Green Chili Chisme

Natasha James - Still Blazing New Musical Trails

Some episodes stay on the rails. This one… absolutely did not. From the moment we said hello, Natasha and I were talking tacos, tequila, spirit guides, cooking, Europe, Hendrix, Joplin, and the left turn that will take her into Texas this summer. We talk childhood, culture, film sets, touring, and the music that shaped her — and then she hits me with a brand new song, performed live, for the first time ever, right there in the studio. Subscribers get it free.

Solrac Thunder - A Wrestler's Wrestler

This week’s Green Chili Chisme guest is former DCCW Champion Solrac Thunder — and this conversation goes deep. We talk about him losing his dad at four, being raised by his mom and grandparents in Los Lunas, and how wrestling became the place where performance and identity finally clicked. We dive into NWA territory roots, the Guerreros, the Romeros, and what it means to carry a legacy in the ring. A powerful, honest episode with one of New Mexico’s most compelling performers.

Taking the Trash to the Ring - Hobo Hank

Albuquerque’s own Hobo Hank breaks down his journey from backyard dreams to the big leagues. Hear how Ernest “The Animal” Baca trained him, how the Hobo Hank gimmick came to life, and what it was like sharing locker rooms with Tommy Dreamer, Bret Hart, Kurt Hennig, Bubba Ray, and the Guerreros. Plus — Hank talks money, promotions, and what it really takes to run DCCW as one of its co-owners. Wrestling fans, this one’s for you.

The Last Time Anyone Speaks Your Name

Released in sync with Ron Franscell’s new novel, Deep End [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZ8JXW1X] This episode of Green Chili Chisme drops in perfect sync with the release of Ron Franscell’s new novel, Deep End: A Deaf Row Mystery — a timing we didn’t plan but absolutely leaned into on‑air. What starts as a conversation about his book becomes something far deeper: a raw, unexpected meditation on fear, lineage, and the stories that keep us alive. Ron talks about the two deaths — the one when your body goes, and the one when the last person speaks your name. David opens up about the Pedraza line possibly ending with him, and the hope that his voice will live on in the cloud for future generations to find. Together, they explore the value of storytelling to humankind, the weight of legacy, and the strange comfort of knowing that a well‑told story can outlive the person who wrote it. And in one of the episode’s most powerful moments, they agree: If anything said today inspires someone to pick up a pen, they’ve done their jobs. A mystery novel release. A perfectly timed episode drop. A conversation about the echoes we leave behind. This is Green Chili Chisme.   q8Unz2bQMONmza3fX5iF

Ernie Durawa — A Life in Rhythm

In this sweeping, deeply personal conversation, legendary drummer Ernie Durawa takes us through a lifetime shaped by rhythm, resilience, and destiny. Raised behind his aunt’s San Antonio bar after losing his mother as a toddler, Ernie spent his earliest years falling asleep to conjunto music — a soundtrack that would define his life. By 17, he was already playing with giants: Spot Barnett, John Lee Hooker, and Big Joe Turner. A twist of fate sent him to Chicago, where he joined Isaac Cole’s band and performed everywhere from Resorts to the Playboy Mansion. A chance encounter with Don Knapp led to three years of study under Roy Knapp, connecting him to a lineage shared with Hal Blaine. Ernie’s journey carried him to New York with Delbert McClinton, where John Belushi sat in on blues harp, invited them to SNL, and introduced them at the Lone Star Café in a room filled with Jimmy Buffett, Mick Jagger, and Bette Midler. The next night they were on Solid Gold with Dionne Warwick. Returning to Texas, Ernie finally joined Doug Sahm — beginning a 35‑year partnership that included Austin City Limits, Mount Fuji, another SNL run, and the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival, where Ernie’s drumming helped carry Texas soul onto one of the world’s most iconic stages. Along the way he toured with comedians George Gobel and Tiny Tim, collected awards, and continued shaping the sound of Texas music. Today, he’s still creating and collaborating with artists like Will Owen Gage. This episode is a living archive — a testament to a man who has played with legends, survived the road, and carried the rhythm of Texas across the world.