Only Good Vibes News Network

Leroy Mitchell

Welcome to the podcast home for Only Good Vibes News Network. Remember, The world is full of good people. If you don't see one, be one.

  1. Aug 28

    Kelly Carpenter & The Cherry Bombs

    This week on Only Good Vibes News Network, we're welcoming Kelly Carpenter, Chief Promise Maker for the Cherry Bombs, New Orleans' beloved Mardi Gras dance krewe known for turning fun into philanthropy. Kelly joins us in the Fan Cave to talk about how she got started with the Cherry Bombs back in 2017, what it really takes to bring a parade-ready dance troupe to life, and why giving back to the city is baked into everything the krewe does. The big topic: Cherry-oke, the Cherry Bombs' annual charity karaoke competition, happening Saturday, August 29th at the Howlin' Wolf. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. DJ Alley Cat is running the mic, there's a $10 entry to compete for a cash prize (first and second place), a 50/50 raffle, exclusive Cherry Bombs merch, and specialty cherry cocktails. Tickets are $10 presale / $15 at the door — and this year's proceeds benefit Daughters Beyond Incarceration, an organization supporting girls and women impacted by parental incarceration through mentorship, advocacy, and healing programs. Along the way, we burn some palo santo and sage, pull a couple of Zen cards, talk about finding the good news in a world full of noise, and close out with the Big Six — the six things you can do every day to live a great life. As always, Only Good Vibes News Network is your source for positive information in Louisiana and beyond. Big thanks to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports Park (Throttle & Swing), Scandalous Chocolates, Frenchy Live, and Trenasse. New episodes drop every Wednesday on YouTube and every Thursday everywhere you get your podcasts. Cherry Bombs: Website - https://www.cherrybombsnola.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nolacherrybombs Whistle Monsta: https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ JAMNOLA - https://www.jamnola.com OGVNN, OnlyGoodVibesNewsNetwork, KellyCarpenter, CherryBombs, NewOrleans, MardiGras, MardiGrasKrewe, Cherryoke, KaraokeFundraiser, HowlinWolfNewOrleans, DaughtersBeyondIncarceration, NewOrleansCharity, NewOrleansNonprofit, NOLApodcast, LouisianaPodcast, PositiveNews, GoodVibes, NewOrleansCulture, DanceKrewe, DJAlleyCat, NOLAMotorsportsPark, ScandalousChocolates, FrenchyLive, Trenasse

  2. Aug 14

    The Rumble

    Leroy "Whistle Monsta" Mitchell welcomes The Rumble. The Rumble was formed in 2021, and has since been nominated two times for a Grammy. They are a dynamic band dedicated to preserving and evolving New Orleans' rich musical heritage. Fronted by Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. of the Young Eagles Black Masking Indian tribe, the band seamlessly blends past, present, and future elements of New Orleans culture into their sound. Their songs draw from Mardi Gras Indian funk, brass band traditions, jazz, and hip-hop, creating a vibrant and modern take on iconic styles pioneered by groups like The Meters, Wild Magnolias, and Neville Brothers. The Rumble carries forward the vibrant legacy of Mardi Gras Indian funk, a genre pioneered by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (Joseph's father) and the Wild Magnolias. Led by Grammy-nominated singer and respected Black Masking Indian leader Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., the band blends the traditional rhythms of black masking culture with modern New Orleans sounds. Trumpeter Aurélien Barnes, a member of the Northside Skull and Bone Gang, represents this iconic carnival tradition, while trombonist José Maize of the TBC Brass Band electrifies audiences at second line parades, embodying New Orleans' brass band heritage. Together, they honor the city's rich musical traditions while pushing its boundaries into the future. The ensemble has received two GRAMMY nominations for Best Regional Roots Album for their albums Live at the Maple Leaf and Stories From The Battlefield. Subscribe for weekly inspiring interviews, community stories, and positive news. The Rumble: Website - https://therumbleband.com/ YouTube -  @therumble.official  Whistle Monsta: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# Website - https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ JAMNOLA - https://www.JAMNOLA.com

