Family Ghosts: Recent Episodes
WALT FM
Every house is haunted. In each episode of Family Ghosts, we investigate the true story behind a mysterious figure whose legend has followed a family for generations. Grandmothers who were secretly jewel smugglers, uncles who led double lives, siblings who vanished without a trace, and other ghostly characters who cast shadows over our lives in ways that might not be immediately obvious. We are all formed in part by our familial collections of secrets, intrigues, and myths. By engaging with each others’ legends, perhaps we can see each others’ realities more clearly. Hosted by Moth Grand Slam winner Sam Dingman, whose stories have been featured on Risk!, TBTL, Benjamen Walker’s Theory of Everything, and The Moth Radio Hour.
Guy Story finds out his father had a secret. Before long, Guy finds himself on a treacherous journey of discovery about a mysterious desperado, and trying to figure out why everyone seems ashamed to admit they’re related to him.
Check out Guy’s band: https://www.storytownband.com/
Read the blog post he wrote to accompany his song: https://www.storytownband.com/the-latest-from-storytown/2021/7/1/skeletons-in-the-closet. And watch the music video here: https://youtu.be/ke_8Uc_09Mg
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get access to all of our episodes ad-free, and exclusive bonus content. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. And if you don’t have the means, no worries. Please consider supporting the show for free by leaving us a review in Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Thank you for listening.
Stories about inscrutable older men with vital wisdom to share - if only we could figure out how to talk to them.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and get access to bonus content that’s not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Mark embarks on a rollicking quest to find a Cool Dad.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our community of supporters on Patreon. For just five dollars a month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and they get exclusive bonus content that’s not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
On the occasion of a major life milestone, Sam reflects on two of his wayward role models.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits - our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and they get exclusive bonus content. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Producer Veralyn Williams explores the power of subjective storytelling in the aftermath of her experience working on a particularly harrowing episode. Find more of Veralyn’s work at https://www.iamveralyn.com/, learn more about Robin Boylorn here, and Tayari Jones here.
Seven songs from in (and around) our series that just might make you come unstuck in time. Featuring performances by: D and Chi, Allan, Martha Redbone, Kirya Traber, Jay Starling, and Jocelyn Mackenzie.
Craig learns the truth about the end of his Uncle Larry's life - and finds a new beginning for his own.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and they get access to exclusive bonus content that’s not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them today, at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Find more of Craig’s stories here. Thank you for listening.
Craig travels to Utah to unlock the mysteries of his Uncle Brent’s life - literally.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and they get exclusive bonus content that’s not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at http://patreon.com/FamilyGhosts. And either way, thank you for listening.
Craig grows up in hiding from his uncles' secret lives, fearful that his family will one day discover his own secret. Listen to Craig on the Moth Radio Hour here, and find more of his work here.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at https://patreon.com/familyghosts. Thank you for listening!
Malcolm Gladwell shares a parable from the past, and Nick Markovich searches for the meaning of life. Hear more of Malcolm’s work on Revisionist History, and more of Jacob’s work on Deep Cover. Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and they get access to exclusive bonus content. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
The wayward son of a manufacturing dynasty tries to sow fresh roots in his family tree.
Sources:
Jane Mayer
Daniel Schulman
Brian O’Reilly & Patty De Llosa
Katharine Q. Seelye
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and get exclusive bonus content that’s not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Thank you for listening!
Sam has a memory he can't explain - which, in turn, explains a lot about Family Ghosts. Thanks to Marcy and Betsy - check out A Funny Feeling here. And find the Neighborhood Watch photo essay here.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them today for just $5 per month: http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Janielle Kastner tries to get to know a man she never got to meet. Find and follow “Untitled Dad Project” wherever you’re listening to this.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just five dollars per month, Kindred Spirits get ad-free versions of all of our episodes, plus exclusive bonus content. If you have the means, please consider joining them today at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Stories about rediscovering home in unexpected ways. Featuring Micaela Blei and Jeff Simmermon.
Stories from Bradford Jordan and Ophira Eisenberg about reckoning with the fundamental truth (or, in some cases, lies) about who their mothers are.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. Please consider joining them for just five dollars per month. You’ll hear our episodes ad-free, get exclusive bonus content, and help keep Family Ghosts on the air!
