Find Your Brightside

Jerry "J-Man" Joyner
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  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The Brightside, a weekly show where curiosity, positivity, and real conversation come together. Hosted by storyteller Jerry “J-Man” Joyner, each episode blends humor, personal stories, and thoughtful dialogue with guests from all walks of life. From creative journeys to life lessons and moments of perspective, The Brightside keeps things genuine and uplifting without feeling forced. New episodes drop every Friday - tune in, reset, and Find Your Brightside.

  1. 18h ago

    The Artist Behind Whataburger Jesus - Jack Daw

    What happens when punk rock, Texas culture, old-school printmaking and a slightly twisted sense of humor all collide? On this episode of Find Your Brightside, J-Man sits down with Fort Worth artist and musician Jack Daw, the man behind Jackdaw Folk Art. Jack creates hand-carved linocut prints that mash together Texas icons, music, pop culture and plenty of humor - from Jesus blessing a Whataburger to Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Hank Hill and everything in between. Jack shares how he went from playing bass with Whiskey Folk Ramblers to building a career traveling across Texas selling his artwork, why he still makes every print by hand, and why keeping his work affordable matters to him. They also get into the imperfections that make handmade art special, life on the road, Crooked Bones, Deep Ellum, ArtsGoggle, the creative process behind Jack's work, and why sometimes the best career path is the one that simply keeps unfolding in front of you. Find Jack Daw:JackDawFolkArt.comInstagram: @jackdawfolkart And remember: when you shine a light, even just a little, people find their way.

  2. Sep 25

    Building the Stage for Something Bigger - Nichole Belford

    Some people chase the spotlight. Nicole Belford builds the stage.On this episode of Find Your Brightside, J-Man sits down with Nicole Belford of the Addison Performing Arts Center to talk about a career built around creating experiences that bring people together.Nicole has helped open and operate some of North Texas' most recognizable venues, including Bass Performance Hall, American Airlines Center and the Eisemann Center, while working across more than 5,000 events throughout her career.Her story started long before the stage. Born in Germany to a military family, Nicole spent much of her childhood moving between cultures before returning to the United States. After losing her mother at 12, figure skating became an important outlet that taught her discipline, creativity and focus - lessons that would continue shaping her life and career.Today, she's helping lead a new chapter for the Addison Performing Arts Center, expanding the venue beyond traditional theater and creating more opportunities for music, dance, outdoor performances, community events and film.That vision now includes the inaugural Addison Full Circle Film Festival, taking place November 7-8, 2026. The festival will bring Texas filmmakers and audiences together for a new kind of film festival experience rooted in community and independent storytelling.Nicole and J-Man also discuss why live experiences still matter, what it takes to build strong creative communities and why getting people back into theaters, venues and shared spaces remains so important.Learn more about the Addison Performing Arts Center:https://visitaddison.com/Learn more about the Addison Full Circle Film Festival on FilmFreeway and find tickets through Eventbrite.https://filmfreeway.com/AddisonFullCircleFilmFestivalFind Your BrightsidePresented by NHuS³ MediaWhen you shine a light, you can always Find Your Brightside.

  3. Sep 18

    Changing the World One Person at a Time - Chad Davenport

    For more than 25 years, Chad Davenport has lived by a simple idea: see a need, find a way to help.Chad is a U.S. Navy veteran, IT professional, and founder of Tonight We Ride, a Dallas nonprofit supporting people experiencing homelessness, veterans in need, and communities facing crisis.In this episode of Find Your Bright Side, J-Man sits down with Chad to talk about how a local toy drive grew into decades of community outreach, why Tonight We Ride became an official nonprofit, and the programs they are building to create real, practical change.From providing phones to veterans through Comms Up, to transportation and VA resource navigation, homeless outreach, crisis relief, and the annual Chad D's Toy Drive, Chad's mission is straightforward: change the world one person at a time.Learn more, volunteer, donate, or request help:https://tonightweride.orgSponsored by:I AM A FANFans Decide. Stories Get Made.https://iamafan.comMALLACOREAI tools and technology helping businesses and creators work smarter.https://mallacore.comHOWDYWOODTexas-born apparel and lifestyle.https://howdywood.shopSubscribe to Find Your Bright Side for more conversations with people making a difference in their communities.#FindYourBrightSide #TonightWeRide #ChadDavenport #Dallas #Veterans #VeteranSupport #HomelessOutreach #Nonprofit #Community #Volunteer #DallasTexas

