1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries

Hello Everyone!

Today is May 1, 2025.  I spend soooo mucyh time doing our podcasts that writing blogs and updates is just about impossible.

I do want you to know that soon I will be able to give you decent updates on how the show is doing with AI.

Many of the episodes we have done here have been inspired by my desire to know more about a wide variety of things mostly relating to history with the rest relating to paranormal, conspracies, mysteries, etc.

I saw a notice the other day that Ma Raineys songs (many of them) had just slipped into the public domain, and that she was known as the Mother of the Blues.  Since I enjoy the Blues, and don't know much about their beginnings- this was something I wanted to share with you especially since I could use the songs and music to tell the story.WOW.

The first thing I recalled was Sammy Davis's version of the Birth of The Blues- I knew Sammy had grtown up in the performing business with minstrel shows, etc and knew and loved all forms of music and that would give me a starting point into the story. So I contacted Gizelle with a list of my questions about the birth of the blues and she came up with a great story.

I know what you re thinking, maybe. Jon, why not just go to AI (artificial intel) for your stories?   I looked into that more than once but AI falls short on a number of things I like to do when I write/research- I'm always looking for the hidden gems- the story behind the story if you will. And Gizelle beats AI by a mile with a mind much like mine. What is the old expression  "Inquiring minds have a right to know"? Well, AI just shoves the facts at you and for people who have trouble with syntax and putting words together its great- but not for "deep dive" storytelling.  

I'll give you just one little example.

remember "Dirty Dancing"?. I started that story with the writer, who had been turned down by every major studio, pitching her idea to a potential producer- who thought the idea was terrific. They talked over a long coffee, hammered out some changes to the story, and that discussion became one more "hidden gem" that AI never would have given me.  That was a footnote search.

Anyway, youre going to get "The Birth of The Blues" in May-probably in two or more parts, and I'm hoping it will open up a whole new appreciation for what Ma Rainey and many others gave to our country's DNA when they brought "the Blues"the American-made music scene.