A mysterious story has haunted the city of Baltimore for 25 years. Can Sam unravel the truth...before the truth unravels him? Follow The Rumor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.
Stories about unexpected impulses with deep generational roots. Hubby Jenkins tells the story of discovering a deep connection with his banjo, and Dr. Njoki McElroy tells the story of an evil happening in Sherman, Texas. Find more of Hubby's music at https://hubbyjenkins.com/, and read more about Dr. McElroy at http://www.drnjokimcelroy.com/.
This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and get exclusive access to bonus episodes. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Thi Bui tells producer Jennifer Lai about the delicate process of asking her parents about their worst experiences - and the even more delicate process of turning those conversations into works of art. Listen to Jennifer’s current project, The Slowdown, here. And find Thi’s memoir, “The Best We Could Do,” here.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Patreon supporters get access to all of our episodes ad-free, as well as exclusive bonus content not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
This week, we're celebrating family stories that seem simple on the surface, but are actually the keys to understanding our entire personalities. Featuring comedians Pat Regan and Gastor Almonte. Listen to Pat's podcast, Seek Treatment, and watch Hacks, the show he writes for, on HBO Max. Find more of Gastor's stories on PBS and Comedy Central, and check out his album, Immigrant Made.
Following the tragic murder of his brother Asher, Mac's family finds disparate ways of re-assembling their shattered lives. Mac’s essay originally appeared in Gawker.
Everyone in Ian's family gets divorced. Now that he's been married for a few years, he wants to know if his relationship is doomed. Listen to the full series of “Forever Is A Long Time” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening to this. And check out our Patreon page for a longer version of Sam and Ian’s conversation from the end of this episode.
"I feel really lucky that Danny is Danny." The conclusion of our miniseries with Jessie Pascarelli.
This episode was made possible in part by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them today for just $5 per month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
"You can open up a book and choose a sentence at random, and derive meaning from it."
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our community of supporters on Patreon. Please consider joining them for just $5 per month: http://patreon.com/FamilyGhosts.
For the last few months, Sam's been hard at work with John Stamos (yes, that John Stamos) on a top-secret project. In this special bonus episode, you’ll hear a preview of the wild, true story of Barry Keenan, who kidnapped Frank Sinatra, Jr in 1963. Follow “The Grand Scheme: Snatching Sinatra” wherever you listen to podcasts to hear the full story.
Jessie's name is the continuation of her aunt's story. But no one's ever told Jessie the real story of her aunt.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of Patreon supporters. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get ad-free versions of all of our episodes, plus exclusive bonus content you won’t find anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them today: http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
“Saving face would not rescue my mother.”
Read more of Jiayang’s writing for The New Yorker here: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/jiayang-fan.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and get access to bonus content that’s not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them, at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
“The two of us became the embodiment of the Chinese phrase xiang yi wei ming - mutual reliance for life." Read more of Jiayang's work here, and find her piece on ghost scams here.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits for just $5 per month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Jim grabs the baton, and Gastor sees the face behind the mask. You can hear more of Jim's work on "Blindspot: The Road to 9/11" at https://www.npr.org/podcasts/908344999/blindspot-the-road-to-9-11, and more of Gastor's on "The War Report" at https://anchor.fm/warreportpod.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Andrew tells the family ghost story behind a Family Ghosts story. Learn more about Andrew and hear more of his work at http://gildedaudio.org.
Our work is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of listeners who commit $5 per month to keeping Family Ghosts in your headphones. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
When Erin moves to England, her mother presents her with a life-altering choice.
Learn more about Erin at her website, https://www.erinhbarker.com/. Hear more of her work on the Story Collider podcast, and The Moth.
This episode is brought to you by the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 a month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, get exclusive bonus episodes you won't hear anywhere else, and provide essential support for the work we do here at Family Ghosts. If you have the means, please consider joining them: http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Sam receives an unexpected message from the past, delivered by a Spiritualist medium in a mysterious town called Lily Dale.
