What It Takes®

When he was just 26 years old, Gustavo Dudamel arrived from Venezuela to become conductor and music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He immediately became one of the world's most beloved figures in classical music. He's collaborated with pop stars (including Billie Eilish, Nas and Christina Aguilera). He's played the Super Bowl half-time show. He even the model for the main character in the hit tv series "Mozart in the Jungle". Sixteen years later, after making an enormous mark on the LA Phil and the city of LA, Gustavo Dudamel is preparing to move east, as music director and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic. He talks here about coming up as a musician and a budding conductor in "El Sistema", Venezuela's classical music training ground for children of all backgrounds. He describes conducting his toy figurines while listening to the world's greatest orchestras, before he even understood what conductors actually do. And he shares his love of music - all music - and his work to erase boundaries between audiences.

Transcribed - Published: 22 February 2025

Johnny Cash had a voice that could make a mountain quake. And his impact on the world of music is so legendary that this week a new 11 feet tall bronze statue of the singer, guitarist and humanitarian was unveiled at the United States Capitol Visitor's Center. It was donated by the state of Arkansas and it is the first-ever statue of a musician in the collection. To celebrate, we invite you to take a new listen to the very first episode of What It Takes.  You'll hear the deeply introspective Cash near the end of his career (1993). He reflects on how he overcame considerable personal obstacles and turned his failures into the stepping stones to success. He also talks about the first music he remembers, the voice teacher who advised him to stop taking lessons, and the source of his creativity.

Transcribed - Published: 28 September 2024

In honor of James Earl Jones, who has died at the age of 93, we bring you this encore episode. James Earl Jones had a voice like no other. It reverberated so deeply that you could feel it in your chest. No one was better suited to give voice to Darth Vader. For 60 years, Jones captivated audiences with that voice and with his commanding presence -- on stage and on screen. In this episode, which originally posted in 2017, he talked about how he overcame a stutter that silenced him for years. He explained how the radicalism of the 1960's changed the world of acting, and opened the door to his success. And he described how growing up on a humble farm taught him to treasure contentment over happiness. The theme music for What It Takes is written and performed by KaraSquare.com. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2024

In honor of Edna O'Brien, who died this week at 93, we invite you to listen to this re-broadcast of our episode. Edna O'Brien's first novel, "The Country Girls," was banned in Ireland, and burned in her own home parish. The year was 1960, and young Irish women of that era were NOT supposed to reflect on their lot in life, or harbor sexual desires. But Edna O'Brien had one goal as a young writer - to tell the truth. Decades later, her compatriots finally came to view her the way the rest of the world did: as a trailblazer, and as one of Ireland's greatest writers. Forty plus books and plays later, truth-telling was still Edna O'Brien's goal when we talked to her, at the age of 91, about her life and her love of words. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2024

Transcribed - Published: 30 July 2024

One of the greatest and most admired rock n’ rollers of all time talks about his long and fascinating life in music. Pete Townshend, guitarist and songwriter for The Who, now 79 years old, describes the band’s formation in high school and the tension in his relationship with frontman Roger Daltrey. He recounts how he became the original smasher of guitars. He openly discusses the emotional and sexual abuse he suffered as a child, and considers how it affected his life as an artist. And he speculates on why his rock opera “Tommy” connects today with audiences, 50 years on (it has to do with COVID). Oh, and he drops plenty of f-bombs! Hey, it’s rock n’ roll.

Transcribed - Published: 20 July 2024

We invite you to honor and celebrate the great Willie Mays, who died this week at the age of 93, by taking a listen to the stories he told about his life on this episode. It was one of the first episodes of "What It Takes," and it remains one of our all-time favorites: Baseball fans may argue to this day about which was the best of Willie Mays’ many spectacular catches, but nearly all agree — he was one of the most versatile, virtuosic players of all time. In this episode, featuring an intimate interview with Mays recorded in 1996, the Hall-of-Famer talks about growing up in segregated Alabama, and winning over racist baseball fans soon after he became the first African-American player on his team. He recalls the day he got the call to move up to the majors, and describes in delightful terms how he never had to actually work at being a great athlete. He also talks about the catch he swears was better than “The Catch.” Hearing his voice, you’re reminded why Willie Mays was one of America’s most beloved baseball players, as well as one of its greatest. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2015-2024

