#646 Follow the Music: An All-American Road Trip - Bill Clevlen
Release Date: 07/13/2022
Separate Paths: Why Canada Rejected America’s Revolution
The Not Old - Better Show
📚 What if Canada had become part of the United States? In 1774, the Continental Congress sent heartfelt letters to Quebec—inviting Canadians to join the American Revolution. When the letters didn’t work, they tried something else: invasion. joins The Not Old Better Show in partnership with Smithsonian Associates to explain this little-known history. Smithsonian Associate Ralph Nurnberger will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates on August 21, 2025, and the title of his presentation is From diplomatic missions with Benjamin Franklin to failed military campaigns in the Canadian snow,...
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Birth of a City: From New Amsterdam to New York
The Not Old - Better Show
🚢 History wasn’t just written—it was negotiated. And in 1664, the fate of a small but thriving colony on Manhattan Island changed forever. I recently spoke with historian and author Russell Shorto, whose new book, Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America, pulls back the curtain on the overlooked moment when New Amsterdam became New York—not through bloody battle, but through bold negotiation. This story isn’t just about the Dutch and English. It’s about Indigenous displacement, the early seeds of American capitalism, and the founding...
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Grill Smarter, Cook Wilder: Inside BBQ’s Hottest Trends with Nicole Papantoniou!
The Not Old - Better Show
🔥👩🍳 Ready to revolutionize your grilling experience? Today on The Not Old Better Show, we're sizzling with Nicole Papantoniou, Director of Good Housekeeping’s Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab! From the timeless debate—charcoal vs. gas—to futuristic smart grills controlled by AI and Bluetooth, we’ve got the juiciest grilling insights just for you. 🌭📲🔥 Nicole shares expert tips on embracing eco-friendly grilling, experimenting with plant-based BBQ, mastering live-fire cooking, and even achieving restaurant-quality pizza right in your backyard oven. 🌱🍕🌿...
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Chains, Chords and Grace: The Redemption of John Lee Hooker, Jr
The Not Old - Better Show
🎸 From prison cell to pulpit. 🎤 From opening for his father to praying with Keith Richards. 🙏 From blues to grace. Rev. John Lee Hooker, Jr. has lived a life most wouldn’t believe—if it weren’t all true. Born into blues royalty as the son of John Lee Hooker, he seemed destined for the stage. But addiction, crime, and incarceration rewrote the script… until faith and purpose gave him a new one. In this episode of The Not Old Better Show, I sat down with Rev. Hooker to talk about: 🔁 Returning to Soledad Prison—first to perform, then to serve time, then again as a prison...
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Dignity, Data, and the Decisions That Shape Our Later Years
The Not Old - Better Show
📊 Over 450,000 voices. One powerful message: dignity in aging matters. I recently had the privilege of interviewing Liz Pearce, Senior Living Product Director at U.S. News & World Report, on The Not Old – Better Show. Liz and her team help families across the country navigate one of life’s biggest transitions: choosing the right senior living community. 🏡 U.S. News’ 2025 Best Senior Living Ratings are more than numbers—they reflect real experiences from residents and their loved ones. Their input shapes how communities are recognized for outstanding care, safety, and...
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Dignity, Data, and the Decisions That Shape Our Later Years
The Not Old - Better Show
📊 Over 450,000 voices. One powerful message: dignity in aging matters. I recently had the privilege of interviewing Liz Pearce, Senior Living Product Director at U.S. News & World Report, on The Not Old – Better Show. Liz and her team help families across the country navigate one of life’s biggest transitions: choosing the right senior living community. 🏡 U.S. News’ 2025 Best Senior Living Ratings are more than numbers—they reflect real experiences from residents and their loved ones. Their input shapes how communities are recognized for outstanding care, safety, and...
info_outline
Dignity, Data, and the Decisions That Shape Our Later Years
The Not Old - Better Show
📊 Over 450,000 voices. One powerful message: dignity in aging matters. I recently had the privilege of interviewing Liz Pearce, Senior Living Product Director at U.S. News & World Report, on The Not Old – Better Show. Liz and her team help families across the country navigate one of life’s biggest transitions: choosing the right senior living community. 🏡 U.S. News’ 2025 Best Senior Living Ratings are more than numbers—they reflect real experiences from residents and their loved ones. Their input shapes how communities are recognized for outstanding care, safety, and...