Learn more about Tiffany Hopkins at nobox.us/unseen, and find Steven Cantor's work at https://www.stickfigureproductions.com/. You can stream "No One Dies in Lily Dale" here.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Mary Terrier tells the story of a woman who seems to hold all the keys.
Read more Mary Terrier at http://maryterrier.com.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. Please consider becoming a member today: http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Kimberly King Parsons tells the story of a mother telling a story about her daughter telling a story.
Learn more about Kim and buy "Black Light," her collection of stories, here.
Family Ghosts wouldn't be possible without the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them for just $5 per month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Bradford and Paul come to terms with the people they wish their parents could be - and the people they actually are.
Find more of Bradford's stories at http://www.bradfordjordan.com/stories.
Find Paul's work with TestifyATX here, and his classes at Merlinworks here.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get early access to our episodes, hear them ad-free, and get bonus content that doesn't appear here in the main feed. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/FamilyGhosts.
Sam takes you on a trip to a mysterious boarding house in Mt. Absalom, Ohio - a community riddled with secrets and lost memories.
Learn more about Unwell at https://www.unwellpodcast.com.
Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community on Patreon. For just $5 a month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all our episodes, hear them ad-free, and get exclusive content that's not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
After more than thirty years of following roads to nowhere, Kate carves her own path.
This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, hear them ad-free, and get exclusive bonus content that's not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider becoming a member at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Kate flees the haunting silence of Baltimore - but no matter where she goes, Eddy's ghost isn't far behind. After decades of torment, she decides to open her own investigation into her father's disappearance.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, hear them ad-free, and enjoy bonus content not available anywhere else. On top of all that, Kindred Spirits get the good feeling of knowing they’re making the work we do here at WALT FM possible – because the fact is without them, it simply wouldn't be. So if you have the means, please consider becoming a member today at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. And either way, thank you for listening.
When an unnatural disaster befalls her family, Kate demands answers. But no one's willing to talk.
Read David Simon's 1992 article about Kate and her family here.
This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits enjoy early access to all of our episodes, and hear them ad-free, and also get exclusive bonus content that's not available here in the main feed. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Introducing the first episode of our first-ever Family Ghosts spinoff: Fisher Family Ghosts, a companion podcast to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of HBO's "Six Feet Under." Join Sam and co-host Adrien Behn (Strangers Abroad) for weekly discussions and debates about the Fisher family, whose fictional exploits in Alan Ball's classic dramedy inspired Sam to create Family Ghosts. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to Fisher Family Ghosts wherever you're listening to this - you'll find two additional episodes already waiting for you in the feed!
P.S. Don't forget: season 4 of Family Ghosts premieres one week from today! Talk to you then, Ghost Family.
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Sam tells the story of how his uncle unwittingly escorted him to the scummy side of the street. Plus: more news about Season 4 of Family Ghosts, coming your way on January 14th, 2021.
Learn more about Robin's show Yum's the Word here.
This episode is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 a month, Kindred Spirits get early, ad-free access to our episodes, bonus content not available here in the main feed, and other cool surprises - this week, they got a sneak peek at the new Season 4 show art. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
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Sam talks to his old friend Ben about an elaborate con that changed the course of both of their lives. PLUS: more exciting updates about our new season, coming January 21, 2021.