Transcribed - Published: 21 June 2024

Jeff Koons is one of the most successful artists of our time. For 40+ years, his iconic works have brought a sense of playfulness to museums worldwide, and sometimes a bit of controversy as well. His iconic pop art sculptures include a giant pink rabbit that looks so remarkably like a shiny mylar inflatable, it's hard to believe it is made of metal. His balloon dog, the type you'd see at a child's birthday party, likewise demands a second look. In this recent interview, Koons describes his lifelong love of gazing balls, like the ones he saw growing up in York, Pennsylvania, and how he came to incorporate them (and other reflective surfaces) into his art. He talks about his days as a young, aspiring artist, and his unlikely meeting with Salvador Dalí. And he talks about what's next, as he prepares to launch his latest pieces into space.

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2024

The COVID-19 vaccine came out at warp speed because of the work of these two scientists. This week, they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. In celebration, we are re-posting our episode about Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman. For many, many years they investigated the secrets of messenger RNA (mRNA). And when the pandemic began, their research was ready and waiting. On this episode you’ll hear Katalin Karikó talk about her humble beginnings in Hungary, and the forces that enabled her to persevere, even though for decades people thought her ideas about mRNA were laughable. She was denied grants, lost jobs and wasn’t taken seriously, but she never wavered. Fortunately, she met Drew Weissman one day at a copy machine, where they both worked at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Weissman was an immunologist, working on a vaccine for HIV. He was interested in Karikó’s work and they began to collaborate. Even when they made major discoveries, they could not get support for their work… until the Corona Virus appeared. Now the scientific world sees the potential that Karikó and Weissman saw all along: that mRNA may open the door to many other vaccines and to therapeutic treatment for a host of illnesses, from Cancer to Sickle Cell Anemia to Heart Disease. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2023

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2023

Gordon Lightfoot has died, at the age of 84. He spoke with the Academy of Achievement last year, and we featured that interview in an episode. To honor the legendary singer and songwriter, we are re-posting the episode today. Gordon Lightfoot had a slew of international hits in the 1960's and 70's, including "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown" and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." His songs were also performed by some of the biggest stars of that time, including Jerry Lee Lewis, The Grateful Dead, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Barbra Streisand. Lightfoot was still writing and performing into his 80's. In this interview you will find him as charming a raconteur as you might expect, given the nature of the songs he writes. He talks about his childhood in a small town in Ontario, and about his path to the top of the music industry. He describes the quirks of his songwriting process, and explains why he changed the words of "Edmund Fitzgerald" after he recorded it. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022-2023

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2023

These two Pulitzer Prize-winning biographers have spent their careers delving into the lives of Americans who changed the course of U.S. history. T.J. Stiles and David Blight talk here about how historical biography can bring us closer to an understanding of the times we live in. They discuss why Jesse James, General George Custer, Cornelius Vanderbilt and Frederick Douglass are relevant still. And they let us in on some surprising aspects of their own lives! © American Academy of Achievement 2023

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2023

Wayne Shorter was a legendary saxophonist and composer whose career began in the 1950's and spanned the development of modern jazz. Mr. Shorter died this week, at the age of 89. To honor his life and music, we are bringing back this episode, which originally aired in 2017. It features Wayne Shorter and a jazz artist 50 years his junior: Esperanza Spalding. Ms. Spalding is a bass player, composer, lyricist and singer - and one of the most exciting artists in contemporary jazz. Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding may have come of age during different jazz eras and in different parts of the country, but they became friends and artistic soulmates, who shared many of the same views about making music and the creative process. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2023

Transcribed - Published: 3 March 2023

Fifty years ago today (January 27, 1973), the United States' military involvement in the Vietnam War came to an end, with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. We mark that occasion by bringing back our episode on two brave reporters, who risked their lives and their reputations during the war in Vietnam, to reveal the truth to the American people about what was happening there. Both describe here - how and when they realized the United States government was lying about the causes and the scope of the war. And both eloquently explain their views on the role of the journalist as a witness and an adversary of government. Neil Sheehan, who died earlier this month, also talks about his role in exposing the Pentagon Papers in the pages of the New York Times. And he details why he was driven to spend over 13 years writing a definitive history of the war, called "A Bright Shining Lie," which won the Pulitzer Prize. Mr. Halberstam, who won the Pulitzer during the war, went on to write one of the other most important accounts of U.S. involvement in Vietnam: "The Best and the Brightest." (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2021-2023

