4 of our favorite podcasts by Virginians, for Virginians.
Who doesn’t love a good podcast? Podcasts offer us the flexibility to tap into our favorite spoken-word programming whenever and wherever we like, a marriage of content and convenience that is proving irresistible to a new generation of listeners. In Virginia, we’ve got a crew of podcasters creating a wealth of original programming that reflects our state’s history and cultural diversity. Here are a few of our favorites:
The Cheats Movement
Through thoughtful discussions and interviews, The Cheats Movement host Marc “Cheats” Cheatham and a panel of Richmond-based hip-hop aficionados explore the impact of the musical genre on the community. A recent episode featured gubernatorial candidate Tom Perriello, who discussed his hopes for Virginia’s future as well as his favorite hip-hop artists. The hour-long show typically showcases local artists, playing audio clips and contextualizing the music for fans of the show. TheCheatsMovement.com
Backstory
Hosted by three former UVa history professors, BackStory is a nationally distributed weekly radio program and podcast produced at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities in Charlottesville. Local historians Ed Ayers, Peter Onuf and Brian Balogh, better known as the “American History Guys,” have recently been joined by Joanne Freeman, a professor of history and American Studies at Yale University and the author whose works most influenced the Broadway hit Hamilton. Backstory offers historical context and insights through the prism of contemporary issues currently making headlines. Recent episodes have examined the history of immigration in America, the campaign season, protest movements and advocacy through journalism. BackstoryRadio.org
Not Even Past
Recently developed by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities’ Encyclopedia Virginia project, this new podcast focuses on interesting people and moments from Virginia history. Host Brendan Wolfe, managing editor of Encyclopedia Virginia, touches on an array of topics and events that have largely gone unnoticed, each previously untold story contributing to the larger picture of Virginia’s past. One recent episode told the story of Henry “Box” Brown, a slave who cleverly sought and gained his freedom by mailing himself in, yes, a box, to Philadelphia. EncyclopediaVirginia.org/podcasts
Total Soccer Show
This grassroots, listener-supported podcast features Richmond residents Taylor Rockwell and Daryl Grove (a former Virginia Living associate editor). Brought together by their shared love of the “Beautiful Game,” the two hosts have been discussing the ins-and-outs of international and American soccer—from draft picks to championships and the World Cup—since 2009, while also encouraging listener participation via call-in and social media. TotalSoccerShow.com
Plus…
Richmond’s WRIR-FM, the local independent radio station, has a huge archive of streamable shows online. Browse them all and queue up your favorites. WRIR.org
