Replay: Pete Murano

Replay: Pete Murano

Pete Murano was raised all across America. Born in the Northeast, he moved to St. Louis and finally settled in New Orleans, Louisiana. He developed an attachment to an equally nomadic music form, the blues, at an early age. Starting on saxophone at age 11, he began teaching himself to play guitar as a teenager. Murano's music then underwent a natural evolution as he began to explore R&B and rock. Finding himself drawn to the sights and sounds of the Crescent City, Murano soon relocated to New Orleans. The next piece of his musical maturation would stem directly from the influence of his new home. Murano began learning the standards, becoming a working musician in the dimly lit clubs of the city's fabled Frenchmen street. In 2003, Murano joined forces with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Here, he developed a sound that was all his own, combining elements of rock, funk, and R&B. With Shorty, Murano has written, recorded, and toured the world extensively. His sound on guitar is often raw and distorted, yet soulful. Now, on his first solo release, he embraces that sound as it vibrates into the world. Pete also runs the Apollo Clinic which brings local youth into the studio to learn about the process of making music alongside Grammy nominated and Grammy award winning musicians and engineers. Pete Murano on YouTube: @petemurano3273 Pete Murano on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petemurano/ [https://www.instagram.com/petemurano/] Website: https://www.petemurano.com/ [https://www.petemurano.com/] Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ [https://nolamotor.com/] Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ [https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/] Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com [https://www.frenchylive.com] Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ [https://trenasse.com/] Whistle Monsta: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# [https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/] Website - https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ [https://www.whistlemonsta.com/] Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission petemurano, tromboneshorty, apolloclinic, louisiana, OnlyGoodVibesNewsNetwork, OGVNN, NewOrleans, CommunityLeadership, MentorshipMatters, SupportLocal, WhistleMonsta, NOLA, MusicEducation, LoyolaNewOrleans, LoyolaMusic, LoyolaUniversityNewOrleans, MusicStudentLife, CollegeMusicians, YoungMusicians, NextGenerationOfMusic, MusicSchoolLife, StudentMusicians, FunkMusic, NOLAFunk, RootsRock, JamScene, JamBandFamily, GratefulDeadFamily, DeadHeads, ImprovisationalMusic, ModernFunk, SoulMusic, GrooveMusic, LiveJamSession, FunkFest, MapleLeaf, Tipitinas, BlueNile, JimmysUptown, FrenchysGallery, FunkyUncleLive, WhoDat, SaintsFans, NewOrleansSaints, SaintsNation, 504Culture, SaintsPodcast, SaintsCommunity, BlackAndGoldCrew, WhoDatNation, MusicVideo, PodcastInterview, PodcastLife, PodcastShow, NewEpisode, TrendingNow, MustWatch, ContentCreators, YouTubeCreators, SubscribeNow, fyp, foryou, foryoupage, viral, trending, newmusic, musiciansoftiktok, musicinterview, podcastclip, NOLAtok, musiciansclinic, whodat, mardigras, mardigrasindians, skullandbones, northside, parade

