Radio Free Flint Podcast

Rachel Cole is a Nashville, Tennessee musician with Flint roots. Her music has Nashville soul with Americana roots. She is a vibrant young musician whose first album is to be released summer 2020. All songs on this album were written and recorded in her hometown of Nashville. She shares with us for the first time her song Rugged Road. She also give us a view of the road a talented young musician travels. She shares advice for others who want to pursue in musical performance...

 Singer Dan Hall and songwriter David Norris share stories of nearly 40 years authoring songs about the Great Lakes and the American labor movement.  Their important work has been featured on PBS documentary specials about the UP and Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes.  Their work has been part of the Shipwreck Museum in Paradise, Michigan and the Flint Labor Museum.   Dan and David, both with Flint, Michigan roots, have written some of the best Great Lakes Americana songs...

broadcaster David O. Norris shares memories of a career in public and country radio broadcasting.

Norris shares how Flint came to proclaim itself as the "Country Music Capitol of the North".  He shares highlights of his decades long association with Maybelle Carter and the Carter family.

David shares a great story about Johnny Cash and the Carter Family performing at the IMA Auditorium in Flint during his final career tour...

Ode to singer/songwriter John Prine who died this week.  John Prine's music spoke of the culture of the Southern migrants who left the coal mines and their rented farms in places like Kentucky and Tennessee.  He left a rich legacy of songs that document all aspects of life in America.  His powerful lyrics put in the company of the best songwriters like Bob Dylan, Robert Earl Keen and Neil Young...

In 1971, Flint optometrist Jeff Natchez was a 6th round draft choice of the Detroit Tigers. He was scouted and signed by legendary Detroit Tigers General Manager Bill Lajoie. Jeff spent 5 years in the Tigers minor league system. Jim Leyland, former Tigers manager, was Natchez' first minor league manager in 1971- Leyland was 26 years old and in his first year as a manager at the time...

Leo Seide, has been an affable pioneer in Michigan business, politics, civil rights, golf and real estate development.  He is truly a Flint treasure.  Leo was the "father" of the PGA Carling Open convincing the Carling Brewing Company to sponsor a PGA Tournament in 1957.  A young Arnold Palmer played in the tournament at the Flint Golf Club...

FlintTom Skinner has spent decades broadcasting Flint area athletic events.  His remarkable career has made him one of the best known sports broadcasters in Mid-Michigan and beyond.  Tom figures that in his career he has broadcast over 1,700 athletic contests.  His journey in broadcasting has been his passion.  He is a regular at MHSAA football and basketball events Mid-Michigan.  Tom shares his observations about some of the greatest athletes and coaches to ever play or coach in the Flint area...

Dennis Ybarra is a General Motors auto gypsy and a Grand National BMX Race Champion. Dennis,  who has been laid off and transferred an amazing number of times.  During his career he has learned to accept more layoffs than he can count.  He shares his personal story about the anxiety that is caused when the economic winds of change result in his having to accept transfers to far away auto plants just to maintain his position with the company...

Rev Fr. Phillip Schmitter, currently assigned to Christ the King Catholic Church.  He has spent nearly 50 years of his life serving Flint's catholic community at a variety of churches.  His career has been marked by his passion and devotion to serving the poor. In the finest of Catholic traditions, Father Phil has been a fierce advocate for Flint's minority community on such issues as environmental racism, poverty, hunger and seeking dignity for those who are the least among us...

Flint natives Scott and Michael McKinstry started and published  Old Time Baseball News, a national baseball publication spotlighting retired baseball players.  The paper was published in Flint for 12 years until the business was sold due to illness.  Scott recounts meeting up with numerous major league baseball players including the members of the 1968 Detroit Tigers...