Cheryl Prashker is a talented musician with wide and deep skills, particularly on the drums, but she especially has a heart of gold and bestows endless blessings on all around her. Besides performing decades ago with a back called CC RailRoad, she performs currently with a Celtic-based band called Runa. She organizes the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival, and she does a folk music interview podcast called Folkpod, Cheryl Prashker is originally from Montreal, Canada, but she currently makes her home in Ontario.

Brenda Asterino guest-hosts today, sharing an interview with Sara Yamasaki, founder and head instructor of the Moving Words Writing Clinics, a summer writing program for elementary, middle school, and high school students grounded in the belief that everyone has an authentic voice, everyone has genius, and everyone can write. She is a writer, multi-sensory learning specialist, and certified teacher with over 30 years experience teaching children, graduates, teachers, and professionals.

Ethan Eckert is a player of music in a wild variety of genres, including folk, jazz, hip-hop, hard rock and just about whatever you can imagine. He's a drummer, keyboardist, guitarist, vocalist, and he writes songs on the creative edge. He will help raise you up, just as he does with his sourdough bread and his songs will answer your thirst, as does his mushroom tea. Ethan does all of this and more in Kansas City, Kansas.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Methodist, Agnostic, Yoga, Meditation, Transcendental Meditation, Buddhism

All featured music is written & performed by Ethan Eckert, unless otherwise noted:

Seven portions of seven Song of the Soul shows with seven great musicians back in the summer/fall of 2020, with songs linked by themes around old-timey music, old times, old folks, and new songs.

Andrew Boyd decided to take the Climate Crisis by the horns of despair and ride it through to the bitter conclusion, and the result is his latest book, I Want a Better Catastrophe: Navigating the Climate Crisis with Grief, Hope, and Gallows Humor. Though Andrew quotes the wide range of experts who say that we've already passed the tipping point, and that horrible consequences are certain, Andrew is not out to prove the science, but to face unflinchingly the human possibilities of the situation. He's a humorist, an activist, the author of several other books, including Beautiful Trouble and Daily Afflictions, and he's also the Chief Existential Officer of the Climate Clock.

Second hour of a 2-part visit with war tax resistance (WTR) activists. Each of the 4 people has changed their life to conscientiously refuse to pay for bullets, guns, bombs, and war, and they've worked to call attention to the fact that about half of every income tax dollar goes to the military. Around April 15^th American's dollars are conscripted through taxation, and these 4 guests have said 'no'.

The music of Ben Bedford talks on on a trip through a wider lens to life, not only that of humans, but of the vibrant world around us, with all our relations. While Ben's words dance lyrically through images and poetry, his tunes dance magically through guitar strings and vibrations. While Ben has 6 albums to-date, all music featured here is from his latest, Valley of the Stars, because Ben's soul is so closely and clearly illuminated from his latest songs. Ben Bedford's home is Springfield, Illinois.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Atheist, Methodist, Earth-based Spirituality, Non-affiliated

Enjoy the rich fruits of the 7^th annual Songs for Social Change contest, sponsored by RAWA (Renaissance Artists and Writers Association). The main organizer, Dada Veda, shares 6 of the finalists in the 2022 contest, including winner Allan Licht. Other featured finalists are Stan & Liz Keach, Eileen Kozloff, Neil McCann & John Littrich, Allan Licht, Carole Wise, & Jason Horwitz.

A 2-part visit with war tax resistance activists. Without our money, our country could not carry out war in our name. Every year around April 15^th, Americans are asked to make sure the national coffers are filled, and about half of the income taxes paid go to the military. Over 2 weeks we'll visit with 3 war tax resisters about their activism around working for peace & not paying for war. Lincoln Rice is coordinator for NWTRCC (National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee).