Hey Elgin!

15 Years, 2 Strings, and 1 Ring of Fire: The Musical Journey of Willie 2 Strings

Welcome back to another episode of Hey Elgin!! This week, Nick, Ben, and Tony are sitting down with a true local talent, Elgin’s very own Willie 2 Strings. We trace Willie's incredible 15-year journey through themusic scene, starting all the way back with the very first chords of Johnny Cash’s "Ring of Fire." From there, we follow his evolution through various band stints, the lessons learned on stage, and the deeply personal story of his mother’s long-standing connection to the Elgin community. It’s a great look at the heart and hustle it takes to keep the music playing. But you already know how we do things in this studio. Wecouldn't let a guest get out the door without taking our signature detour into the weird and wild. Things get strange, the laughs get loud, and we dive headfirst into the unexplained. Grab a drink, settle in, and tune in to a fantastic conversation that perfectly blends local music history with the bizarre!

The Mother of All Technical Difficulties: A Very Special Mother’s Day with Char, Maddy & Noble

Happy Mother's Day, Elgin! This week on Hey Elgin!!, Nick, Ben, and Tony sit down for a highly anticipated episode with the women who know us best and put up with us the most: our moms! We handed the studio over to Char, Maddy, and Noble, and they absolutely delivered. This episode is packed with fantastic answers, hilarious stories, and more than a fewembarrassing childhood memories we'd probably rather you didn't know. Now, for a quick disclaimer from the editing booth: we loveour mothers deeply, but our recording equipment apparently did not. The audio quality on this episode is... well, it’s horrible. We experienced some major technical difficulties, and while we tried our absolute best to clean it up in post-production, you are going to hear some static, some echoes, and somegenuine podcast gremlins at work. But trust us, the stories these three ladies share are wellworth pushing through the static. Adjust your volume dials, laugh along with us, and enjoy this incredibly fun (and sonically challenging) tribute to the moms of Hey Elgin!!

Homecoming, Hogeye, and the Haunted: Sitting Down with Elgin Legend Charlotte Swenson

Welcome back to another episode of Hey Elgin!! The wait is over, and we are incredibly excited to finally release this one. This week, Nick, Ben, and Tony sit down with an absolute local legend and a true wealth of knowledge: Charlotte Swenson. As one of the original founders of the iconic Elgin HogeyeFestival, Charlotte is woven into the very fabric of this town. We dive deep into Elgin’s rich history and share some thoughts on where our perfectly situated community is heading in the future. Charlotte also shares amazingstories from her extensive travels all around the United States, and what it is about Elgin that always drew her right back home. And, of course, because this is Hey Elgin!!, you knowwe couldn't let her go without steering the conversation into the unknown. Things get wonderfully weird as we take a detour into some truly spooky,unexplained stories! Grab a drink, settle in, and get ready for a fantasticconversation with one of Elgin's finest.

Why Knot Unwind? Live Music, community, and Awkward Conspiracies with Tony & Angela

Welcome back to Episode 32 of Hey Elgin!! This week, we are heading just off FM 969 to shine a spotlight on a true local staple. We sit down with Tony and Angela from the Why Knot event center, a magical place that has been serving up music, cheer, and community to Elgin since 1994. We dive into everything that makes this venue so special, including theirjam-packed weekly lineup of karaoke nights and live music events. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper episode without ourweekly trip into the weird. Boston Nick takes the wheel and dives so far down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and the unknown that things actually get a little awkward in the studio! Grab a drink, settle in, and get ready for a hilarious, history-filled conversation about one of Elgin's favorite gathering spots.

The Mayoral Debate: 13 Questions for Elgin’s Future with Stephanie Lippke and Mayor Theresa McShan

Welcome to Episode 31 of Hey Elgin!! This is the big one, Elgin! We are bringing you the highly anticipated Mayoral Debate featuring candidate Stephanie Lippke and current Mayor Theresa McShan. Instead of the usual political talking points, we went straight to the source: you. We took the top 10 questions directly from our listener polls, putting both candidates in the hot seat to address the most pressing issuesfacing our perfectly situated town today. But it wouldn't be our show if we just left it at politics.We hit both candidates with our signature Hey Elgin!! curveballs to find out where they stand on the ultimate classic rock albums and what their tactical strategies would be if they had to run a campaign against Bigfoot. Finally, Boston Nick slows things down to close the debate with one veryspecial, heartfelt question for both women: Why do you love Elgin? Get informed, get a few laughs, and get ready to vote!