Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

From Invention to Revolution: The Bicycle’s American Story Sep 23, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before cars ruled the roads, the bicycle was America’s great innovation. Known in its early years as the “mechanical horse,” it gave ordinary people freedom of movement and reshaped everything from medicine to road building. Margaret Guroff, author of The Mechanical Horse: How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life, shares the story of how two wheels set a nation in motion.

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How B.B. King’s Guitar Lucille Got Its Legendary Name Sep 23, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, few instruments are as iconic as B.B. King’s guitar Lucille, a Gibson ES-355 that carried the voice of the blues across the world. But the story of how Lucille got her name begins in a crowded dance hall, with a fire that nearly claimed B.B. King’s life. From that moment on, every guitar he played bore the same name, a reminder of that night and a symbol of his bond with the blues. Longtime friend Myron Johnson and Daniel de Visé, author of King of the Blues, share the unforgettable tale.

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Ten Cent Beer Night: When Cheap Beer Sparked Chaos in MLB Sep 22, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on June 4, 1974, the Cleveland Indians hosted the Texas Rangers in what began as a regular MLB game and ended as one of the most infamous promotions in baseball history. Known as “Ten Cent Beer Night,” the evening promised cheap drinks to boost attendance. What followed was a riot on the field, a forfeit, and a chapter of baseball history that still stuns fans today. The History Guy recounts the unbelievable story of the night chaos replaced baseball in Cleveland.

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Smokin’ Ed Currie: From Carolina Reaper to Pepper X and a Life Rebuilt Sep 22, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, “Smokin’” Ed Currie is an American chili pepper breeder and the founder and president of the PuckerButt Pepper Company. He’s best known for creating the world’s hottest chili peppers—the Carolina Reaper and now Pepper X—as recognized by Guinness World Records. A former addict, Ed is now a man of strong faith. Here’s Ed sharing a story about him, his wife, and a miracle.

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The Magna Carta at Fort Knox: A Forgotten WWII Story Sep 22, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War II, U.S. leaders feared German bombers could strike American soil. To protect the nation’s most important treasures—the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and the Magna Carta, Britain’s most important document, which was on loan at the time—they were secretly moved to Fort Knox. Author Steve Puleo of American Treasures shares the remarkable story of how the documents that shaped freedom in both England and America were safeguarded during one of history’s darkest hours. We'd like to thank the U.S. National Archives for allowing us access to this audio.

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The KoRn Guitarist Who Chose Faith Over Fame: Brian “Head” Welch’s Story Sep 22, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Brian “Head” Welch seemed to have it all. As co-founder and guitarist of the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum band KoRn, he was at the center of the nu-metal movement—living in mansions, selling millions of records, and playing for legions of fans around the world—but it was all a lie. Beneath the fame and fortune, his life was unraveling. Addiction, emptiness, and despair left him searching for something more. In his moving testimony, Welch shares what pushed him to leave the band and how he found a peace he had never known before.

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I Came to New York City Dead: Sarah Gonzalez’s Story of Redemption Sep 19, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Sarah Gonzalez’s childhood was filled with warmth and love until the sudden loss of her father changed everything. Overwhelmed by grief, she spiraled into drugs and other destructive escapes that left her feeling more broken than before. Years later in New York City, she reached a breaking point that marked the beginning of something new. In her own words, Sarah shares how she moved through pain and discovered a peace that gave her life back.

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Woodstock 1969: Peace, Music, and the Truth Behind the Legend Sep 19, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Woodstock 1969 has gone down in history as the festival that defined a generation. Nearly half a million people gathered on a quiet New York farm, creating what briefly became the third-largest city in the state. Fears of chaos and violence never came true; instead, it was three days of music, peace, and unexpected harmony. Author Harlan Lebo revisits Woodstock to separate myth from reality and explain why the festival remains one of the most famous music events in American history.

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The Father Who Inspired Randall Wallace to Write Braveheart Sep 19, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Before Randall Wallace wrote Braveheart, he was a son taking notes from the way his father lived. His dad never chased the spotlight, but he modeled the kind of character Wallace would later write into heroes on the screen. Looking back, Wallace traces how his father’s example gave him not only a sense of direction, but also the values that anchored his career as a storyteller. Here, he shares how one man’s life at home became the spark behind some of the most powerful stories to come out of Hollywood.

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The Story of J.P. Morgan: The Man Who Saved the Government Twice Sep 19, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, of all the so-called “robber barons,” J.P. Morgan ranks as one of the most maligned. After all, he was one of the most powerful men in American history. At the height of the Gilded Age, he built a financial empire that made the Morgan family a dynasty. Twice, when the federal government faced collapse, it was Morgan who stepped in to stabilize the nation. Was he a robber baron or a captain of industry? His story shows how one man’s wealth and influence profoundly shaped the American economy, leaving a legacy that still looms large over Wall Street today.

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