Search Interviews

A brief conversation between two Black non-binary people (one who is also trans-identifying) and their struggles with society, growing up and coming to understand gender identity, expression & sexuality.

A conversation between Laura Doherty & Karen Banks-Lubicz. This conversation was recorded at the school on May 10th, 2017. Go to www.oldtownschool.org/StoryCorps to hear selected excerpts from interviews collected as part of the StoryCorps-Old Town School partnership.

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...

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.

Seto You, age 92/93 or 97/98, is interviewed by his son, Ed You, age 26, about his early days in the USA. He arrived from China in 1916, worked as a cook in this country well into his 80's. He...

Sometime in the late 1970s, Skip Landt walked into the Old Town School on Armitage to sing in the community chorus. Today he's been teaching harmonica at the school for over 30 years. Here he talks to student-turned-teacher Rick Sherry,...

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...

Curtis Diaz speaks with his friend and colleague Troy Small on his life, how his career in music has inspired him, and his experience growing up as a Black first generation American.

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...

Darius Kimble grew up in the 1970s as a young black child. When he was born, his family was not the richest. After some years, his father gained a new job which came with way more money than was given...

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.

Matt talks. It’s okay.

World-class Irish fiddler Liz Carroll talks with friend and bodhran player Mike Austin about the Irish music community in Chicago, Liz's ideas about learning music, and her time teaching at the Old Town School of Folk Music in the 1980s....

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...

One Small Step partners Lisa Lester (48) and Michelle Smith (57) discuss their backgrounds and differences religious and political views, but also find commonality on education, empowering women, and always wanting to respect others and embrace them as they present...

Michael O'Toole and Mike Blackburn share memories of how they first got into playing music and how they became involved with Old Town School of Folk Music. This conversation was recorded at the school on October 21st, 2017. Go to...

A conversation about growing up in the 70s.

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

Terra Gay has over 20 years of professional experience, including an extensive background in National Service leadership, training, consulting, organizational and entrepreneurial knowledge. She has a B.A. degree in African and African-American Studies from Emory University and a Certificate in...