to Andy Rieger, the president, co-founder, and driving force behind J. Rieger & Co. Andy's family built the historic Rieger Hotel in the years leading up to prohibition. Today, he has revived the family tradition of creating exceptional spirits, winning international acclaim in the world of craft distillation. And while Kansas Citians take great pride in our incredible "local distillery", J. Rieger & Co. has "passed the test" as one of the best distilleries in the country. Andy shares his family story, the origin of J. Rieger & Co., and the importance of the craft, apprenticeship, and methodologies behind distilling. Even though the pandemic brought him to his knees, he figured out a way to keep his dream alive.
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Cliff Illig went from loading punch cards into a computer, to a picnic bench in Loose Park, to founding Cerner, a $5 billion dollar healthcare software company. You’ll discover how saying things like, “figure it out”, “slog away at it” and “what would Neal do” became Cerner’s mantra for success.
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George Brett is Mr. Kansas City. He has spent 50 plus years inside the KC Royals organization, rising through the Minor Leagues, to the Major Leagues, to Cooperstown.
George talks about his life, his brothers, his dad, and his career as only George can, and touches on the MLB Network’s recent documentary profiling his life - “Brett”. Join us for an in depth conversation with this legendary Hall of Famer, what motivated him, who helped him along the way and why he has never stopped giving back to the city he loves.
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John Brown grew up on the mean streets of South St. Louis. He learned quickly to face his bullies with his fists, often finding himself in trouble with the law. His life changed dramatically when one police officer introduced him to the boxing gym, where he could channel and release his fury productively. But getting off the street was just a start.
Boxing motivated him to take school more seriously and after graduating from college he founded Ringside Boxing. For the past 50 years Brown has coached over 18,000 at-risk youth at the Turner Boxing Academy, teaching them not only how to survive inside the ring, but how to take on life outside the ring as well. One such boxer Brown trained was the great Tommy “The Duke” Morrison. Brown helped him ascend to win the WBO World Heavyweight Championship against George Foreman.
Join us this week for a fascinating look inside the life of a man who has turned anger into action and dedicated himself to helping others.
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Starlight Theatre is one of just two self-producing outdoors theaters in the United States. Its storied history is steeped in the fabric of Kansas City, and so is Lindsey Rood-Clifford. She started as an intern and worked her way up to become the first female President & CEO of this iconic venue. She’s working tirelessly to continue Starlight’s legacy and rich history of dazzling Broadway shows and concerts with an impassioned focus on the theater’s vibrant future.
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