Replay: Chef Alon Shaya

Whistle Monsta sits down with James Beard Award–winning chef Alon Shaya for a deeply personal conversation about food, resilience, mentorship, and what it truly means to serve a community. Chef Shaya shares the inspiration behind his second cookbook, Memories of a Good Meal: Recipes of Resilience Inspired by Stories of World War II Survival. About Memories of a Good Meal: An unforgettable collection of recipes inspired by ten diverse, moving stories of Holocaust survivors and WWII heroes, from James Beard Award–winning chef Alon Shaya with author June Hersh. Memories of a Good Meal is a culinary journey that celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit and the transformative power of a good meal. Chef Alon Shaya on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alonshaya [https://www.instagram.com/alonshaya] Available for pre-order here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/memories-of-a-good-meal-alon-shayajune-hersh [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/memories-of-a-good-meal-alon-shayajune-hersh] Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ [https://nolamotor.com/] Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ [https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/] Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com [https://www.frenchylive.com] Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ [https://trenasse.com/] Whistle Monsta: Instgram - https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# [https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/] Website - https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ [https://www.whistlemonsta.com/] Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission  @HarperCollinsPublishersUS  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCQPcdTzjBnYt5kNSCXRmOAA]  @HarvestBooksOfficial  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCNGSVN7u-zlbMkfuGXQu0Ig] AlonShaya, OnlyGoodVibesNewsNetwork, OGVNN, NewOrleans, NewOrleansFood, NewOrleansChef, JamesBeardAward, ChefInterview, Safta, LakeviewNewOrleans, CulinaryLeadership, FoodWithPurpose, HospitalityIndustry, CommunityLeadership, MentorshipMatters, SupportLocal, LouisianaFood, HolocaustStories, Resilience, WhistleMonsta, NOLA, yeschef, celebritychef, topchef, jamesbeard, jamesbeardaward#DrummersOfInstagram, MusicEducation, LoyolaNewOrleans, LoyolaMusic, LoyolaUniversityNewOrleans, MusicStudentLife, CollegeMusicians, YoungMusicians, NextGenerationOfMusic, MusicSchoolLife, StudentMusicians, FunkMusic, NOLAFunk, RootsRock, JamScene, JamBandFamily, GratefulDeadFamily, DeadHeads, ImprovisationalMusic, ModernFunk, SoulMusic, GrooveMusic, LiveJamSession, FunkFest, MapleLeaf, Tipitinas, BlueNile, JimmysUptown, FrenchysGallery, FunkyUncleLive, WhoDat, SaintsFans, NewOrleansSaints, SaintsNation, 504Culture, SaintsPodcast, SaintsCommunity, BlackAndGoldCrew, WhoDatNation, MusicVideo, PodcastInterview, PodcastLife, PodcastShow, NewEpisode, TrendingNow, MustWatch, ContentCreators, YouTubeCreators, SubscribeNow, fyp, foryou, foryoupage, viral, trending, newmusic, musiciansoftiktok, musicinterview, podcastclip, NOLAtok, musiciansclinic

Jeff Duncan Pt 2

In Part 2 of this two-part conversation, host Leroy "Whistle Monsta" Mitchell sits down with his friend Jeff Duncan. Jeff is the sports columnist for The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com, FOX 8 analyst, and the journalist who has covered the New Orleans Saints longer than anyone in the country. Jeff opens up about his experience of getting to know Steve and Michel Gleason, their inspirational impact, and co-writing Steve's memoir, A Life Impossible: Living with ALS: Finding Peace and Wisdom Within a Fragile Existence (available here: https://a.co/d/0cGkgH8l). Jeff and Leroy also talk about the joy of the  @NewOrleansSaints  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCwuddf1JrodMlc5fYpVlrQA] return to the  @caesarsdome  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCkRKCMUZERSPkOpXkOnmW6g] after Hurricane Katrina. Jeff shares his experience of attending the  @U2official  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC4gPNusMDwx2Xm-YI35AkCA] and  @GreenDay  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCqC_GY2ZiENFz2pwL0cSfAw] rehearsal for the pregame festivities, and shares a fun story about Steve and Michel that happened later that night after the game. Subscribe for weekly inspiring interviews, community stories, and positive news. Connect with Jeff Duncan: https://x.com/JeffDuncan_ Whistle Monsta: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# [https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/] Website - https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ [https://www.whistlemonsta.com/] Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ [https://nolamotor.com/] Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ [https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/] Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com [https://www.frenchylive.com] Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ [https://trenasse.com/] JeffDuncan, NewOrleansSaints, NOLA, SteveGleason, NickSaban, LSU, HurricaneKatrina, WhoDAT, SaintsNation, TimesPicayune, OnlyGoodVibesNewsNetwork, whistlemonsta

Jeff Duncan Pt. 1 - Nick Saban, LSU, Steve Gleason, Buddy D, & the Night the Saints Came Back