  4. Sep 11

    Living the History of the Texas Rangers - Bill Patterson

    For more than a decade, Bill Patterson has been helping keep the history of the Texas Rangers alive.A fifth-generation Texan, Air Force veteran and founder of Legends of the Texas Rangers, Bill joins J-Man to trace the Rangers from their beginnings in 1823 through their evolution into one of Texas’ most recognizable law enforcement institutions.Bill shares the difference between reenacting and living history, his own family connections to early Texas Rangers, the story of Frank Hamer’s pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde, and why preserving the actual places, people and stories behind Texas history matters.He also discusses the next chapter for Legends of the Texas Rangers - bringing these stories to a new generation through short-form documentaries filmed at the actual locations where Texas history happened.Follow Legends of the Texas Rangers on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/LegendsoftheTexasRangers/HOWDYWOODhttps://howdywood.shopMALLACOREhttps://mallacore.com/jmanI AM A FANhttps://iamafan.comFind Your Brightside is about the people who shine a light so others can find their way.

  5. Sep 4

    How Dallas’ Music Scene Built a Mental Health Lifeline - Lauren O'Connor

    What happens when personal tragedy becomes a reason to build something that can save others? On Episode 34 of Find Your Brightside, Jerry Joyner sits down with Lauren O’Connor, President of Amplified Minds, a Dallas-based nonprofit providing free professional mental health support to Texas residents 18 and older. Lauren’s story begins in the music world. After experiencing the devastating loss of friends to suicide and substance use, she began asking a bigger question: why were so many musicians, artists and creatives struggling in silence? That question eventually became a mission. Today, Amplified Minds has grown from its grassroots beginnings in the Deep Ellum music community into an organization providing support groups, art therapy, music therapy, substance use recovery resources and other mental health programming led by licensed professionals. Lauren and Jerry talk about the stigma surrounding mental health, why creatives can be especially vulnerable, the importance of community, the role music has played throughout Lauren’s life, and why simply asking for help can be one of the most important first steps a person takes. They also discuss Amplified Minds’ annual Louder Than Stigma Fest, returning to the Kessler Theater on September 19, 2026. The event brings together live music, wearable art, mental health organizations and the Dallas creative community to raise awareness and support Amplified Minds’ free mental health programming. If you or someone you know could benefit from Amplified Minds, learn more about its programs, volunteer opportunities and ways to support the organization: AMPLIFIED MINDSamplifiedminds.org Instagram: @amplified.minds If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. For an immediate emergency, call 911. ABOUT FIND YOUR BRIGHTSIDE Find Your Brightside is about the moments, people and decisions that remind us there is always another side to the story. When you shine a light, even just a little, people are gonna find their way. Presented by NHuS³ Media. EXPLORE MORE Howdywoodhowdywood.shop Mallacoremallacore.com Subscribe for more conversations with artists, entrepreneurs, leaders, creators and people finding the bright side through real life experience. #FindYourBrightside #LaurenOConnor #AmplifiedMinds #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #LouderThanStigma #Dallas #DeepEllum #DallasMusic #MentalHealthMatters #SuicidePrevention #CreativeCommunity

