Green Chili Chisme

Jeff Messick – A Word Warrior at War with Words - A conversation about faith, redemption, and the power of storytelling.

Author Jeff Messick joins me to talk about the darkness that shaped his first novel, the faith he found afterward, and how every word we write can become a weapon or a prayer. Two old friends, one deep conversation about purpose, prose, and grace.

Gill Jimenez — Legacy, Lineage, and the Weight of a Dynasty

In one of the most emotional episodes of Green Chili Chisme to date, host Dave Pedraza sits down with Gil Jimenez, son of the legendary Flaco Jimenez, for a conversation that spans four generations of musical lineage, cultural weight, and the emotional cost of carrying a dynasty. The episode opens with both men unexpectedly breaking down as Dave shares how Flaco became the pillar of DB Media — from the Tardeada Music Festival to the night Flaco walked into a Michael Guerra show and changed the trajectory of everything that followed. Gil takes us deep into the Jimenez Dynasty, tracing his family back to his 4x great‑grandfather Patricio Jimenez, one of the earliest accordionists in Texas. He shares the story of the last song he recorded with his father, a rock‑leaning track Flaco encouraged him to pursue to stay different. Dave opens up about learning drums at Fort Ben Harrison, stepping up his songwriting by learning guitar, and the early days of DB Media — including the Michael Guerra origin story and the night Michael played drums for his two idols, Flaco and Steve Jordan, on the same stage. Gil responds with a never‑before‑told story: a late‑night hotel room on Hwy 90 where Flaco and Steve Jordan traded riffs until Steve finally put down the box and said, “Flaco, you’re a bad motherfucker.” The episode crescendos with Gil breaking down while recounting the last conversation he ever had with his father — a promise to carry the Jimenez name forward. He reveals that Flaco left him a vault of songs written by both his father and grandfather Santiago, entrusting him to bring them to life. This is an episode about fathers, sons, legacy, lineage, and the emotional truth behind the music that shaped generations.

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.