EP. 116 Three Friends Reflect On 2025, Trade Stories On History And Family, And Toast To A Brighter 2026

Send us a textThe lights are back on, the hat is on, and we’re rolling with a no-spin catch-up that turns a rough few weeks into fuel. I open the studio door on the cold, the flu, and the beard that survived it all, then lay out how we’re rebuilding momentum: new hats for the community, simpler ways to connect, and a renewed commitment to show up—even when the day job and the sniffles get loud.From there, we stir in some joy. It’s National Hot Chocolate Day, and yes, we get precise: real milk, a touch of extra sugar, extra creamy whipped cream. Then the conversation widens. International Zebra Day leads to a quick riff on identity, and a string of sports birthdays—Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, Nolan Ryan—reminds us that toughness, grace, and routine make legends. We pull a lesson from the mound: strength comes from repetition and smart rest, not babying the work.The centerpiece is a time capsule you can feel. We revisit the Billboard Top 40 from late January 1982 to see what lasts and why. Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ wasn’t the biggest chart hit at release yet became their cultural juggernaut. Loverboy’s Working for the Weekend outgrew its peak position to become a staple. Hall & Oates, Foreigner, The Cars, the Stones, Air Supply—each track offers a clue about pop culture, longevity, and the slow-burn climb that beats a quick flash. It’s music history as a mirror for creative life: keep showing up, keep refining, and let time do its work.We also look ahead. Recent guests like Marisa Fullenkamp and friends will be back, new invites are out, and I’ve got episode notes stacked on the desk waiting to be shaped. Want to rep the show? Hats in navy, gray, and black are ready—drop a comment or DM to claim one while we spin up a simple payment option. If you’re new here, welcome; if you’ve stuck with me, thank you. Your listens, comments, and shares keep this thing alive. Tap follow, subscribe on your favorite app, rate it five stars, and tell a friend: what’s the one song from 1982 you still crank up today?Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textTwo chords in and you can already feel it: the tug of a small town, the pulse of a busy café, and the stubborn belief that songs should sound like people. We sit down with 24-year-old multi-instrumentalist Marissa Fullenkamp to talk through the craft and courage behind her self-titled debut EP, and she brings the proof—two intimate live performances that turn everyday scenes into something you can hold.Marisa traces her path from humming at the dinner table to piano lessons, guitar-fueled songwriting, and a toolkit that now includes harmonica and a compact harp. Her influences aren’t just name-drops; they’re blueprints. The Eagles for harmony that melts, Patsy Cline for fearless phrasing, Blues Traveler for lyric swing that refuses cookie-cutter cadences. That mix shows up in “Passing Cars,” a high school-era story-song with unexpected structure, and “Caffeine Rush,” a folky closer that frames leaving a beloved place as both necessary and tender.We dig into the tough stuff artists face right now. Why six songs? Because making a tight, true record teaches more than a sprawling, expensive one—and because she wants the EP to sound like her shows. Why physical CDs and merch? Because that’s how fans actually support the music they love. We unpack streaming economics, the single-at-a-time pressure of algorithms, and a clear, firm stance on the role of AI in songwriting: if a tool writes words or melodies, credit it. Real music still lives in the human residue—breath, sway, the way a voice flips when it chases a feeling.If you’re craving songs that carry story and edge without hiding behind gloss, you’ll find a lot to love here: figurative lyrics, genre flexibility, and the energy of an artist who’s already played a hundred nights and is just getting started. Press play for a warm, unfiltered listen; stay for the harmonies, the grit, and the reminder that music becomes ours when we can feel it.Enjoy the conversation, then support the artist: grab the CD at marissafullenkamp.com, stream the EP on release day, and share this with a friend who still reads liner notes. If you like what we’re making, subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell us which live song grabbed you most.