This episode is made possible by the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5/month, Kindred Spirits get early access to our stories, hear them ad-free, and exclusive access to bonus content that's not released in the main show feed. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
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Julian joins a church in Poughkeepsie, and discovers a decades-old secret about her uncle. ~41~
Learn more about Andrew Chugg at https://gildedaudio.org/, and about Christina Roussos at https://www.christinaroussos.com/. This episode was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. In addition to ad-free episodes, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our work, and hear exclusive bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere else. This week, they're hearing a special behind-the-scenes interview with Andrew Chugg. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Decades after her brother's mysterious disappearance, Toni finally learns the truth about what happened to him. ~41~
This is episode is made possible thanks to the support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. In addition to ad-free episodes, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, as well as bonus exclusives you won't hear anywhere else. This week, they're hearing a very special excerpt from our Family Ghosts Live show at the Bell House last summer. If you have the means, please consider joining them by donating $5 per month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Mythic masonry, a haunted crucifix, and the Marfa lights. This week: Jim peeks behind the veil of Gothic horror, Susan's mom goes looking for - and finds - evidence of the afterlife, and Melle searches the highways of Louisiana for some missing pages of her family's history. ~41~
This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon. In addition to early access to episodes, Kindred Spirits hear all our stories ad-free, and get exclusive bonus content. This week, they're hearing audio from last summer's run of Family Ghosts Live shows. If you have the means, please consider supporting our work by donating $5/month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Mac and his mom have a lot to talk about: her relationship with her psychic, his brother's murder, and a life-altering betrayal that happened decades ago. But with her health in rapid decline, Mac's starting to worry it might be too late to get any answers. ~41~
This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our supporters on Patreon. In addition to getting early access to all our episodes, and hearing them ad-free, Kindred Spirits get special bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere else. This week, they're hearing Mac read the Gawker essay that inspired this week's story. If you have the means, please consider becoming a Kindred Spirit for just $5 a month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Following her father's death, a ghost appears in Natalie's childhood home and refuses to leave. Natalie has spent the last few decades attempting to decode the ominous messages it left behind. ~41~
This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon. In addition to early access to all of our episodes, Kindred Spirits hear them ad-free, and get bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere else. This week, they're hearing a story from Sam about a supernatural experience of his own. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits for just $5/month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. And to learn more about "There Is Evil In This House," the play Natalie wrote based on her haunting, click here: https://newplayexchange.org/users/23061/natalie-dressel.
Three stories about the moment when the static dissolves, and a transmission from the past comes through loud and clear. Featuring Sandi Marx (https://www.sandijmarx.com/), Richard Cardillo (https://themoth.org/storytellers/richard-cardillo), Nimisha Ladva (https://twitter.com/nimishaladva), and Maggie Carson (http://maggiecarsonmusic.com). ~41~
This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon. For just $5/month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, hear them ad-free, and get exclusive bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them at https://www.patreon.com/FamilyGhosts.
Mariah travels to a country she's never been to in hopes that she can find a man she's never met: her father. ~41~
This episode is supported in part by the Kindred Spirits - our supporters on Patreon. For just $5 a month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, hear them ad-free, plus exclusive bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere else. This week, they're getting a behind the scenes conversation between Sam and Mariah about the development process for this week's story. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
Kierran grew up hearing stories about her grandfather's adventures owning diamond mines, tangling with the mafia, robbing banks, and other wild tales. But as she's gotten older, Kierran's starting to realize some of those stories might be total B.S. And if they are, she wants to know why everyone was so willing to let him get away with it. ~41~
The Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon, have already heard this episode ad-free - and they're also getting exclusive bonus episodes you can't hear anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them for just $5 a month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts.
A message from Sam to the Ghost Family - plus a recommendation for something to fill your headphones with while you await the release of our next episode on January 8th. ~41~
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Joycelyn and Darron try to escape the shadow of the Meaher family's pervasive influence in Africatown. ~41~
Africatown is a small community in Mobile, Alabama, where many families share a painful history. For decades, their story has been an open secret - until now. ~41~
The official trailer for Season 3 of our show - coming to your headphones on December 4th. ~41~
Today we're announcing our Season 3 kickoff event, and introducing you to a powerful new project from our friends at Spoke Media. Grab your tickets for our Season 3 release party, and we'll be back in your ears soon, Ghost Family. ~41~
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For our last bonus episode of Season 2, stories and music about recognizing where you come from, whether you like it or not. Featuring John Tong (The Story District), Jeff Simmermon (The Paris Review, This American Life), and Milktoast Mille & the Scabby Knees. Thank you for a wonderful season, Ghost Family - we'll be back in your headphones on December 4th, 2019. ~41~
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Stories and music about adolescent moments when we discover we're dancing with the past. Featuring Pat Regan (co-host, Seek Treatment With Cat & Pat), Micaela Blei (micaelablei.com), and D & Chi (dandchimusic.com). ~41~
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Stories of evil happenings and benevolent mythologies. PLUS: Sam takes a fateful trip to Baltimore. Featuring Dr. Njoki McElroy (author of 1012 Natchez: A Memoir of Grace, Hardship, and Love), Erin Barker (The Moth, The Story Collider), and the Gotham City Pickers. ~41~ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stories and songs on the subjects of family, falling, flight, and fearlessness. Featuring Gianmarco Soresi, Gastor Almonte, and Jocelyn Mackenzie (with The Peggy's). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Producer Janielle Kastner tells us about "Untitled Dad Project," her intensely personal podcast about her own family ghost. Find "Untitled Dad Project" in Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Martha's family makes a home on Black Mountain, and reckons with the past.
