Music In My Shoes

Jim
  • 5.0 (24)
  • Music History
  • Updated Weekly

Come be entertained as the host talks about music, bands, and connected stories."It's a really great podcast" - Kevn Kinney of Drivin N Cryin"I appreciate talking to you guys and the good questions" - Mitch Easter of Let's Active and R.E.M. producerLearn Something New or Remember Something Old!!!Please like and follow the Music In My Shoes Facebook page.Contact us atmusicinmyshoes@gmail.com

  1. 4d ago

    MTV August 1 1981, Mellencamp and RUSH Live, and the Concert for Bangladesh E143

    A sold-out arena, a humanitarian crisis, a reluctant Bob Dylan, and a rock star who decides the world can’t wait. We kick off with George Harrison’s August 1, 1971 Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden and dig into why it matters beyond the legend: the scale, the lineup, the nerves, and the performances that still hit hard decades later. From Ravi Shankar’s role in sparking the idea to Harrison stepping back into the spotlight after years away, we trace how a friendship turns into one of the most important moments in benefit concert history. From there we time-travel 10 years later to August 1, 1981 and the launch of MTV Music Television, from “Video Killed the Radio Star” to the early rotation that helped shape the second British invasion. We keep the nostalgia going with a quick love letter to R.E.M.’s Life’s Rich Pageant, a “Jessie’s Girl” origin story, and fresh concert memories that compare a chill John Mellencamp crowd with the roar of Rush returning to Madison Square Garden. Subscribe for more music history, share this with a fellow music nerd, and leave us a review with your first MTV memory or the live show you’ll never forget. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    MTV August 1 1981, Mellencamp and RUSH Live, and the Concert for Bangladesh E143

  2. Jul 26

    Irish Bobby Cassidy: The Unfiltered Story of a Boxer and Father E142

    A lot of people love boxing stories because they’re clean: a tough kid fights his way out, the crowd roars, the credits roll. Irish Bobby Cassidy’s life is not clean, and that’s exactly why this conversation matters. I’m joined by Bobby Cassidy Jr. (longtime journalist and author of Requiem for a Middleweight: The Irish Bobby Cassidy Story) to tell the full story of a Levittown legend who kept moving forward, even when the punches came from outside the ring.  We go deep in boxing history, including Sunnyside Garden in Queens, the road to Madison Square Garden, and the wild fact that Irish Bobby turned pro without an amateur career. Bobby Jr. shares a unforgettable Muhammad Ali moment after a controversial loss in Miami, plus the pop-culture curveball of his dad’s cameo in Rocky.  Then we get into the harder truths: childhood abuse, alcoholism, boxing business politics, and how post-career bookmaking and loansharking pulled the family into adult stakes too early. We also talk about Cassidy's decades long friendship with Sonny Franzese, and the most painful stretch of all, dementia, paranoia, and the shock of losing trust with someone you’ve been loyal to your whole life.  If you care about boxing biography, Long Island history, sports journalism, and the real cost of perseverance, this one stays with you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who loves fight stories, and leave a review. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    Irish Bobby Cassidy: The Unfiltered Story of a Boxer and Father E142

  3. Jul 19

    1996 Olympics Music Connections and The Rolling Stones Foreign Tongues E141

    Thirty years later, we can still hear it: the roar of Atlanta’s 1996 Summer Olympics, the crowd noise bouncing off concrete, and the way the city felt like the center of the world. We kick things off with the fun parts people love to remember, from landing tickets the old-school way to watching basketball in the Georgia Dome and soaking up the larger-than-life spectacle of the Centennial Olympic Games. Then we go behind the curtain. Jimmy shares what it was like working on Olympic-related audio and video production at a local studio, including a high-pressure edit of Mickey Hart’s opening ceremony drum track that quietly shaped what millions saw on TV. We also talk about Muhammad Ali lighting the torch, John Williams’ Olympic music, and why these moments hit so hard when you know the work and the stakes behind them. The heart of the conversation is personal and heavy: walking out of Centennial Olympic Park and hearing the 1:20 a.m. explosion that became the Olympic Park bombing. I tell my remembrance of the night, what we learned afterward, and why Richard Jewell’s treatment in the media still feels like a warning label on modern headlines. We wrap with the show’s signature blend of culture and music history: a jaw-dropping Empire State Building stunt documentary, a few sports oddities, plus rock talk on the Rolling Stones’ new album Foreign Tongues. They can still bring it 63 years after their first single release. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    1996 Olympics Music Connections and The Rolling Stones Foreign Tongues E141

  4. Jul 12

    Anne Harris: A Fiddler and Her Love of Music E140

    A rock band is only as good as its ability to surprise you, and Anne Harris is built for surprise. She’s the fiddle player you hear with Cracker, and we talk about the first night it clicked that turned into an open invitation to sit in and stretch out. Along the way, Anne explains what makes musical chemistry real: shared taste, trust, and the kind of listening that turns solos into a back-and-forth conversation. We get deep into the art of live improvisation and why it keeps a show from getting stale, especially when the set can change on a dime. Anne also tackles the difference between a violinist and a fiddle player, and how style and tradition shape the same instrument. From there, the story widens across projects like Gypsy Blue Review and Halo Rider, and touring with Taj Mahal and Keb Mo as part of TajMo, a gig she describes as a living education in music history. If you care about live music, real human creativity, and the stories behind the songs, listen through and share it with a friend who still believes the stage is sacred. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    Anne Harris: A Fiddler and Her Love of Music E140

