Hearing Voices - Radio Stories / Ben Adair

Desert Air 54:00 Ben Adair, Scott Carrier & [Hearing Voices]

A hot and dry Summer special with audio from the arid regions, hosted by Ben Adair of Weekend America: Scott Carrier finds the basins near Nevada's "Battle Mountain" beautiful, lonely, dreary, and full of sagebrush, solace and stories. Host Ben Adair heads down to the ghost towns, Opera Houses, century-old abandoned mines, and billion-year old boulders along Death Valley's "Mojave Road." The band Faust dials in "Long Distance Calls in the Desert." Coyotes, owls, frogs and songbirds are part of Bernie Krause's Desert Solitudes. And the Quiet American records warning signs outside a Nevada Test Site rattling in the wind under the "Desert Sun." (Photo gallery…)

Broadcast: Jul 1 2007 on HV SpecialSeries: Hearing Voices- Specials Subjects: Specials, Environment

Otha Turner’s Picnic 14:36 Ben Adair

Mississippi moonshine, barbecued goat and the last of the old-time Fife & Drum picnics [transcript]

Broadcast: Jun 25 2007 on HV PODCAST; Sep 1 2001 on PRI/MPR Savvy Traveler Subjects: Travel, Historical, Americana, African American

Mojave Road 14:59 Ben Adair

"People who spend time in the Mojave start thinking differently about space. Huge stretches of land without a house, a telephone pole, or high-tension wire." The desert is vast in space, and time, ghost towns, some with Opera Houses still standing, century-old abandoned mines, billion-year old boulders in Death Valley. "One hundred human empires will rise and fall in the time it takes Death Valley to notice our passing." The place is perfect for the drifters and artists now living there. [transcript]

Broadcast: Jan 3 2007 on PRX Nature Stories Podcast; Mar 4 2005 on WNYC Radio Lab; Mar 26 2004 on PRI/MPR Savvy Traveler Subjects: Environment, Travel, Cultural

Magic Mushrooms for Health 11:02 Ben Adair

Doctors told Pamela her Stage 4 cancer was terminal, and her death would likely be painful. She joined a study that uses psychedelic drugs to help ease the pain and trauma of a terminal illness.

Broadcast: Jul 15 2006 on APM Weekend AmericaSeries: Pacific Drift Subjects: Health

Slab City 7:02 Ben Adair

About an hour south-east of Palm Springs, California is Slab City, what some call the last free-place in America. It’s sort of a drifter’s camp that, due to a bureaucratic technicality, is under nobody’s jurisdiction. Pulitzer-Prize winner Charlie LeDuff introduces us to some of the inhabitants, searching for freedom, and something more. Produced for KPCC- Southern California Public Radio series Pacific Drift.

Broadcast: Jun 4 2005 on APM Weekend AmericaSeries: Pacific Drift Subjects: Acoustic, Public Affairs

The Music of Life 4:50 Ben Adair

Nanoscientist Andrew Pelling and media artist Anne Niemetz came together to create music from cellular sounds. Dark Side of the Cell is a concert that includes the unadulterated tones of healthy cells, the static-like noise of human cancer cells and almost meditative sounds of yeast cells recovering from given birth. Produced for KPCC- Southern California Public Radio series Pacific Drift.

Broadcast: May 28 2005 on APM Weekend AmericaSeries: Pacific Drift Subjects: Health, Science, Technology, Acoustic

Segregated ‘Gone with the Wind’ Set 3:25 Ben Adair

On the set of the 1940 movie Gone With the Wind, black and white actors were originally segregated. Until actor Lennie Bluett, an extra on the set, alerted Clark Gable to the situation. Produced for KPCC- Southern California Public Radio series Pacific Drift. [transcript]

Broadcast: Feb 25 2005 on NPR Day to DaySeries: Pacific Drift Subjects: Justice, Entertainment, Historical, African American

Stars & Bars 59:00 Ben Adair, Scott Carrier, Joe Frank, Barrett Golding, Larry Massett & [Hearing Voices]

Celebrating America with Flags and Festivals in this (((Hearing Voices))) Independence Day special. Hosted by Larry Massett, featuring: "The Pledge" from (((HearingVoices)))- recitations and reflections on our anthem of allegiance. "War vs. Peace" by Joe Frank- praising the glories of war and the futility of peace. "Rainbow Family" by Barrett Golding- the annual migration of The Rainbow Family of Living Light to the forest on July Fourth -- their day of prayer for peace. "Armpit of America" by Larry Massett- Few towns would appreciate being called the armpit of America; fewer still would covet the title-- Welcome to Battle Mountain. "Otha Turner's Afrosippi Picnic" by Ben Adair- Mississippi moonshine, barbecued goat and old-time Fife & Drum. "Ocean City" by Scott Carrier- A visit to the Maryland shore, from the serenity of the old-time beach residents to the insanity of the young weekend warriors in the clubs and on the streets. More audio, info and links...

Broadcast: Jul 4 2004 on HV SpecialSeries: Hearing Voices- Specials Subjects: Public Affairs, Specials, Holidays, Historical Anniversaries

Family Baggage, Lost & Found 20:08 Ben Adair

Sometimes things happen that cut you like a knife. Sometimes, it’s like a long kitchen knife driven straight into your gut. Sometimes the knife is like a surgeon’s scalpel. It opens you up and it hurts like hell, but it cuts out all the bad parts. [transcript]

Broadcast: Dec 1 2001 on PRI/MPR Savvy Traveler Subjects: Family, Travel