"From whence we came, we shall return. From the old ways, our lessons learned." - Martha Redbone
Martha's family has their land stolen, and then their identity. More than a hundred years later, Martha wants to set the record straight.
"In the still of our hollows, we hear the calling of our Lord. Black coal is running through our veins." - Martha Redbone
Kirya's childhood home was haunted by two elusive ghosts - the fleeting presences of her grandfathers, neither of whom she knew much about. When she discovers an old audio cassette recording of herself making up songs and stories about the world she thought she understood, she decides it's time to seek out some real answers.
"Here's to missed beginnings, and things that never start - for these are the ghosts that run around in my heart. When I see that where I'm going isn't where I want to be, I get the urge to call you up, and see if you would come and meet me." - Slaid Cleaves
After Asher's uncle dies, the family goes to clean out his apartment, and discovers a box of love letters from a woman they've never met.
"Yes, you call me in the morning. You call me in the morning - I'll tell you what to do if you call me in the morning." -Harry Nilsson
Kimberly's grandparents find themselves imprisoned without cause. When they're released, they refuse to talk about it, leaving Kimberly and her family with a lot of questions about what happened.
"Try to separate a man from his soul. You only strengthen him and lose your own." - Brother Ali
A mysterious burglary has haunted the Falco family for 25 years. This week, we try to catch the thief.
"What comes easy, you better hold on to. Because when it gets tough, believe me when I tell you: all you got is what you been through." - Melissa Ferrick
A souvenir from from Meara's great-uncle turns out to be a clue about a scandal that almost tore her family apart.
"I've got a box of old photographs - mostly pictures of you. I never look at those pictures anymore - I guess you got your negatives, too. They're playin' oldies on the radio - kick the clutch and shift the gears. You can drive all night long, but you can't get there from here." - Trout Fishing In America
Posey tries to uncover the connection between the loss of her mother and her parents' time in the Love Family.
"I've lived my whole life for it to come down to this. Remember me if I forget." - Charlie Parr
Love is real.
"Those of us who are lost and low - we know how you feel. We know it's not right, but it's real." - Laura Marling
After a fateful acid trip in 1967, a man named Paul tries to build his ideal family.
"You and I both know that the house is haunted. You and I both know that the ghost is me." - Shakey Graves
The official trailer for Season 2 of our show. New episodes begin on May 15th.
"I've been told there is a power in the blood. Is it enough? Is it enough to carry me back from where I am, to where I was? I hope there is some power in my blood." - Josh Ritter
Good news, Ghost Family - we'll be back with an all-new season on May 15th. Details inside. "I thought it was over. I thought you were gone - as I walked through the dark house, wishing your lamp was still on. I lit a candle - it had a pretty red glow. I should've known that you were still close." - The Wood Brothers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An important update about our second season. "There’s times the lines get hard to see. And there’s days the haze takes over me. But in the end you’re gonna grit your teeth, and keep movin'." - John Fullbright Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Producer Odelia Rubin talks to Hubby Jenkins (Carolina Chocolate Drops) about blending music with history, and keeping the family in the work. PLUS: a meta edition of Wild Card Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Producer Jennifer Lai talks to graphic novelist Thi Bui about using intimate, personal stories to talk about big questions, the delicate art of interviewing family members about the hardest parts of their lives, and the intersection of those challenges in her memoir, "The Best We Could Do." PLUS: on this week’s installment of Wild Card Wednesday, a quick trip to the Pastures of Heaven. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Big news, Ghost Family! We're having a special live show in celebration of our second season, and we'd love for you to be there! On September 13th at 8pm, join us at the Bell House in Brooklyn for live music and storytelling from Gastor Almonte (Comedy Central), Micaela Blei (The Moth), Gianmarco Soresi (59E59), and Ophira Eisenberg (NPR). Plus - a very special surprise guest! Tickets are just $15 with promo code GHOSTS - get one (or ten!) at our website: http://familyghosts.panoply.fm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Season 1 storyteller Mark Pagan (Lookin' Good, Charlie) shares a new piece from his podcast, "Other Men Need Help." PLUS: on this month's installment of Wild Card Wednesday, a piece of slam poetry about one of the characters from "No Brown Spots." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Producer Veralyn Williams explores the vitality of black women telling their own stories with Robin Boylorn (Crunk Feminist Collective) and Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage. PLUS: on this week's installment of Wild Card Wednesday, Sam drinks root beer in a terrifying mansion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Producer Jacob Smith sits down with best-selling author and "Revisionist History" host Malcolm Gladwell to talk about his signature approach to storytelling, finding ideal interview subjects, eggplant parmesan pancakes, and much more. PLUS: Sam's friend Nick discovers the meaning of life on this week's installment of "Wild Card Wednesday." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Producer Jayson De Leon talks to singer-songwriter Josh Ritter about the ways his music influenced Season 1 of Family Ghosts. PLUS: another installment of Wild Card Wednesday, featuring bonus audio from Season 1 storyteller Jill Chenault. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A big announcement about the future of our show, plus a conversation with prize-winning journalist Steve Fishman, host of "Empire on Blood," a new seven-part true-crime drama from Panoply. Thanks for bearing with us these last few months, Ghost Family! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sam discovers he has an uncle he never knew about. He starts asking questions his father never thought he'd have to answer - and gets answers he never knew he needed.
For more information about our show, please visit our website: http://familyghostspodcast.com. And if you have a story you'd like us to consider for a possible future season, don't hesitate to email us: sam@walt.fm.
Thank you for listening to the first season of Family Ghosts - where every house is haunted.
Micaela is haunted by a recurring dream - a vision from her family's harrowing past. This week, she tries to figure out what it means.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @famghoshow.
Thank you for listening! Learn more about Micaela Blei at her website: https://www.micaelablei.com/.
After his dad dies when Mark is only 14, Mark is forced to make his way without much guidance - his only memories of his father are tender, stubbly hugs and an old leather shaving kit. What did Mark's dad mean to him? And will he ever kill it in a dance montage?
For our full episode archive and lots more information about our show, visit our brand-new website: http://familyghosts.panoply.fm. For more stories like this one, listen to Mark's podcast, "Other Men Need Help."
Find us on Twitter and Instagram: @famghoshow.
Thank you for listening!
NOTE: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence.
Jill grew up hearing the terrifying legend of Austin Riddick, who her mom always called "the crazy man from Mississippi." But as an adult, she starts to question her mom's version of the story. The closer she gets to the truth about Austin, the closer she comes to confronting the truth about herself.
Find our show on Twitter and Instagram: @famghoshow.
Thanks for listening to the show!
When Nick's grandfather died in 1994, something bizarre happened: his aunt Susan stole the body and hid it. Susan died shortly thereafter, and for the last twenty-three years, Nick and his family have agonized over his grandfather's whereabouts - but much to Nick's frustration, never enough to actually try and find him.
This week, Nick asks "Family Ghosts" host Sam Dingman to see what he can do.
Find us on Twitter and Instagram: @famghoshow.
Thanks for listening!
Everything changed for Caila on June 22, 2010. On today's episode, she finally confronts the truth about what happened that night.
One afternoon in 1961, a mysterious woman in sunglasses wandered into my grandfather's jewelry shop and stole his heart. Two years later, she vanished without a trace, leaving his life and career in ruins. For years, that's all I knew about her - until a few months ago, when I decided to start asking questions.
Coming November 15th: true stories of the spirits that haunt our family histories. Each week, we'll bring you a different family's attempt to exorcise their ghost.
Our pilot episode, "The Family Jewels," produced as part of the Panoply Pilot Project, is available now. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @famghoshow. And remember: every house is haunted.