Ferris Bueller's Day Off 40th Anniversary, Van Halen "Fair Warning", and The Smiths "The Queen is Dead" E135

1996 Olympics Music Connections and The Rolling Stones Foreign Tongues E141

Thirty years later, we can still hear it: the roar of Atlanta’s 1996 Summer Olympics, the crowd noise bouncing off concrete, and the way the city felt like the center of the world. We kick things off with the fun parts people love to remember, from landing tickets the old-school way to watching basketball in the Georgia Dome and soaking up the larger-than-life spectacle of the Centennial Olympic Games. Then we go behind the curtain. Jimmy shares what it was like working on Olympic-related audio and video production at a local studio, including a high-pressure edit of Mickey Hart’s opening ceremony drum track that quietly shaped what millions saw on TV. We also talk about Muhammad Ali lighting the torch, John Williams’ Olympic music, and why these moments hit so hard when you know the work and the stakes behind them. The heart of the conversation is personal and heavy: walking out of Centennial Olympic Park and hearing the 1:20 a.m. explosion that became the Olympic Park bombing. I tell my remembrance of the night, what we learned afterward, and why Richard Jewell’s treatment in the media still feels like a warning label on modern headlines. We wrap with the show’s signature blend of culture and music history: a jaw-dropping Empire State Building stunt documentary, a few sports oddities, plus rock talk on the Rolling Stones’ new album Foreign Tongues. They can still bring it 63 years after their first single release. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Anne Harris: A Fiddler and Her Love of Music E140

A rock band is only as good as its ability to surprise you, and Anne Harris is built for surprise. She’s the fiddle player you hear with Cracker, and we talk about the first night it clicked that turned into an open invitation to sit in and stretch out. Along the way, Anne explains what makes musical chemistry real: shared taste, trust, and the kind of listening that turns solos into a back-and-forth conversation. We get deep into the art of live improvisation and why it keeps a show from getting stale, especially when the set can change on a dime. Anne also tackles the difference between a violinist and a fiddle player, and how style and tradition shape the same instrument. From there, the story widens across projects like Gypsy Blue Review and Halo Rider, and touring with Taj Mahal and Keb Mo as part of TajMo, a gig she describes as a living education in music history. If you care about live music, real human creativity, and the stories behind the songs, listen through and share it with a friend who still believes the stage is sacred. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Athfest 2026, A Proposal, and A Life of Illusion E139

Athens, Georgia can humble you fast: one minute you’re chasing a band you’ve never heard of, the next you’re packed into a legendary room watching the kind of guest appearance people talk about for years. We’re back from Athfest with a full set of field notes, from the festival’s free outdoor stages to the wristband club crawl that turns Athens into a choose-your-own-adventure for live music fans. Along the way we run into familiar friends, swap stories about who lit up the night, and dig into what makes the current Athens music scene feel alive beyond the old-school mythology. We also get into the moments that make festivals stick in your memory even more than the setlists: getting caught in a downpour and watching strangers dance like it’s the best weather on earth, then sprinting between rooms like the Georgia Theater and the 40 Watt Club for can’t-miss performances. There are shoutouts to artists tied to the show, talk about stage presence, and a few perfect “how did I not know this band?” discoveries that remind us why we keep showing up. Then the conversation swerves in the best way, from a hidden proposal mission in Founders Garden (mosquitoes included) to the Joe Walsh's "A Life of Illusion". If you like Athens, live music, festival recaps, and the stories that orbit the songs, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Billboard Hits of July 4, 1976: Skyrockets in Flight, Afternoon Delight E138

Fireworks are loud, but the real Fourth of July time machine is a song you haven’t heard in years. We kick off our holiday special by talking Atlanta traditions like the Peachtree Road Race, then dive straight into the United States Bicentennial vibe that made 1976 feel bigger than life. Along the way, we share the tiny details that still stick: Bicentennial quarters, the two-dollar bill comeback and Operation Sail in New York. From there, we rebuild the day through music by revisiting the Billboard Hot 100 for July 4, 1976. It’s a perfect snapshot of classic rock, disco, soul, and pop all fighting for your transistor radio at the same time. We hit tracks and stories tied to Fleetwood Mac, the Bee Gees, Wild Cherry, Cliff Richard, Lou Rawls, ABBA, Queen, the Doobie Brothers, and more, plus the surprising top-of-chart moments that remind you how wild a single week of radio could be. Then Jimmy drops a punk rock history grenade in Minute with Jimmy: the Ramones play their first show in England on July 4, 1976, while The Clash play their first-ever gig across town. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes music story that explains how scenes ignite overnight. If you love music history, the Bicentennial era, or just digging up the soundtrack of your own life, hit play. Subscribe to Music in My Shoes, share this with a friend who lived through 1976, and leave a review with the one song that instantly takes you back. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Paperback Writer, Carole King "Tapestry", and Somebody Put Something in My Drink E137

We bounce from a killer Cracker and Drivin N Cryin concert to a surreal moment where Heart’s “Barracuda” follows us through LaGuardia. The mailbag sparks stories about meeting listeners, debating concerts, and how the songs we love can turn into life lessons we don’t forget.  • Cracker plays loose and confident  • Drivin N Cryin opening run and why “Scarred But Smarter” still hits  • “Barracuda” in the airport and walking to the beat  • listener messages and meeting people at shows  • mixed fan reactions to Echo and the Bunnymen shows  • “Paperback Writer” details and rediscovering old songs  • Carole King and why Tapestry lasts  • The Runaways, the Ramones, The Cure, and LL Cool J time-hopping through pop history  Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]