Search Interviews

Mary Jane Anderson discusses her childhood in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, her work at the Santa Fe Railroad, and her religious and family life.

In my interview with Joseph Wilcox (my father) we discuss many different topics from many different points in my life. We talk about things from what parks he used to play at, to how our family was almost not even...

Kaira interviewing her friend Jayla Daniels about her passions and her life as a teen.

Lucille Wilhoit passed away on September 3, 2016. I remembered I'd recorded two interviews with her for the National Day of Listening in November of 2010. She talks in this interview about the importance of music to her, and how...

Old Town School teachers Barb Silverman and Jess McIntosh talk about teaching at the school, experiences as women in a male-dominated music community, and reflections on their friendship over the years. Barb is a clogger and multi-instrumentalist who performs in...

An overview of major events my grandmother remembers while living in Chicago in 1968. She was twenty years old and witnessed many of the terrible and iconic events on the news.

Chicago public employee give her insights.

A conversation between friends, bluegrass musicians and fellow Old Town School coworkers Colby Maddox and John Huber. Colby has been managing the Resource Center and teaching mandolin at the school since 1999. John has been working at the school since...

Lynn shares with Sarah her experience of going to the 1965 Presidential Inauguration, of attending Northwestern in Chicago in 1965-1969 during the campus uprisings, and recognizing the importance of living in diverse places with water roots.

“My childhood was actually great!” In November of 2018, ninth grade student, Olivia Foxman interviewed her grandmother, Shelly Foxman. Olivia learns about Shelly’s admirable  childhood post World War ll. Shelly’s story starts in 1951 in Chicago, but her family's story originates...

This is the life of my dad who has lived 76 years in Vermont and lived a humble, hardworking life!

My Grandfather, John Grey, has had an interesting upbringing moving from place to place with his family. He was raised as a young child in Chicago Illinois, and later moved to Dallas Texas with his family. In this interview, Me...

Oulimata Sylla, Djibril Cisse, and Patricia Carlin, talk about Ouli’s recent arrival from Senegal to finally be reunited with her husband.

Folklife Director Lesley Schierenbeck interviews Jeff Quattrone of the Library Seed Bank about the Folklife Foodway of Jersey Tomato seeds and their impact. Listeners will learn about history of seed banks, and their impact on community outreach and history. Jeff...

Don Anderson discusses his childhood growing up in Chicago, what he is grateful for, and what kind of legacy he will leave to his children and grandchildren.

My Uncle Lou grew up in the 40’s on the South Side of Chicago and was a school teacher for Chicago Public schools. This is a brief account of his childhood and pieces of his career as told by him.

This interview covers topics of preparing for climate change-induced disasters within the scope of a large city, and how precious experiences may or may not have helped to shape those behaviors

Carol Emens talks growing up catholic, getting married, sexuality, and identity.

This was an interview that I did with my aunt.

Interviewing Dad about his life on his visit to Arcata, CA summer 2018.

In this interview I speak with my dad about how growing up in his family changed him as a person as well as the influence brought onto him by his mother and neighbor. We speak of family traditions, origins from...

This interview was mostly me just asking Ms. Jackson some random question. About her life, growing up, Job, and etc.

Last one!

Ted and Marcia Johnson have been married almost as long as they've been a part of the Old Town School community. They met at an early 1960s anniversary concert for the Old Town School, where Marcia had been taking guitar...

Folksinger and Old Town School teacher Ed Holstein talks with his student Rick Weiland about growing up on Chicago's south side, stories of the city's folk scene over the past 50+ years, and memories of his brother and collaborator Fred...