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A southern-style string melody and prepare whistle sound someplace within the distance because the voice of pupil host Jade Emerson marks the primary episode of The Drag’s “Girl Fowl” podcast. “In a personal room adorned with household photographs scotch taped to the partitions, 51-year-old Girl Fowl Johnson ready to present a speech…”

The Drag, UT’s audio manufacturing home, partnered with the Lyndon Baines Johnson Basis to supply its latest podcast, “Girl Fowl.” The 12-episode sequence connects pupil hosts with UT alumna and First Girl Claudia “Girl Fowl” Johnson by means of archived audio interviews. An intimate look into Girl Fowl’s life and legacy, the podcast particulars her research at UT, romance with President Lyndon B. Johnson and private experiences within the White Home. 

“While you consider important First Girls, you consider Eleanor Roosevelt or Jackie Kennedy,” mentioned Katey Outka, managing director of The Drag. “However Girl Fowl hasn’t been in that dialog. She’s diminished to the beautification woman or the wildflowers woman or no matter. Lots of people don’t understand she was a lot greater than that. She was such a useful adviser to LBJ. She had a front-row seat to so many important elements of historical past from the attitude of being a politician’s spouse. I believe she’s usually neglected, particularly because the partner of somebody with as large of a persona as LBJ.”

After a profitable launch on the Girl Fowl Johnson Wildflower Middle final week, the primary episode of “Girl Fowl” is now out there on podcast streaming platforms. Future episodes will embody a particular installment devoted to Girl Fowl and President Johnson’s love letters and a bonus interview with the couple’s daughter, Luci Baines Johnson. 

“I keep in mind we have been at a listening session, and I assumed, ‘Wow, this simply jogs my memory of going by means of my outdated childhood diaries or sitting with my grandma and going over her little scrapbooks,’” mentioned Sofia Vargas Karam, advertising communications supervisor of The Drag. “We actually wished to remember the fact that that is any person else’s voice and story that we’re telling in a really intimate means.”

Distinctive amongst The Drag’s productions for its intensive use of historic information and in-depth story-telling, the sequence is “in contrast to something that’s ever been made earlier than” for Karam. 

“My hope and my objective is to get individuals my age to take heed to (“Girl Fowl”) and fall in love with it,” Karam mentioned. “We will learn textbooks, and we are able to learn articles on-line, however lots of people don’t need to type by means of archives or plenty of letters and outdated handwriting only for enjoyable. So we did “Girl Fowl” in a cool means the place you have got all this content material in a single place with cute and attention-grabbing audio.”

New episodes might be launched each Tuesday. Robert Quigley, founding father of The Drag and govt producer of the podcast, mentioned he hopes pupil listeners can draw inspiration from Girl Fowl’s story.

“First girls are a fascination of the American public,” Quigley mentioned. “However listening to about (Girl Fowl’s) relationship struggles, how she hated her chemistry class or about her mates and the place they go to have enjoyable round Austin — it’s plenty of enjoyable. I believe college students will see plenty of themselves in her story.”

When Austin Metropolis Limits taped its first present inside UT’s Studio 6A in 1974, a grand home piano sat firmly on the stage below the spell of musician Bobbie Nelson, whereas her famed brother Willie’s voice wailed. Because the present grew and totally different artists together with Ray Charles, Lyle Lovett and Fat Domino graced the present’s airwaves, one instrument — the 1911 Steinway and Sons piano — by no means moved. 

Nonetheless, when ACL relocated manufacturing to The Moody Theater after 36 seasons in 2011, producers left the hefty ivories behind, fearing the piano wouldn’t survive the experience downtown. It remained in storage for 12 years, till longtime govt producer Terry Lickona stated he had a imaginative and prescient — caring for the piano himself. 

“I didn’t count on them to present it to me, as I couldn’t afford to purchase it as a result of frankly, it’s priceless,” stated Lickona, a 45-year ACL veteran. “When Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters noticed it, he stated it must be within the Smithsonian, however I’ve this factor about placing devices below glass instances. It’s nice to take a look at, but it surely’s unhappy — it’s not nonetheless alive.”  

Now, because of Lickona, the century-old piano, with some scratches however limitless character, fills his high-ceilinged, music memorabilia-filled residence with a perfectly-tuned ring, proving the instrument stays vigorous. 

Making good on a promise, Lickona hosted the ACL workforce final week to showcase the resonant 88 keys and invite others to play. Properly-respected Austin musician Henri Herbert delivered a poignant set, and stated inserting his arms on these keys particularly culminated his dream. 

“A few years in the past, I used to be residing in an English seaside city and I watched DVDs of ACL. … That was a part of what led me to come back to Austin,” Herbert stated. “It feels magical, form of mystical and religious. I’m not spiritual myself, however I think about that it seems like one thing otherworldly.” 

The piano’s historical past could possibly be as majestic as its sound, however a lot stays unknown, in addition to that UT gave it to ACL on the present’s inception. Station archivist Liz Antaramian found most of the stars who performed the instrument, however stated she continues trying to find clues about its pre-ACL story. 

“I’m hoping that from 1911 to 1974, possibly a pupil who wasn’t positive about whether or not music was for them performed it, or it was used for theater or choir the place it introduced pleasure,” Antaramian stated. “I’m hoping individuals attain out after they learn this text, and possibly say, ‘I used to be a pupil at UT in 1965, and I received to play on the piano throughout my lunch break.’” 

Butler Faculty of Music professor John Mills stated he remembers the piano properly. The acclaimed jazz musician made appearances on ACL, even alongside Willie Nelson, and stated the piano’s second likelihood serves as a testomony to UT, the music franchise’s birthplace. 

“The coed inhabitants had quite a bit to do with the character of the music scene … at a time when Austin on any given night time didn’t have a pair hundred venues,” Mills stated. “The power on campus, and definitely ACL, was a really particular factor.” 

Honoring ACL’s particular legacy, Lickona introduced a $25,000 donation to the station on the reception. He stated the piano’s rediscovery marks solely the start of a memorable fiftieth anniversary season, as historical past’s longest-running music collection charts its future.

“I don’t need to get too carried away, but it surely’s like being born once more. We’re not solely giving individuals an opportunity to rediscover the piano, however uncover extra in regards to the present’s historical past,” Lickona stated. “Fifty is a giant milestone, and it’s a bridge to the longer term.”