Welcome to Rumble to Rumble Strip, Vermont. I'm Erica Heilman.

It's time to get the story behind the story.

Interviews with newsmakers, newsbreakers, and your phone calls. Radio Vermont presents the Mark Johnson

show.

Thank you, Jim Connick. Good morning.

For 25 years, Mark Johnson hosted the Mark Johnson show, first up in Burlington at WKDR, then at WDEV here in Central Vermont.

Last month he retired from the show.

When I ran into my friend Andy the Plummer the other day he said man with Mark Johnson gone who am I going to take to work?

I think a lot of people feel that way. Mark has kept as company on our commutes, in our kitchens, and on job sites all over Central Vermont.

And if you live around here, you've either called the show, known the guest, or known some of the

collars. The show is smart and relaxed. known the I invited him over to my house to talk about how he produced a two-hour public affairs show for 25 years all by himself.

He shares some high points, a few low points, and you'll also get to hear a little from the governor and a caller called

Marsha. Welcome.

In the state of Vermont or I guess outside that state of Vermont and Senator Bernie Sanders.

I don't think that people really know what it looks like to be in a small studio in a radio

station talking into a microphone.

You talk with Vermont in a very easy way after many years of doing it. But in the

beginning, was it awkward? Is this an awkward? I think it's always been a little bit

awkward. Truly, I think the only way I've been able to do it is to not really think about it.

I remember one time I was at a Vermont Expos game and they announced what the attendance was.

And it was something like 5,500 people.

And I thought, wow, you know, every day,

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