Backstory Sessions

Kent Blazy : The Beatles to the Bluebird

Hello Backstory family!. In this episode we talk a bit about writing songs, and then have a long chat with singer/ songwriter Kent Blaze. Kent has had a long and amazing career writing and working with many of the most recognizable names in Country music. He has written many songs with Garth Brooks, and has connections with a whole host of artists too numerous to mention here, along with 7 number one hits. Kent talks about his early days, his love for rock music, many of his influences, and his approach to writing hit records. Kent also has a new album in which he explores some of the influences he has had over the years, and gives us i view into making this record. It’s a fascinating look at the career of an equally uinteresting artist. 

After Forever

Hello Backstory fans! In this episode we chat with actor Kevin Spirtas. Kevin is a multi Emmy winning actor, who has appeared on stage, film, and television, as well as different web series. He is probably best known for his work on various soap operas. He also co created and starred in the acclaimed web series “After Forever”.  This is a fun look at Kevin’s long career, and what drives him. We hope you enjoy this intriguing episode. Cat also talks alittle about an exciting upcoming project she is working on. 

Even in the Quiet Moments

Happy Memorial Day weekend Backstory fans!..Join us for another great episode with Film maker Sudeshna Sen.  From her bio: "Her first feature film "Anu" is an adaptation of Anjali Banerjee's novel "Looking For Bapu". Sudeshna describes herself as a filmmaker of quiet moments, interludes of meaning and emotion that are unforgettable to those immersed in them, and unknowable to others." We chat about the film "Anu", and the process of making this, adapting the book to match her vision for it. Its a great chat with alot of insight into how this film came to life. as well as Sudeshna's passion for this project. 

Little House in the Hollywood Hills

Hello again Backstory fans! In this episode we chat with Charlotte Stewart, who is an actress with a long career in film and tv. She is probably best known for her role as school teacher Miss Beadle, on the well loved tv show “Little House on the Prarie”. We talk a bit about Teacher Appreciation week, and some of the gifts Cat received over the years during her career as a teacher, including her most memorable one. Charlotte talks with us about her interesting beginnings in her acting career, including a memorable trip she took with one of the most legendary singers in music. Some of her stories of living through the 60s and early 70s are not to be missed. She shares some of her triumphs and struggles over the years in this very candid interview, and we are very happy to bring them to you here. 

Glory Days

Hello Backstory Fans, and especially all the moms out there! We want to wish all of these special ladies a Happy Mothers Day!   
In this episode we get to sit down with the ladies from Chapel Hart, who happen to have a new album coming out on May 19th. They are gaining a huge following and their appearance on America's Got Talent has pushed them further along the road to success. Getting noticed by country music royalty such as Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn helps too. In this brief interview, we chat with them about these topics, family, the AGT appearance, and their new album, Glory Days, along with their answers to a few other interesting questions. We hope you enjoy this great interview with these amazing ladies.

Oldies?

Hello Backstory family! Welcome to Season 9! In this episode, we chat a bit about a variety of topics ranging from intro music, what constitutes music being classified as an “oldie”, cover bands and impersonators, and more. (You will notice we talk about changing our intro music, but had a technical glitch that prevented us from doing that for this episode. We hope to have that sorted out next week.) We also talk about letting one of us use the others cell phone, and the conversation inspired Cat to write a song, which is at the very end of the episode! Find out what that’s all about, and more in this fun episode. We want to give huge thanks to the amazingly talented Risha Allen for performing Cat’s new song! 

I’m Not Going Anywhere.

Hello Backstory Fans! Tonight marks the end of Season 8! We hope you’ve enjoyed our guests this season as much as we have enjoyed talking to them and bringing them to you. In this episode we present Singer/songwriter, author, and Producer, Kelly Lang. Kelly has a new audiobook available, titled “I’m Not Going Anywhere”. In it Kelly relays many of the lessons she has learned during her life from the adversity she has faced over the years. She reveals the genesis of the title, and the sweet story of what cemented that choice for her. We also hear the story of her long friendship with Olivia Newton John, and Barry Gibb. This is a brief but really interesting talk, and we hope to have Kelly back in the future to dive deeper into her fascinating life. 
We also want to once again thank you, our fans, for listening, and motivating us every day. We will see you all in the near future with an all new season!

A Little of Both

Hello Backstory fans! In this great episode we sit down with country artist, singer/songwriter Makenzie Phipps. Makenzie is a powerhouse vocalist who’s latest single called “A Little of Both” is currently available for streaming, along with some great other songs she was recorded. From covers to originals, Mackenzie’s voice does them all justice. In our chat, she talks about getting her start in music and reforming, and how things are evolving for her currently, performing, and moving to Nashville . It’s a great look At how her career is gathering steam and moving in the right direction. 
 

Back To The Drive-In

Hello Backstory fans! In this episode, we talk with director April Wright. April had previously produced a movie chronicling the rise and fall of the drive in movie theater. In it she examined the history as well as the current state (as of 2013) of this iconic American pastime. She visited almost every state, and many of the drive-ins in each. Her love of these places started when she was very young, and attended the movies with her family, and she has always been fascinated with them. A recent project of hers, “Back to the Drive-in” examines how the industry has changed, adapted, and tried to compete with streaming services of late. She talks to current owners of these facilities and gets great insight into how they are managing to stay open, the hard work involved, and a myriad of other issues these owners face. It’s a fascinating look at this beloved memory that a lot of us share, whether it be as a child watching a Disney movie for the first time, a teenager on a date to see the latest horror movie, or an adult feeling nostalgic about the fun had at the drive in. We also talk a bit about some of our own drive in memories. We hope you enjoy this really interesting episode the April!

The Way Out

Hello Backstory fans! In this episode we sit down with actor, writer, and producer Mike Manning. He got his start in acting in high school productions, and later was cast for a spot on the MTV series The Real World: DC. This would lead to other roles in a Disney movie, tv series roles, and many other acting opportunities, his recurring roll on the long running soap opera, Days of Our Lives among them. He also has multiple Emmy awards thrown into the mix for acting, and producing to round out his resume. His recent movie, "The Way Out" is available to stream now. We chat with Mike about all of these topics and much more in this intriguing episode. His love of acting is evident, and he gives some great insight into how he approaches roles, and what drives him to act.
Mike’s  Bio:
Mike Manning is an American actor, producer, reality television personality and activist. Manning gained fame as a cast member on the MTV series The Real World: D.C.[2] before subsequently embarking on an acting career, appearing in a number of films and television programs, such as the 2014 Disney Channel original movie Cloud 9, in which he played Nick Swift, Hawaii Five-0, Love Is All You Need? (2016), Teen Wolf, The Call, Son of the South and Days of Our Lives.[3] As a producer, his work includes the documentary Kidnapped for Christ,[4] and The Bay, which won the 2020 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series.[5] He won the 2021 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Performance By a Supporting Actor in a Daytime Fiction Program for his performance as Caleb McKinnon.[6]