  6. Aug 28

    Turning Grief Into Art - Melissa Tucker

    Dallas artist Melissa Tucker grew up quite literally beneath her father's easel. Art wasn't simply something she learned - it was part of the Tucker family language.Read about Melissa here: https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts-culture/dallas-artist-melissa-tucker-11893626/In this episode of Find Your Brightside, Jerry Joyner sits down with Melissa to talk about growing up alongside acclaimed artist Scott Tucker Sr., earning a music scholarship to TCU, finding her way from music into painting and sculpture, and developing the hyper-realistic work that would eventually take her into spaces like Old Parkland and museums.But Melissa's story took a painful turn when her father passed away.After years of creating alongside him, she found herself unable to paint. A solo trip to Paris - including quiet walks through its historic cemeteries - eventually helped Melissa begin processing grief, loss and the question of what happens to all the love we still carry after someone is gone.That experience helped inspire Requiem, a deeply personal body of work exploring loss, remembrance and legacy.Today, Melissa is creating again, operating Tucker Art Project in Deep Ellum and dreaming even bigger. Her ambitions include large-scale figurative bronze sculpture and a public tribute to Deep Ellum music legends Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker.This is a conversation about art, family, grief, creativity and what it means to continue the work of someone who helped make you who you are.Find Your Brightside with Jerry Joyner explores the people, stories and experiences that remind us there is still light to be found - even during life's darkest chapters.Subscribe for more conversations from Find Your Brightside.

  7. Aug 21

    The Opposite of Depression Is Creation - Norry Niven

    Norry Niven has spent more than 25 years telling stories behind the camera - from Super Bowl spots and award-winning television work to feature films and documentaries. But today, he's entering a new chapter focused on stories that can actually change lives.On this episode of Find Your Brightside, Jerry "J-Man" Joyner sits down with filmmaker Norry Niven to talk about creativity, faith, filmmaking and the power of telling stories with purpose.Norry shares the journey behind Get Back Up, his decade-long documentary following Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld, and the messages from viewers who found hope through the film and its music. That experience helped inspire his latest documentary, To Save a Son, the story of Louis Harrell Jr. and Men of Nehemiah in South Dallas - a story of addiction, redemption, faith and second chances.The conversation also dives into filmmaking in Texas, the importance of studying your craft, why aspiring filmmakers should start creating with whatever they have, and one of Norry's most powerful beliefs:"The opposite of depression is creation."Norry also gives us a look at several projects in the works, including Desolation, Wildcats and his film about the legendary 1911 Mona Lisa heist.To Save a Son follows Louis Harrell Jr.'s journey from addiction toward redemption and the work being done through Men of Nehemiah in South Dallas.Learn more about Norry Niven and his work at Niven Film, and learn more about To Save a Son at ToSaveASon.com.When you shine a light, even just a little, people can find their way!Find Your Brightside is supported by:HOWDYWOOD - www.howdywood.shopMALLACORE - www.mallacore.com

  8. Aug 7

    Everybody You Meet Has a Story - FIND YOUR BRIGHTSIDE OUTSIDE

    You can walk past a hundred people in a crowd and never know what they’ve been through.So this week, we took Find Your Brightside out of the studio and into the crowd at the historic Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, where fans were gathering to see Ryan Bingham.And J-Man started asking questions.What we found had very little to do with a concert.We met a father and daughter who fought through canceled flights just to make it to Dallas. A couple celebrating a brand-new grandbaby. A man who survived kidney cancer. Young men figuring out their faith and their future. A couple who found each other after years of struggle. A Kentucky family who started with very little and slowly built the life they dreamed about.Different ages. Different places. Different lives.But everybody had something.And maybe that’s the reminder this week - there are stories happening all around us that we’ll never know unless we slow down long enough to ask.Even the day itself gave us a little lesson. What started with pouring rain and thunderstorms ended with clear skies, a cool breeze and Ryan Bingham playing to a packed crowd at the Longhorn.Sometimes you just have to stick around long enough for the weather to change.When you shine a light, even just a little, people can find their way!The Brightside is supported by:I AM A FAN - www.iamafan.comHOWDYWOOD - www.howdywood.shopMALLACORE - www.mallacore.com/jman

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About

Welcome to The Brightside, a weekly show where curiosity, positivity, and real conversation come together. Hosted by storyteller Jerry “J-Man” Joyner, each episode blends humor, personal stories, and thoughtful dialogue with guests from all walks of life. From creative journeys to life lessons and moments of perspective, The Brightside keeps things genuine and uplifting without feeling forced. New episodes drop every Friday - tune in, reset, and Find Your Brightside.

Information

  • Creator
    Jerry "J-Man" Joyner
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jerry "J-Man" Joyner
  • Show Website
    Find Your Brightside