The Vonnecast

Musician Charlie Ballantine

Join us as we talk to musician Charlie Ballantine. We discuss capturing the mood of Vonnegut’s work through music, retaining childlike wonder, chicken wings in Canada, and failure as part of the process. 

Find out more about Charlie at charlieballantine.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo.

Artist Beatriz Vasquez

Join us as we talk to artist Beatriz Vasquez. We discuss how Kurt’s creative process has influenced Beatriz, what papel picado is, why being an artist in Indianapolis is important, and which planet Beartiz would fire from planet status. Originally aired on WQRT 99.1 FM Indianapolis. 

Find out more about Beatriz at beatrizvasquezart.com and follow her on social media at @beatrizdesignz. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo.

Robert Montgomery and Kevin Finch

Join us for a talk with musician Wes Montgomery’s son Robert Montgomery and filmmaker Kevin Finch. We discuss the Indianapolis roots of both Wes and Kurt, why Kevin wanted to make documentaries on these two legendary Hoosiers, and what growing up with an acclaimed jazz musician was like for Robert. 

Find out more about Wes Montgomery at Wes Montgomery Research Facebook. Follow Kevin Finch at jukeboxerpro.com and Robert Montgomery at @robert.a.montgomery.39 and Robert Anthony Montgomery Facebook. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo. Originally aired on WQRT 99.1 FM on July 16, 2022. 

How Jon Fishman’s Soul Grows

Join us as we talk to Phish’s Jon Fishman. We discuss the Vonnegut novel that destroyed religion for Jon, dealing with fame, playing the vacuum with Kurt, and Jon’s project Calypso inspired by Cat’s Cradle. Originally aired on June 11, 2022. 

Find out more about Jon by going to phish.com or following him at Jon Fishman on Facebook. Visit kvml.org for more information about KVML events and programs. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo.

How Christina Jarvis’s Soul Grows

Join us as we talk to author and professor, Christina Jarvis. We discuss how Christina’s book stealing led to finding Vonnegut, the correct pronunciation of Bokononism, and researching Kurt’s planetary citizenship. The episode culminates in a Vonnegut trivia face-off between curator Chris and Christina! Originally aired on May 28th, 2022. 

Pre-order Christina’s book Lucky Mud and Other Foma: A Field Guide to Kurt Vonnegut’s Environmentalism and Planetary Citizenship at sevenstoriespress.com. Head to kvml.org/teaching-vonnegut to register for Christina’s workshop Vox Humana & Mary Hepburn: Making Vonnegut’s Planetary Citizenship Live! Visit kvml.org for more information about KVML events and programs. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo.

How Author Ginger Strand’s Soul Grows

Join us as we talk to the author of The Brother’s Vonnegut, Ginger Strand. We discuss how she found Vonnegut through cloud seeding, what surprised and didn’t surprise Ginger in her research, coming up with progressive rock band names, and whether her writing is more Kurt Vonnegut or Kilgore Trout. Originally aired on 99.1 WQRT FM on May 14th, 2022. 

Find out more about Ginger by going to gingerstrand.com. Visit kvml.org for more information about KVML events and programs. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo.

How Musician Rhett Miller’s Soul Grows

Join us as we talk to musician and lead singer of the Old 97’s, Rhett Miller. We discuss how Rhett has passed down Vonnegut’s work to his children, the banning of Rhett’s children’s poetry book, finding meaning in life through music, and what Rhett said to Vonnegut that caused him to say “I guess I’m going to hell.” Originally aired on 99.1 WQRT FM on May 7, 2022. 

This episode contains mentions of suicide. Listener discretion is advised. If you or a loved one is in crisis, help is always available. Please reach out to nami.org/help, call 800-950-NAMI (6264) or text NAMI to 741-741.

Find out more about Rhett by going to rhettmiller.com or following him on social media @rhettmiller. Visit kvml.org for more information about KVML events and programs. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo.

How Musicians Jared and Joshua Thompson’s Soul Grows

Join us as we talk to musicians Jared and Joshua Thompson. We discuss Vonnegut’s love for jazz, the ways writers influence music, Hoosier creativity, and the Thompson brothers being newly appointed as musical directors for KVML. Originally aired on 99.1 WQRT FM on April 30th, 2022. 

Find out more about Jared and Joshua by going to premiumblendindy.com and classicalmusicindy.org. Visit kvml.org for more information about KVML events and programs. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo. 

How Comedian Lewis Black’s Soul Grows

Join us as we talk to comedian Lewis Black. We discuss how he discovered Vonnegut working at a parking lot, why he wanted to be KVML’s Chairperson of the Year, St. Elmo’s shrimp cocktail sauce, the benefits of writing longhand, his advice for the young, and more. Originally aired on 99.1 WQRT FM on April 8th, 2022. 

Find out more about Lewis by going to lewisblack.com or following him on social media @thelewisblack. Visit kvml.org for more information about KVML events and programs. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @VonnegutLibrary. Audio mix and editing by Nick Corey. Cover Art by Arusyak Pivazyan @bamboleiyoo.

How Comedian Gary Gulman’s Soul Grows

Join us for the inaugural and ephemeral episode of The Vonnecast (whatever that means) with comedian Gary Gulman. We discuss how Gary found Vonnegut, Dutch uncles, lightning versus lightning bug words, technology’s impact on mental health, his upcoming performance at our annual Night of Vonnegut event, and more. Originally aired on 99.1 WQRT FM on April 2nd.

Kathi Badertscher, PhD

Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Kathi Badertscher, PhD, is Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Dr. Badertscher teaches a variety of BA, MA, and doctoral courses, including Applying Ethics in Philanthropy and History of Philanthropy. She has participated in several Teaching Vonnegut workshops and is a member of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Dr. Badertscher has been a guest speaker on ethics in philanthropy, including at the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners – Indianapolis Council; Association of Fundraising Professionals – Indiana Chapter; and Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin, China. In 2019 she received IUPUI Office for Women, Women’s Leadership Award for Newcomer Faculty. In 2019 and 2020 she received the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Graduate Teaching Award.
Dr. Badertscher’s publications include “Fundraising for Advocacy and Social Change,” co-authored with Shariq Siddiqui in Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, 5th ed., 2022; “Insulin at 100: Indianapolis, Toronto, Woods Hole, and the ‘Insulin Road,’ co-authored with Christopher Rutty, Pharmacy in History (2020); and three articles in the Indiana Magazine of History: “A New Wishard Is on the Way,” “Evaline Holliday and the Work of Community Service,” and “Social Networks in Indianapolis during the Progressive Era.” Her chapters on social welfare history will appear in three upcoming edited volumes on the history of philanthropy, including “The Legacy of Edna Henry and Her Contributions to the IU School of Social Work,” Women at Indiana University: Views of the Past and the Future, edited by Andrea Walton, Indiana University Press, 2022 (forthcoming). Dr. Badertscher is also the Philanthropy and Nonprofits Consulting Editor for the forthcoming Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by David J. Bodenhamer and Elizabeth Van Allen, Indiana University Press, 2021. Dr. Badertscher is an active volunteer in the Indianapolis community. At present, she is a Coburn Place Safe Haven Board Member and a Children’s Bureau/Families First Brand and Marketing Advisor. Dr. Badertscher holds the MA in History from Indiana University and the MA and PhD in philanthropic studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

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