info_outline
Dignity, Data, and the Decisions That Shape Our Later Years
The Not Old - Better Show
📊 Over 450,000 voices. One powerful message: dignity in aging matters. I recently had the privilege of interviewing Liz Pearce, Senior Living Product Director at U.S. News & World Report, on The Not Old – Better Show. Liz and her team help families across the country navigate one of life’s biggest transitions: choosing the right senior living community. 🏡 U.S. News’ 2025 Best Senior Living Ratings are more than numbers—they reflect real experiences from residents and their loved ones. Their input shapes how communities are recognized for outstanding care, safety, and...
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Riding with History: Jefferson, Madison, and the Journey that Shaped a Nation
The Not Old - Better Show
🐎 When Friendship Shapes Nations: The Untold Journey of Jefferson & Madison 🇺🇸 Ever imagine two founding fathers on horseback, pondering America's future as they ride through rugged landscapes, confronting pest infestations, cultural discoveries, and their own biases? Thomas Jefferson and James Madison did exactly that in their remarkable 1791 journey through Upstate New York and New England. 📚 , author, historian Louis Masur explores this intriguing chapter in his compelling new book, A Journey North: Jefferson, Madison, and the Forging of a Friendship. Their trip wasn't...
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🔥 Forget boring BBQs… it’s time to grill with flavor, joy, and purpose! - Kate Merker
The Not Old - Better Show
We’re talking grill season like you’ve never heard it before with Good Housekeeping's Kate Merker Good Better Best, The Not Old Better Show, Good Housekeeping Interview Series 🔥 Summer just got a whole lot more delicious — and more intentional. This week on The Not Old Better Show, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kate Merker, Chief Food Director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group and the culinary genius behind Good Housekeeping’s legendary Test Kitchen. We’re talking smart summer grilling — not just sizzling steaks, but heart-healthy, high-flavor meals that celebrate aging,...
info_outlineFollow the Music: An All-American Road Trip - Bill Clevlen
The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Art of Living Interview Series
Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates series on radio and podcast. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and as part of our Art of Living interview series with Smithsonian Associates, our guest today is author, travel columnist and music lover Bill Clevlen. Bill Clevlen will be appearing at the Smithsonian Associates and you can check out more details in our show notes today.
You love the songs that are the soundtrack of your life. Join me today with national travel journalist and broadcaster Bill Clevlen on a virtual road trip to the places where they were born and where iconic performers made history, a memorable cross-country journey into the heart of American music.
Our itinerary today takes us from instrument-themed museums to recording studios, famous stages to murals honoring musical greats. Along the way Bill Clevlen spotlights statues of artists including Dolly Parton and Ray Charles; Motown’s legendary Studio A; the Grand Ole Opry; the places where the blues and hip-hop were first heard; Little Richard’s childhood home; the room where Aretha Franklin recorded her first hit; and the last spot Hank Williams was seen alive. It’s a virtual trip that will bring back plenty of memories—and perhaps inspire your own real-life one to follow the music you love.
Clevlen’s new book, The Ultimate American Music Bucket List: A Guide for Music Lovers and Road Trippers is a wonderful companion to any drive, but the tour aspect is most impressive.
We’ll discuss Bill’s excellent book, along with other great stories:
From the red light blinks out the word "Hollywood" in Morse code every few seconds: what a cool story: Reportedly, the message has been changed only once since the light began blinking the message in 1956. The light has been sending out the same message, with a few exceptions. The year 1992 marked the 50th anniversary of Capitol Records, and to celebrate this, the message was changed to “Capitol 50” for the whole year. It was then changed back, and it would take another decade until it was changed again. Bill Clevlen’s book is filled with these kinds of stories and music history.
Bill Clevlen currently shares road trip stories on radio and television stations across the U.S. You can hear him nationally on SiriusXM satellite radio and several syndicated travel programs. Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show on radio and podcast, Smithsonian Associate Bill Clevlen.
My thanks to author, road tripper, and music lover Bill Clevlen for his generous time today.
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