  5. Jul 5

    Athfest 2026, A Proposal, and A Life of Illusion E139

    Athens, Georgia can humble you fast: one minute you’re chasing a band you’ve never heard of, the next you’re packed into a legendary room watching the kind of guest appearance people talk about for years. We’re back from Athfest with a full set of field notes, from the festival’s free outdoor stages to the wristband club crawl that turns Athens into a choose-your-own-adventure for live music fans. Along the way we run into familiar friends, swap stories about who lit up the night, and dig into what makes the current Athens music scene feel alive beyond the old-school mythology. We also get into the moments that make festivals stick in your memory even more than the setlists: getting caught in a downpour and watching strangers dance like it’s the best weather on earth, then sprinting between rooms like the Georgia Theater and the 40 Watt Club for can’t-miss performances. There are shoutouts to artists tied to the show, talk about stage presence, and a few perfect “how did I not know this band?” discoveries that remind us why we keep showing up. Then the conversation swerves in the best way, from a hidden proposal mission in Founders Garden (mosquitoes included) to the Joe Walsh's "A Life of Illusion". If you like Athens, live music, festival recaps, and the stories that orbit the songs, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    Athfest 2026, A Proposal, and A Life of Illusion E139

  6. Jun 28

    Billboard Hits of July 4, 1976: Skyrockets in Flight, Afternoon Delight E138

    Fireworks are loud, but the real Fourth of July time machine is a song you haven’t heard in years. We kick off our holiday special by talking Atlanta traditions like the Peachtree Road Race, then dive straight into the United States Bicentennial vibe that made 1976 feel bigger than life. Along the way, we share the tiny details that still stick: Bicentennial quarters, the two-dollar bill comeback and Operation Sail in New York. From there, we rebuild the day through music by revisiting the Billboard Hot 100 for July 4, 1976. It’s a perfect snapshot of classic rock, disco, soul, and pop all fighting for your transistor radio at the same time. We hit tracks and stories tied to Fleetwood Mac, the Bee Gees, Wild Cherry, Cliff Richard, Lou Rawls, ABBA, Queen, the Doobie Brothers, and more, plus the surprising top-of-chart moments that remind you how wild a single week of radio could be. Then Jimmy drops a punk rock history grenade in Minute with Jimmy: the Ramones play their first show in England on July 4, 1976, while The Clash play their first-ever gig across town. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes music story that explains how scenes ignite overnight. If you love music history, the Bicentennial era, or just digging up the soundtrack of your own life, hit play. Subscribe to Music in My Shoes, share this with a friend who lived through 1976, and leave a review with the one song that instantly takes you back. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    Billboard Hits of July 4, 1976: Skyrockets in Flight, Afternoon Delight E138

  7. Jun 21

    Paperback Writer, Carole King "Tapestry", and Somebody Put Something in My Drink E137

    We bounce from a killer Cracker and Drivin N Cryin concert to a surreal moment where Heart’s “Barracuda” follows us through LaGuardia. The mailbag sparks stories about meeting listeners, debating concerts, and how the songs we love can turn into life lessons we don’t forget.  • Cracker plays loose and confident  • Drivin N Cryin opening run and why “Scarred But Smarter” still hits  • “Barracuda” in the airport and walking to the beat  • listener messages and meeting people at shows  • mixed fan reactions to Echo and the Bunnymen shows  • “Paperback Writer” details and rediscovering old songs  • Carole King and why Tapestry lasts  • The Runaways, the Ramones, The Cure, and LL Cool J time-hopping through pop history  Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    Paperback Writer, Carole King "Tapestry", and Somebody Put Something in My Drink E137

  8. Jun 14

    Behind the Strings of R.E.M.'s Out of Time: Violinist David Arenz E136

    “Losing My Religion” has one of the most recognizable feels in modern rock, and a big part of that atmosphere lives in the strings. We’re joined by former Atlanta Symphony Orchestra violinist David Arenz, who played on R.E.M.’s Out of Time, to unpack what it’s like to walk into a studio, open the sheet music, listen to the track, and deliver takes that end up etched into music history. We get practical about the process: how pop string sections are recorded, why overdubbing matters, how a small group can sound massive, and what pros rely on when the clock is running. David also takes us through the real career path behind orchestral playing, from early training and relentless practice to high-pressure auditions, probation, and decades of rehearsals, concerts, and touring as a working musician. Then the stories open up. We talk Atlanta studios, TV theme work, and the strange truth that you often don’t know where your music will land until you hear it out in the world. And yes, David even ends up singing “My Girl” with The Temptations at Chastain Park in Atlanta, GA. If you love R.E.M., the Out of Time album, music production, or the orchestra, this one is for you. Subscribe, share the show with a music-obsessed friend, and leave us a review. What song do you hear differently once you know how it was made? Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!!

    Behind the Strings of R.E.M.'s Out of Time: Violinist David Arenz E136
See All (143)

5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Come be entertained as the host talks about music, bands, and connected stories."It's a really great podcast" - Kevn Kinney of Drivin N Cryin"I appreciate talking to you guys and the good questions" - Mitch Easter of Let's Active and R.E.M. producerLearn Something New or Remember Something Old!!!Please like and follow the Music In My Shoes Facebook page.Contact us atmusicinmyshoes@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Jim
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    143
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Music In My Shoes
  • Show Website
    Music In My Shoes

You Might Also Like