Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Latest Episodes:

Rick Steves and The Lullaby Project (REBROADCAST) May 08, 2026

Show notes

Legendary travel writer Rick Steves reflects on his days adventuring down "the hippie trail" from Istanbul to Kathmandu... and we discover why you might find him eating at McDonald's in Paris; plus The Lullaby Project brings together singer-songwriter Stephanie Schneiderman and the Oregon Symphony to perform a song co-written by an incarcerated mother for her child.

Cheryl Strayed, Skyler Higley, and Patterson Hood May 01, 2026

Show notes

Acclaimed author Cheryl Strayed (Wild, Tiny Beautiful Things) breaks down the intersection of fear and courage, as explored in her new podcast Mind Over Mountain, which features interviews with women athletes and adventurers; stand-up comedian Skyler Higley shares his conspiracy theory about milk; and singer-songwriter Patterson Hood, of the rock band Drive-By Truckers, performs a song from his first solo album in over a decade, Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams.

"Poetry Month Special" with Paisley Rekdal, Hanif Abdurraqib, Anis Mojgani, Kaveh Akbar, and Kasey Anderson Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

This special edition of Live Wire celebrates National Poetry Month, with performances by renowned poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Anis Mojgani, and Kaveh Akbar. Plus, former Poet Laureate of Utah Paisley Rekdal chats about demystifying poetry; singer-songwriter Kasey Anderson performs a tune inspired by a poem from his friend Hanif; and host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some original haikus penned by our listeners.

Chuck Klosterman, Sasha Debevec-McKenney, and Laura Gibson Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

Author and essayist Chuck Klosterman tackles the game of football in his economically titled new book Football, which examines the sport's cultural dominance in America and why, one day, that might change; poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney explains why her debut collection Joy Is My Middle Name includes U.S. Presidents, stand-up comedy one-liners, and the movie Babe; and indie singer-songwriter Laura Gibson gives us an update on her gardening practice before performing a new, unreleased song titled "Sylvia."

Karen Russell, Sam Miller, and David Ramirez (REBROADCAST) Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

Award-winning author Karen Russell takes us inside her "dust bowl epic" novel The Antidote, which employs the fantastical to comment on memory, climate change, and the nation's troubling history of land ownership; stand-up comedian Sam Miller finds sidesplitting humor in his own experiences with addiction and incarceration; and singer-songwriter David Ramirez explains how he pulled himself out of a rut and into solitude to write his latest album All The Not So Gentle Reminders, before performing the track "The Music Man."

Guy Branum, Julian Brave NoiseCat, and Georgia Maq Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Comedian, actor, and TV writer Guy Branum tells us why he ran away from Jeopardy host Ken Jennings, then dives deep into his Instagram series Things Only the Old Gays Remember; writer and filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat discusses his book We Survived the Night, which weaves oral history, reportage, and the legend of the "Trickster Coyote" to tell tale of modern Indigenous life; and singer-songwriter Georgia Maq, formerly of Australian indie rock trio Camp Cope, gives a soaring performance of her single "Tropical Lush Ice."

Kelsey McKinney, Omar El Akkad, and Kuinka (REBROADCAST) Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

Podcaster and writer Kelsey McKinney (You Didn't Hear This From Me: Notes on the Art of Gossip) "spills the tea" on all things gossip — from prayer circles to AI tattle; award-winning author Omar El Akkad discusses his first book of nonfiction One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, which traces his disillusionment with the West and the failure of its promises; and indie folk band Kuinka perform their tune "Living Room Floor."

Reginald Dwayne Betts, Annabelle Gurwitch, and Max Gomez Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

Acclaimed poet Reginald Dwayne Betts explains how dogs of all types found their way into his newest collection Doggerel, as well as his own dogged efforts to build libraries in prisons across America; actor and writer Annabelle Gurwitch reflects on her shocking cancer diagnosis and how she carpe diem(ed) until she found the beauty in the ordinary; and Americana musician Max Gomez gets the crowd singing along to a protest song about his home state of New Mexico, off his latest album Memory Mountain.

Lidia Yuknavitch, Felipe Torres Medina, and Pedro the Lion (REBROADCAST) Mar 13, 2026

Show notes

Bestselling author Lidia Yuknavitch discusses her new memoir Reading the Waves, which explores memory and how a shift in position can reshape our complicated stories; award-winning humorist and writer Felipe Torres Medina (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert) takes us on an adventure through the quagmire of the US immigration system with his book America, Let Me In: A Choose Your Immigration Story; and indie rock group Pedro the Lion performs "Spend Time" from their latest album Santa Cruz.

John Hodgman and China Forbes Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

Humorist John Hodgman chats about ruling the "court" in his hit podcast Judge John Hodgman, plus his stint as a cheese monger and why reading Moby Dick does not give you the right to go "a-whaling" in the state of Maine; and China Forbes, lead vocalist of the "little orchestra" known as Pink Martini, joins the program as a solo act and performs "Full Circle" from her album The Road.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6