Part 1 of 2. Host Leroy "Whistle Monsta" Mitchell sits down with longtime friend Jeff Duncan — sports columnist for The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com and the longest-tenured Saints beat writer in America. Jeff traces his unlikely path from a wildlife management major at Eastern Kentucky University to the newsrooms of Louisville, Monroe, and eventually New Orleans. He details breaking the Nick Saban to LSU story by chasing a single anonymous message board post — and the phone call that confirmed everything without a word being said. He also opens up about co-writing Steve Gleason's 2024 memoir A Life Impossible: Living with ALS, and what it was like to watch a man he'd known since the locker room days become one of the most inspiring figures in the country. Leroy closes the episode with a deeply personal reflection on the night of the Saints' return to the Superdome after Katrina — the blocked punt, the tears, and what it felt like for a city to exhale together. Stay tuned for Part 2. Subscribe for weekly inspiring interviews, community stories, and positive news. Connect with Jeff Duncan: https://x.com/JeffDuncan_ Whistle Monsta: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# [https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/] Website - https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ [https://www.whistlemonsta.com/] Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ [https://nolamotor.com/] Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ [https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/] Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com [https://www.frenchylive.com] Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ [https://trenasse.com/] JeffDuncan, NewOrleansSaints, NOLA, SteveGleason, NickSaban, LSU, HurricaneKatrina, WhoDAT, SaintsNation, TimesPicayune, OnlyGoodVibesNewsNetwork, whistlemonsta

Chef Will Avelar - From Emeril's Kitchen to Mawi Tortillas

On Episode 75 of the Only Good Vibes News Network, host Leroy "Whistle Monsta" Mitchell sits down with his longtime friend, Chef Will Avelar. Will is a New Orleans native, Grace King and Delgado alum, and one of the most genuine success stories this city's food scene has produced. Will's journey reads like it was written for the screen. He walked into his first restaurant job not even knowing what a busboy was and just figured it out. That fearlessness and hunger to learn carried him through every station in the kitchen, from dishwasher to line cook, butcher to saucier, all the way through nearly 15 years inside Emeril Lagasse's restaurant organization. He worked at Emeril's Delmonico, NOLA Restaurant, and eventually rose to Chef de Cuisine at Meril, Emeril's Warehouse District restaurant. Then Will did what only the truly loyal and fearless do. He walked away from the top spot to bet on his family. Together with his father Carlos and brother Fernando, Will built Mawi Tortillas, starting as a small wholesale tortilla bakery in Metairie, then pivoting during COVID to pupusas and birria tacos that went viral on Instagram. What started as a family hustle has grown into one of the most beloved Latin American restaurants in the New Orleans area. And in 2025, Mawi expanded to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Leroy and Will also get into the 2009 Saints Super Bowl season, the Zen card that set the tone for the whole conversation - loyalty - and why walking in the path of your own heart is the only way to truly win. Subscribe for weekly inspiring interviews, community stories, and positive news. Connect with Chef Will Avelar: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/will.avelar/ [https://www.facebook.com/will.avelar/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mawinola/ [https://www.instagram.com/mawinola/] Mawi Tortillas - https://mawitortillas.com/ [https://mawitortillas.com/] Whistle Monsta: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/# [https://www.instagram.com/badasswhistla/] Website - https://www.whistlemonsta.com/ [https://www.whistlemonsta.com/] Intro/Outro Music: "Greatest Place on Earth" Performed by: Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty, Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Whistle Monsta *Used by permission Thank you to our sponsors: NOLA Motorsports - https://nolamotor.com/ [https://nolamotor.com/] Scandalous Chocolates - https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/ [https://www.scandalouschocolates.com/] Frenchy Live - https://www.frenchylive.com [https://www.frenchylive.com] Trenasse - https://trenasse.com/ [https://trenasse.com/] ChefWillAvelar, MawiTortillas, NewOrleansFood, NOLA, EmerilLagasse, NOLAEats, LatinFood, NewOrleansRestaurants, GraceKing, 504, OnlyGoodVibesNewsNetwork, WhistleMonsta