I Shall Be Released
I have to admit, I really did not think that I’d ever see this day.
When I first started telling people I was going to launch a podcast, I wasn’t totally sure if that would ever be true. I knew I wanted to launch a podcast, but the steps to get there seemed incredibly daunting: figuring out how to record myself; how to suffer through listening to myself recorded; trying to cobble together the audio to sound interesting enough for anyone to listen to.
But, if nothing else, 2020 has made a lot of seemingly impossible scenarios possible, some for better, some for worse. For me, it forced me to make good on all the times I said, “if only I had the time…”
This podcast has been a labor of love. It’s been humbling and exciting, and terrifying and, as super dorky as I feel saying it, lifechanging, simply for the people I’ve been able to meet, the information and stories I’ve been able to learn, and the music I’ve been introduced to, or re-introduced through the lens of someone else’s relationship to an artist or a song.
I’m also just so touched by how many people have helped make this whole thing possible–from friends and loved ones who listened to rough cuts and gave me honest feedback when I needed it, to the people willing to share their stories, perspectives, and talents to make this show feel “real”, and those who’ve already taken the time to listen to our trailer and share it along to others.
For this first episode, I’m especially thankful to my friend Katel who not only helped give structure to the “introduction” episode, but who shared her own personal experiences in the process. The interview you hear in the show was actually our second take–after recording our initial conversation, we both sort of felt like we were holding back. After talking about it, we decided to hit record again immediately after, and were both surprised at how much easier our stories flowed the second time around.
Based on our conversation, and the conversations I had with the members of the Texas Children’s Hospital Palliative care team, I decided to put together a playlist of songs that have resonated with us in our own grief work. As you’ll hear in the first episode, Katel mentioned that listening to Nina Simone helps her feel closer to her late father. I reached out to her when I was starting to put together the list to see if there were any particular songs she’d like to include. “I Shall Be Released” was the first she mentioned, and it seemed like the perfect song to lead with for this first episode for so many reasons.
I look forward to the continued opportunity to share other people’s stories, memories, and expertise, and to learn what I can along the way.
Check it out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher. And if you like what you hear, please “follow” our show!