  3. Jul 30

    Viva la France: Emelie Vidrine - Part 2

    Part two of the Viva la France conversation with Emelie Vidrine picks up where the story gets personal. Leroy "Whistle Monsta" Mitchell and Emelie trace back how a mutual friend connected them months into his search for someone who understood the cultural bridge between Louisiana and France — and how that first meeting immediately felt like destiny. Emelie shares a deeply moving story behind her first album: waking up one morning with an entire song already written in her head, only to learn that the woman who raised her like family, "Miss Lloyd," had passed away that same night. It becomes the jumping-off point for a conversation about ancestors, faith, and knowing when to let go — including how Emelie met her husband on the Paris metro the same night she'd finally accepted a painful ending elsewhere in her life. The conversation turns toward the Saints' upcoming trip to Paris in October, with Emelie explaining why the team is aiming to become "the Parisian team," not just New Orleans visiting France, and drawing the parallel between New Orleans' French Quarter architecture and Paris itself — "it's just like a French Quarter that grew up and took steroids." Before wrapping, Emelie hands out a local's guide to Paris: where to eat (a 120-year-old former textile factory turned restaurant in the 15th arrondissement), where to catch real live jazz, and her can't-miss tip for bringing home salted butter and baguettes that taste fresh weeks later. As always, Leroy closes with the Big Six: empathy, humility, and compassion for yourself first, always help people, and leave the world better than you found it. Emelie Vidrine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-vidrine-1336293/ Whistle Monsta: https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ JAMNOLA - https://www.jamnola.com OGVNN, Only Good Vibes, News Network, Whistle Monsta, Viva la France, Louisiana, Lafayette, Cajun Culture, Creole Culture, Louisiana French, CODOFIL, Francophone, Paris France, Cultural Diplomacy, NOLA, Gumbo, Accordion Music, Louisiana Heritage, Expat Life, Positive News, LouisianaMusic, NFL, Saints, New Orleans, Hall of Fame,

  4. Jul 23

    Viva la France: Emelie Vidrine - Part 1

    Only Good Vibes News Network is live from Paris for the second installment of the Viva la France series, and Leroy "Whistle Monsta" Mitchell sits down with a very special guest and close friend: Emelie Vidrine, a Louisiana native turned cultural ambassador between Lafayette and France. Emelie's story starts in the French-speaking heart of Louisiana. Raised in a francophone household in Lafayette, she comes from a family of self-described cultural torchbearers — her father from Evangeline Parish, her mother from St. Louis, Missouri, both deeply woven into Cajun and Creole music and preservation work. Emelie spent 11 years in Lafayette Parish's French immersion program, taught by instructors from France, Canada, and West Africa, before earning her degree in English and French and moving to Paris in 2010 to pursue graduate study in phonetics and linguistics. What started as a personal journey turned into a calling. Today Emelie works in cultural diplomacy, building bridges between Louisiana and France — running a concierge service for visiting musicians and delegations, organizing festivals and cultural events, and even adapting her family gumbo recipes for French palates (turnips and parsnips instead of okra, more cream, less heat). She talks candidly about the identity of straddling two homes, the meaning behind her family name, and the humility it takes to promote other people's success instead of her own. The conversation also traces her deep musical roots, learning the ti-fer (triangle) before guitar, and picking up the accordion during COVID so her newborn son could grow up surrounded by the sound she loved as a child on her parents' porch in Scott, Louisiana. As always, the episode opens with the show's Zen card ritual, setting the tone for a conversation about identity, heritage, and staying rooted while building a life abroad. Emelie Vidrine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-vidrine-1336293/ Whistle Monsta: https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ JAMNOLA - https://www.jamnola.com OGVNN, OnlyGoodVibesNewsNetwork, WhistleMonsta, VivalaFrance, Louisiana, Lafayette, CajunCulture, CreoleCulture, LouisianaFrench, CODOFIL, Francophone, ParisFrance, CulturalDiplomacy, NOLA, Gumbo, AccordionMusic, LouisianaHeritage, ExpatLife, PositiveNews, LouisianaMusic

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to the podcast home for Only Good Vibes News Network. Remember, The world is full of good people. If you don't see one, be one.