Episodes

This week, Leigh-Anne (Edwards) Clabby takes the helm as our guest host, diving deep with none other than her dad, Melvin E. Edwards, host of "Stories from Real Life!" She’s on a mission to uncover juicy tales from his childhood, his superhero inspirations, and what legacy he thinks he’s leaving behind. Tune in for this heartwarming family chat and spill the beans on what else you’re dying to ask Melvin! Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Tune into Stories from Real Life every Tuesday morning. It'll be here whatever time you wake up! Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Houston attorney and former TV sportscaster Drew Shirley admits he voted for Donald Trump in this year's election, despite feeling embarrassed by his belief that Trump is a "clown." He's ready to share why he chose the eventual 2024 winner, having not supported Trump in 2016 or 2020, and he requests an open mind before passing judgment. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Kristen Adele Calhoun is a writer, actress, and college professor, who also happens to be a cousin of this podcast's host. They are here to discuss the daunting challenge of uncovering their family's history as the descendants of enslaved Americans, and the enduring legacy of Isaac and Elvira Bladen - enslaved residents of the Republic of Texas. http://www.kristenadelecalhoun.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Texans-Slavery-Personal-Generations/dp/B08NS65Q2N#customerReviews Get full access to M...

Exit polls show that 81% of White Evangelicals voted for Donald Trump in this year, compared to 14% of Black Evangelicals. Guest “Bonhoeffer’s Child” tries to make sense of this moment in American and church history in this week's extended episode that will leave you speechless. @bonhoefferchild Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Casey Jakubowski Ph.D. founded DragonTamer.us to help people and teams move from okay to outstanding! After 20 years in education, team building, and improvement processes, Casey is an advocate for the underdog, the bullied, and the discouraged. He has written six books on citizen engagement, overcoming bullying, and improving American schools. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctjakubowski/ https://www.dragontamer.us/ https://ctjakubowski.weebly.com/ Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfr...

Nate Belcik, a Texas high school history teacher, embodies a calm demeanor during the weekdays and transforms into a U2 superfan on weekends. Despite being in his 20s, Nate has attended their concerts 18 times, which includes witnessing six performances during U2's recent Las Vegas residency. What is it like camping in line for 2-3 days before each show or driving from Phoenix to San Diego for shows on back-to-back nights? Nate knows! Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife...

Michael Alcazar's journey to becoming a New York City detective is a testament to the unexpected paths life can take. Despite never intending to join the police force, he dedicated 30 years of his life to the NYPD, where he encountered moments of profound courage and resilience. One such moment was on September 11, 2001, a day that forever changed the world. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Our guest this week is Trevor P. Wardlaw, a descendant of Elder John Parker, a victim of the 1836 Fort Parker massacre in Limestone County, Texas, and a cousin to Quanah Parker, the "Last Comanche Chief." Born in Waco, Texas, Wardlaw spent much of his childhood in South Bend, Indiana, and New York City. He is an 8th generation Texan and a lifetime member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. Let's find out about Trevor's historic roots and other things that make up the Parker and Wardlaw story....

Boston-area bartender-turned-salesman Neil Rogers has been owner and Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Rogers Marketing for nearly 26 years. He built his career and business leveraging both old-school and new-school marketing & sales techniques. In his book, "Bar Tips: Everything I Needed to Know in Sales I Learned Behind the Bar," Neil shares the skills and tools learned during his early working years as a bartender that led to his success as an entrepreneur and industry leader. https://...

In this episode, I asked several people from all over the country to pronounce the following words. Their results are captured here in this fun and brief experiment. 1. Oil 2. Iron 3. Naked 4. Vehicle 5. Wash 6. Dawn 7. Right 8. Water 9. Pecan 10. Buggy 11. Cement 12. Can’t 13. Light 14. Night 15. On 16. Fixing 17. Aunt 18. Hair www.podcastreallife.com Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Ben Marsh is a pastor at First Alliance Church in Winston-Salem, NC. He lives there with his wife and two teenaged daughters. He has a dog, Hank, and a cat, who apparently changed its identity. The story of how that happened is almost unbelievable. Ben has a heart for immigrants and is disturbed by what he is witnessing in today's political discourse. Before you listen, you should know that he puts olives in chili. Find out why. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.subs...

