Storytelling Podcasts: Whitney’s Top Three Excellent Podcast Recommendations

Links from this Episode

• How She Moms Website 
• How She Moms FPG Podcast Episode 
• Articles of Interest Podcast on Spotify  
• Articles of Interest on Apple Podcasts  
• Dolly Parton’s America on Spotify  
• Dolly Parton’s America on Apple Podcasts 
• Heavyweight Podcast  
• Heavyweight Episode 24 Jimmy and Mark 

Sharing Favorite Podcasts

I know that my taste in podcasts isn’t the same as everyone else’s. For a while I’ve been trying to figure out how to get other people’s favorite podcasts on my show, and thus, this new type of episode was born. I chat with fellow podcasters and other interesting people about their three favorite podcasts so that you have even more podcasts to choose from.

Whitney couldn’t pick just three overall favorite podcasts, so she decided to skirt the rules a bit and talk about her three favorite narrative (storytelling) podcasts. 

Podcast Consultations 

I’ve been able to talk to some amazing podcasters about their shows while doing interviews for the Friendly Podcast Guide.

Along the way, I’ve learned so many tips and tricks on how to start a podcast from the host I’ve interviewed and from personal experience. I’ve talked to podcast hosts about what made their launch successful and what made it more difficult. I for sure know what I would do differently if I could go back and launch my show again. I want to share my knowledge with you.

That’s why I’m offering podcast consults and I have a couple of spots open in the next month. If you need help nailing down your podcast idea, figuring out your niche, or you have any other podcast questions, I would love to work with you to make your shows launch the best it can be. If you’re interested in working with me, fill out the intake form in the show notes. I can’t wait to make a podcast plan that is tailored to you and your podcast and will make your launch as smooth and successful as possible

Meeting Whitney

I’m Whitney Archibald and I’m a podcast junkie.I have been listening to podcasts for at least 17 years. They were just kind of barely there back then. As soon as I had my first baby, they were my lifeline, they were my adult company. Eventually I started two podcasts of my own.

I’m the host of the How She Moms podcast , which is basically about all things caregiving and home management. I interviewed lots of different moms about the same topic, and I give a menu of options. I also recently became the host of the Y Magazine podcast, a podcast for BYU alumni.

I have loved narrative form podcasts since the beginning.  Probably since I grew up listening to This American Life and public radio which is like the original form of narrative podcasts. I just love the narrative form in podcasts. 

Articles of Interest

The first one is one of the newest ones that I’ve come to.  I have fallen in love with Articles of Interest by Avery Trufelman. Avery Trufelman is a master. She’s one of my mentors in podcasting. She’s so good at storytelling, making it sound like you’re just in a room, having a conversation with her, but also really getting to the kernel of the story and making you think.

Storytelling About Fashion

Articles of Interest is actually about the fashion industry mostly. There’s at least three seasons, but I think maybe we’re in the fourth season. I just started the fourth season. Some podcasts kind of peter out as they get later on, but I think hers is getting stronger and stronger. It is so good. There are things like episodes on the history of pockets, blue jeans, punk style, mannequins, pointe shoes, like all sorts of different tiny pieces of clothing.  She’ll dive into the history of them. It’s fascinating. 

She makes any topic interesting, but these are pretty inherently interesting topics too. She was part of 99% Invisible, which is another fabulous podcast. That’s where she was trained. She is just a master and I love everything that she puts out. That’s my first recommendation. 

I am not a fashionista. I’m not that inherently interested in the fashion industry, but now I am because of this podcast. That to me, is a sign of a great podcast. It sparks your interest where you didn’t know you had any. 

Dolly Parton’s America

The next one is my all time favorite, short series/mini series, It’s Dolly Parton’s America. I adore Dolly Parton, she’s just amazing. I had no idea the greater impact that she has had on the world and specifically America.

It is called Dolly Parton’s America. It’s actually based on a class that  a university teaches. The host is Jad Abumrad from Radiolab, which is another one of my all time favorites. He and Robert Krulwich on Radiolab are just golden. That partnership is the best co-hosting that I’ve ever, ever heard in my life. I love those two guys. 

He dives into everything Dolly Parton. Her history, the meaning of her songs, and the impact that she’s had on feminism. The story about how she came to write, I Will Always Love You, just gives me chills to think about it. Through storytelling we learn that it’s all about forgiveness and unconditional love when she was treated pretty terribly. Listen to this podcast. It is masterful, the sound quality, the storytelling, everything about it. I’ve listened to it twice and I probably am due for a third time.

Heavyweight

 My third one is heavyweight. I adore Jonathan Goldstein. I learned about him way back in the early days of This American life. He was a frequent guest on that. Then he did Wiretap, which is ridiculous and crazy and fun. His most recent podcast, which I just found out they’re working on another season, is Heavyweight. 

This is one you could really dive in anywhere. I have a couple favorite episodes I may recommend, but he goes back and tries to resolve things in people’s past. This can be anything from reuniting family members or finding an old babysitter that you really loved. There’s one about his friend who loaned the singer Moby some CDs and wanted to find out if he still had those CDs that he could get back. They’re just kind, some of them are funny, some of them are kind of poignant.

Feel Good Storytelling

Johnathan is really good at pulling meaning out of any of these stories. He is resolving things and he’s such a good storyteller. He’s so funny and he has this dry sense of humor. 

The ones I recommend to start with are episode 24, Jimmy and Mark. This episode is about a 240 mile bike ride for these 10 year old boys. One of the boys was looking for the other two boys he went with so that they could talk about how nobody believes they did it. 

The very first episode where he reunites his father with his estranged brother is another good one. There is a little bit of language, but overall the content message is clean.

It’s beautiful reunions mostly, and masterful production and writing.  It’s such a funny and beautiful celebration of life.