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textReady for a time machine that still grooves? We kick off the year by rewinding to the Billboard Hot 100 from the first week of January 1980 and taking a lively, story-rich tour through the songs that defined a moment when radio rotation and word of mouth made hits last. From the O’Jays’ soulful return to Blackfoot’s Southern crunch, from ABBA’s elegant sweep to the Sugarhill Gang’s breakthrough Rapper’s Delight, every stop on this countdown reveals how different genres shared the same stage.We dig into why certain tracks climbed for months, how a duet like Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer rocketed to number one, and what made bands like the Eagles, Supertramp, and Fleetwood Mac soar even as internal tensions rose. You’ll hear the case for Tom Petty’s Damn the Torpedoes era, the debut power of Mickey Thomas on Jefferson Starship’s Jane, and the velvet glide of Smokey Robinson’s Cruisin’. Then it’s a top-ten sprint: Cliff Richard’s global smash, the club-shaping joy of Kool and the Gang’s Ladies Night, Kenny Rogers’ story-song mastery, Lionel Richie’s ballad brilliance with the Commodores, and Styx’s tender Babe that almost stayed off the album.We close with Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall gem Rock With You, Rupert Holmes’ cultural earworm Escape (The Pina Colada Song), and KC and the Sunshine Band’s Please Don’t Go sealing the decade with a soft-voiced number one. Along the way we swap concert notes, playlist tips, and a reminder that charts once rewarded patience and craft. If you love pop history, R&B velvet, AOR hooks, disco shimmer, and the thrill of a great countdown, this ride delivers.If you had to pick three tracks from this list for the perfect starter playlist, which would you choose? Follow, subscribe, leave a rating, and share this episode with a friend who loves a good musical deep dive. Your picks might show up in a future segment!Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textA different backdrop, the same heartbeat. We took the year-end show to the patio and opened the door to a free-flowing conversation with friends—part celebration, part confession, all connection. Between mic tests, guest links, and a stubborn winter cough, we found a groove that felt like a living room: holidays recapped, family updates shared, and a few brave toasts to what’s next.We zoomed out to see where the show traveled this year—six continents, 57 countries, and a surprising wave from Singapore—then zoomed in on who’s actually watching on YouTube. The data sparked a larger question: how do we build content for the people who show up, without losing the spark that drew them here? That led to plans for a bigger studio and a second show that explores politics and faith, giving the original program space to keep telling personal stories and spotlighting artists, authors, and everyday voices.Our guests brought the heart. Larry walked us through his ambitious history series—every president and each year since 1776—reminding us why Prohibition, organized crime, the Dust Bowl, and civil rights aren’t distant chapters but living context. Pepper Ann shared two new book projects set in the 80s and offered sharp advice on writing memoir: start with your deepest passion and let that scene pull readers in. We detoured into baseball—catchers, pitch calling, Greg Maddux, and what leadership looks like when only one person sees the whole field. And we held space for grief and legacy as Larry honored his son-in-law and a final song recorded near the end, a story about copyright, distribution, and doing justice to the work before chasing a big name.We closed with warmth and a little mischief—eggnog spiked, Irish toasts raised, and a call to make 2026 braver, kinder, and more creative. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, tap the bell, and share it with someone who needs a hopeful sendoff to the year. Leave a comment with your bold goal for 2026—we’ll be reading and cheering you on.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textHoliday shows should feel like a living room: a little noisy, full of laughter, and anchored by stories that matter. This Christmas special does exactly that. We start with a simple question—what does Christmas mean to you?—and follow it into memories of ping pong tournaments in the garage, first stereos with eight-track decks, and the shared magic of waking up to a tree that somehow made a whole year feel brighter. Then we read Luke 2 and sit with the humility and hope of a child in a manger, letting the season’s center settle the rest.Music is our throughline. I share a top-10 Christmas list built for feeling, not clicks: MercyMe’s towering take on God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Nat King Cole and Mel Tormé trading places for The Christmas Song, the Kinks’ irreverent Father Christmas, Bruce Springsteen’s joyful live Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Alabama’s Joseph and Mary’s Boy, and Kenny Rogers’ Carol of the Bells. Each track earns its spot for emotion, story, or sheer delight—perfect for your own playlist overhaul. We also dig into Advent, daily reflections, and why small rituals help us slow down when the world speeds up.Two guests join the celebration. Country artist Olivia Harms checks in from a twinkling tree to talk last-show-of-the-year vibes, cookie deliveries by “sleigh,” and her favorite deep-cut carol, The Gift. Then author and energy expert Chris Skates calls from Washington with a surprising thread: how AI is driving a new wave of nuclear energy, and why grid reliability will shape our next decade. He shares D.C. holiday plans—Museum of the Bible, vintage department-store windows, and the National Christmas Tree—then tells a gripping Christmas Eve story of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware and the battle at Trenton. It’s a reminder that courage and sacrifice sit beneath the lights we hang each year.We close with gratitude, a nudge to love your neighbors now rather than later, and a full reading of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. If you need a show that mixes faith, nostalgia, music, and a couple of tech hiccups we somehow survived, pull up a chair. Subscribe, rate, and share with someone who needs a little light this week—what’s your number one Christmas song?Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textRock deserves better than vague labels and fuzzy math. So we pulled up Billboard’s “50 Best Rock Bands” and put it under a bright stage light, testing every pick against a simple, honest standard: influence, longevity, catalog depth, cultural impact, and rock radio airplay. When “rock” balloons to include pop, funk, and industrial, the rankings break. We call out the genre creep, make the case for the true architects, and then rebuild the canon with a cleaner set of rules.We move briskly through Billboard’s 50–1, pointing out the head-scratchers and the slam-dunks. Def Leppard buried below ska-pop? The Eagles in the 30s? Van Halen outside the top 20? Meanwhile, we recognize where they nearly nail it with Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles. Along the way, we explain why influence matters more than hype, why radio presence across decades is a real signal of staying power, and how a band’s catalog—not just one album—cements a legacy. Think Sabbath’s blueprint for metal, Van Halen’s guitar revolution, Metallica’s thrash made global, and The Beach Boys’ harmonies that still shape modern rock.Then we present our objective top 10. It’s not a favorites list; it’s a criteria-driven canon that respects the builders and the innovators. We also spotlight the glaring omissions that any serious rock list must wrestle with—Hendrix, Deep Purple, Bowie, Elton, Chuck Berry—and show how their DNA runs through nearly every great act that followed. If you care about what makes a band truly great, you’ll find a fairer framework here and a better map for exploring rock’s past and present.If this breakdown hits a nerve, good—rock should spark debate. Drop your top 10 in the comments, tell us who we overranked or missed, and make sure to subscribe, rate, and share so more people can jump into the fray. Your list next. Let’s hear it.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textCountry music hits different when you hear the story behind the song. We welcome Southern California’s own Ashley Felton, a powerhouse vocalist who blends the heart of 90s country with a bold, modern edge—and a schedule packed with 150-plus shows a year. We talk about the real work of building a career today: how to win over a room with covers, invite them into your originals, and make the numbers add up when recording a single costs thousands and streaming pays in pennies.Ashley opens up about her writing process—lyrics and melody arriving together in voice memos, car rides becoming mobile studios, and the moment a song proves it should be recorded only after it survives weeks of live testing. We get into the art and pressure of co-writes, why taking someone else’s song requires care, and how a playful track like Two Step became a dive-bar music video with a storyline fans love. There’s plenty of scene-building too: writers rounds with Nashville on the Coast, a supportive circle of independent artists sharing the playbook instead of gatekeeping, and the practical steps that led to bookings at the House of Blues, the OC Fair, and ticketed showcases like the Tiki Bar.What stands out is Ashley’s grounded life and grit. She’s a mom and a special education teacher who still finds time to craft, record, and perform, bringing honesty to songs like From the Start—a tender, heart-forward single about learning to be loved through old scars. If you care about live music, original songwriting, and the truth about how artists actually make it work, this conversation will meet you right where you listen.If you enjoyed this, tap follow, share it with a friend who loves country, and leave a quick review—your words help more listeners find the show.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textIf you miss steel guitar, two-step tempos, and songs born from real work and long roads, you’ll love this one. We welcome Olivia Harms—a ranch-raised artist carrying the torch for true country western honky tonk—who opens up about life on a cattle ranch, the Bakersfield legends who shaped her ear, and why she proudly swims against the pop-country current. From Oregon roots to Texas bars, from George Strait shoutouts to Buck Owens sparkle, Olivia lays out how her sound came to be and why it connects on a Friday night dance floor.We dig into her latest single, Sent From Above, a heartfelt nod to her California cowboy and the kind of love story that writes itself when the details are honest. Olivia also breaks down her writing routine—voice memos, fast-falling hooks, and the stubborn songs that take three sessions—and how playing more than 200 shows a year becomes the best A/B test a songwriter can ask for. Then the curveball: a phone call from Taylor Sheridan that led to The Road on CBS and Paramount Plus with Blake Shelton and Keith Urban. Olivia shares the whirlwind of being handpicked, touring by bus, performing originals for arena crowds, and finding the right fans in a sea of shiny distractions.You’ll also meet her band, the Roadrunners, hear about life in tiny Vina, California, and catch a first-ever live performance on the show: This Ain’t My First Rodeo. It’s a window into her core—clean tele twang, straight-ahead storytelling, and a voice that rides the line between Bakersfield grit and Texas charm. If you came for tradition, you’ll leave with a new favorite.If this episode hits your country-loving heart, tap follow, leave a five-star review, and share it with a friend who still believes in honky tonk. Your support helps more ears find the music that never went out of style.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textA firefight in a jungle clearing. A river turned to splinters by a Browning Automatic Rifle. A mountain trail threaded through rocks and rigged with explosives. Then months of hospitals, traction, and quiet miracles. That’s the terrain of our time with Mel Borden—101st Airborne veteran, Purple Heart recipient, husband, father, and man of unwavering faith—who finally tells the story he resisted for decades.We trace the path from jump school to an ill-fated ceremonial drop in Iran, then into Vietnam’s humidity where Mel carried an M16 and a radio he never officially trained for. He walks us through ambushes, punji stakes, and the blast on March 22, 1966 that tore through his leg and scattered his unit. What follows isn’t just medical detail; it’s providence in motion—an unexpected monsoon that saved lives, a young intern who changed dressings nightly, and a long sleep that let healing begin. Mel doesn’t romanticize combat or pain. He shows how suffering can deepen conviction, and how the hardest questions—Why him? Why me?—can become an invitation to purpose.The story widens into love and legacy. Mel meets Cher at a tiny Bible college, fights through uncertainty, and learns to listen when the Holy Spirit won’t stop nudging. That same nudge sends him years later to an old friend from the 101st—Jim—on the very night Jim is baptized. It’s a full-circle moment that ties foxholes to faith and friendship to redemption. Along the way, Mel shares the quiet work of rebuilding a life: study at Biola, a job under the basket at Phoenix Suns games, and the everyday choices that make a home where children and grandchildren thrive.This episode is for anyone who wants a fuller picture of service, sacrifice, and the grace that threads through both. We honor veterans by listening carefully and by letting their stories shape the way we live—grateful, grounded, and committed to doing right by the freedoms we enjoy. If this moved you, subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with someone who could use hope today.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]

Send us a textThe phones won’t stop ringing, the Malört keeps pouring, and somehow we still manage to time-travel back to the moment music met television and everything changed. We kick off with the Malört Challenge and a flurry of live calls, then pivot to a genuine, grounded tribute to veterans as we gear up for a special in-studio conversation with Vietnam veteran and author Mel Borden. Along the way, we share a programming note about country artist Olivia Harms, because good stories and great songs are always on deck here.The heart of the episode is a spirited countdown of MTV’s first 25 videos from August 1, 1981. Expect a mix of nostalgia and fresh insight: Phil Collins’ shadow-soaked In the Air Tonight, Pretenders’ sly and scripted Brass in Pocket, REO Speedwagon’s arena-ready anthems, Iron Maiden’s early punch, and the lesser-known gems that filled those early rotations when labels were still experimenting with the format. We correct last week’s Pat Benatar mix-up and land on the most fitting opener in TV music history: The Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star. From there, we honor the original VJs—JJ Jackson, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, and Martha Quinn—whose voices guided a generation through a new way to hear and see music.It’s messy, it’s warm, and it’s real: community-driven radio energy blended with a love letter to the birth of music video culture. If you remember racing home to catch a premiere, this will feel like a mixtape made just for you. If you didn’t live through it, you’ll hear why MTV’s early days still ripple through playlists and platforms today. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves 80s music history, and drop your favorite launch-day video in the comments—we’ll shout out the best picks on the next show.Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram: benmaynardprogram and subscribe to my YouTube channel: THE BEN MAYNARD PROGRAMI also welcome your comments. email: [email protected]