Nate Bell is an outspoken Never Trump conservative and has been politically homeless since 2016. A lifelong Republican until 2015, Nate served in the Arkansas State House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017 where he chaired the State Agencies and Government Affairs Committee, served as House Chair of the Legislative Audit Subcommittee on State Agencies, and as House co-chair of the Joint Committee on Constitutional Amendments. After 3 terms in office, Nate chose not to seek re-election, but he...

In today's episode of "Stories from Real Life," hosted by Melvin E. Edwards, we feature Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. She is a renowned international speaker, professor, and author with a diverse portfolio of books on topics from theology to literature, with a particular focus on 18th-century British Literature. Despite recent notable disagreements with the Southern Baptist Convention, her faith remains unwavering. Her passion for words and profound reverence for The Word are central to her life. D...

Our guest, Dr. Daniel Silliman, is the news editor for Christianity Today magazine. Three weeks ago, he released his newest book "One Lost Soul - Richard Nixon's Search for Salvation" to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Nixon's resignation from the presidency. Nixon is a complicated historical figure who wrestled with God for most of his life. Today's episode will help us discover if he was eventually able to find what he was looking for. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromr...

Meredith Wills has a Ph.D. in solar astrophysics and is a sports data scientist. She's a physicist and a baseball analyst, who happens to also be a world-class knitter. Rumor has it, Lynda Carter wears a Meredith Wills costume for Halloween. Wills' grandfather may or may not have worked at Area 51. Let's see how she weaves these interests into another fascinating episode of "Stories from Real Life." Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Eriksen Dickens is a storytelling wizard, crafting "legacy documentaries" that spotlight businesses, foundations, or individuals with fascinating tales to tell. These cinematic gems capture life through a lens of positivity, preserving legacies for generational to enjoy. https://platinumpeek.com/ Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Garret Williams is known on Twitter as @TexansCommenter and runs a page called Houston Stressans. He is a contributing writer for the Sporting News and covers the Houston Texans for that publication and his page. How many wins does he project for Houston this year? You might be surprised! Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Minnesota's very own Pat Kahnke is the Joey Chestnut of muskrat skinners, once taking the hides off hundreds of rodents in a single day. Though his sobering takes on Christianity and politics are serious, wondering if he once met Ted Cruz at a high school science conference is not. After Prince, Bob Dylan, and Mike Lindell, Kahnke is probably Minnesota's most famous resident. Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Rodney Smith Jr.’s simple act of assisting a neighbor with lawn care has blossomed into a nationwide movement centered on compassion and kindness. Born in Bermuda on the Fourth of July, Rodney Smith Jr. is the hero Americans didn’t know we needed. https://weareraisingmen.com/ https://weareraisingmen.com/donate/ https://rodneysmithjr.com/products/one-lawn-at-a-time Get full access to Melvin E. Edwards at storiesfromreallife.substack.com/subscribe

Find out what would happen if our guests Michael Freeman and Doc Hubbard took the wheel as President of the U.S. or Commissioner of Baseball for a day. Spoiler alert: courtesy runners might be running for cover! Tune in to uncover the whys. It has been one year since we launched the first episode of this podcast and we are celebrating by bringing back the first two guests. Last year, they were on Episodes 1 & 2. This time, they're together for Episode Number 60! Get full access to Melvin E. Ed...

It’s time to change the conversation about divorce. And that’s exactly what our guest today is trying to do. Sarah Armstrong is a Vice President of Global Marketing Operations at Google, and she never expected to be in this situation. However, based on her personal experiences, she decided to write 'The Mom’s Guide to a Good Divorce: What to Think Through When Children are Involved'. She defines a good divorce as one that puts the children first. For anyone wondering how they will ever come out...

Today's guest, Heather Renee May, has a diverse background that gives her a unique perspective on life. Ballet was her first love, and she danced professionally until retirement. She's now an author, podcast host, musician, dog-lover, and wine-enthusiast, who tours wineries in her RV with her dog. Dotty. Music has always had an important place in her life. A singer-songwriter under the stage name “Heather Ré”, she has released two albums, and performs on guitar and fiddle throughout the US, mai...

Our guest today is a best-selling author of more than a dozen novels and essay collections. Acclaimed writer Sarah Bird is an NPR Moth storyteller, a winner of the Meryl Streep screenwriting competition, a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, a finalist for the Dublin International Literary Award, and the hologram greeter for the Austin Central Library near the University of Texas campus. Her latest book, Juneteenth Rodeo, is a homage to the Black cowboy because 1/4 of all early Texas ran...