Jackson

Jackson Hole based singer, songwriter and musician Michael Batdorf released his eight studio album Proving Ground in 2019. He also released a new album with his band One Ton Pig. Michael spoke with Grady Kirkpatrick about his new music, moving from the Midwest to Wyoming, Tuesday nights at the Silver Dollar and camping in a tornado.

Jackson's Snow King Sports Center usually hosts skating lessons and peewee hockey games. But for one weekend in mid-September, it was filled with about $50 million worth of art.

The space had been taken over by the brand new Jackson Hole Fine Arts Fair. Visitors were greeted at the door by a giant inflatable goldfish — the work of Jackson artist Bland Hoke — before visiting booths from more than 50 galleries based all over the country.

On September 11, 2001, Sara Lashbrook was teaching kindergarten in downtown Manhattan…just three tree blocks away from the World Trade Center. At StoryCorps in Jackson, her friend Jessica Sell Chambers asked Sara what that morning was like.

Wyoming is the Equality state. And when StoryCorps came to Jackson in 2018, Andrew Breffeilh told StoryCorps facilitator Madison Mullen the legacy of strong women in Jackson and why they deserve to be remembered.

Produced by Megan Feighery

Jackson based musician and producer Aaron Davis spoke with Grady Kirkpatrick about his new album The Meander.

When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer, Jay Edwards sat down with his daughter, Melodie, and told her about the time in the early 60s, when he and Melodie’s mother hitchhiked from California to Mexico…before hitchhiking up to Iowa to meet her mother’s family.

When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer, former Marine Corps Captain Bob Morris sat down his friend Jonathan Schechter to talk about his opposition to the Vietnam War and how he tried to end it.

Todd Skinner was a world renowned rock climber. His climbing achievements included the first free ascents of many routes around the world. 13 years ago Skinner died in a climbing accident on El Capitan. When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer Mattie Sheafor sat down with Todd’s widow Amy Skinner to discuss his death and why they keep rock climbing.

As a chef for a Jackson Hole outfitter, Christine Semrow struggled to find an affordable place to live in Jackson.

When StoryCorps came to Jackson in 2018, Semrow sat down with StoryCorps facilitator Madison Mullen to talk about what it’s like to be part of the 99-percent in Jackson.

When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer, friends Stephanie Thomas and Carrie Krose sat down to discuss how the affordable housing shortage in Jackson is affecting children. 

When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer, Sarah Ross sat down with her mother, Alexandra Fuller, to discuss an article she wrote in the Jackson paper about her teenage experience with sexual assault.

When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer, friends Arne Jorgensen and Anne Cresswell discussed the lack of concern for affordable housing in their community.

When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer, Teton Science School Executive Director Chris Agnew asked former board member Jean Jorgensen to recall the school's early days…and how it all started with the founders Joan and Ted Major. 

Maria came to the U.S. illegally with her mother when she was a little girl…so they could meet up with her father, who was working in the country legally. When StoryCorps came to Jackson last summer, Maria told her son Jorden about how she ended up in Idaho.

Christine Semrow survived addiction by moving to Jackson and immersing herself in the wilderness.

When StoryCorps came to Jackson last year, Semrow sat down with StoryCorps facilitator Madison Mullen to talk about the first time she felt at peace in nature.