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2023

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we treat you to a re-broadcast of this episode from 2017. Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King Jr. were close friends, years before Angelou became known throughout the world for her memoir “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." In this, the second our two Maya Angelou podcasts, she offers her personal reflections of Dr. King as a poet and a man with great humility and a sense of humor. She talks about the state of the African-American community decades later, and the importance of using language to uplift (describing an encounter she had with Tupac Shakur to make her point). And in her powerful, unique voice, she reminds us of the eternal relevance of Dr. King's wisdom. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2023

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2023

Contemplating what movie to watch this holiday week? You can't go wrong with "When Harry Met Sally," perhaps the greatest rom-com of all time. Nora Ephron, who wrote the screenplay, as well as other great movies and books, knew just how to make people laugh and cry and kvell. But mostly laugh. She was a successful director and producer too, in an industry not very hospitable to women. In this episode, Ephron shares the most important lesson she learned from her mother: that all pain is fodder for a good story. She explains why becoming a journalist was the best thing she ever did. And she tells stories from her later career in Hollywood, including the one about how the famous faked-orgasm scene in "When Harry Met Sally" came about. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2022

Transcribed - Published: 26 December 2022

2022 was a big year for John Irving, the author of "The World According to Garp," "A Prayer for Owen Meany," and "The Cider House Rules." He turned 80, and just recently published The Last Chairlift, his first novel in seven years. It is 913 pages long and is, he says, the last long book he will ever write. Seemed like a great time to bring back our 2016 episode on John Irving. In it, he talks about why he approaches every book by writing the last sentence first. And he might just convince you that his uncommon approach is the only one that makes any sense. In this episode, he also opens up about his early life, and reveals how his mysteriously absent father, his learning disability, and his passion for wrestling, all contributed to his success as a writer. Whether you've read every John Irving novel or none, this is a fascinating story about the writing process, and about an author some critics have called the Charles Dickens of our time. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2022

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2022

He had a slew of international hits in the 1960's and 70's, including "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown" and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." His songs were also performed by some of the biggest stars of that time, including Jerry Lee Lewis, The Grateful Dead, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Barbra Streisand. Today, at 84 years old, Gordon Lightfoot is still writing and performing. He is as charming a raconteur as you might expect, given the nature of the songs he writes, and talks here about his childhood in a small town in Ontario, and about his path to the top of the music industry. He describes the quirks of his songwriting process, and explains why he changed the words of "Edmund Fitzgerald" after he recorded it. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2022

The Who changed rock n roll, with the use of synthesizers, feedback, power chords and a wild onstage presence They were rock gods. And they created the first rock opera. Lead singer Roger Daltrey is now 78. He's a grandfather, and wears hearing aids. But he is still on the road doing shows. He talks here about his roots in post-war England, and about meeting the other original members of The Who in high school. He discusses how they developed their unique sound, and dishes a little gossip about why he was once kicked out of the band after getting into a fight with drummer Keith Moon. He also has a good laugh about the band's supposed sense of style. And he gives insights into some of The Who's best-loved songs. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2022

As Americans struggle to pay their bills in the face of inflation, policymakers and economists are debating the best way to control rising prices. Central to that debate are ideas first put forward by Milton Friedman, winner of the 1976 Nobel Prize for economics, and a leading theorist of inflation. Friedman was an outspoken proponent of the free market and small government, and one of the most influential economists of all time. His ideas on monetary policy, taxation, privatization and deregulation have had enormous impact on government policies in the U.S. (and around the world) for over 50 years, including the Federal Reserve’s response to the global financial crisis. In this re-broadcast of our episode (which originally posted in 2020), Friedman talks about growing up in a home with poorly-educated, immigrant parents, and about how he fell in love with math. He explains how the Depression and the New Deal opened his eyes to the importance of economics. And he lays out his analysis of market forces and the role of government. Thirty years after this interview was recorded, his ideas are as provocative as ever. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2020-2022

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2022

We celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 - Oct 15) by taking a new listen to our 2017 episode on United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Sotomayor tells the extraordinary story of her voyage from the most dangerous neighborhood in the United States, to the highest court in the land -- a voyage fueled by the power of words. In a wide-ranging conversation with NPR's Nina Totenberg, recorded at the Supreme Court in 2016, Sotomayor shares her earliest memories of life in the tenements of the South Bronx: her diagnosis with diabetes, her trips to the market with her beloved grandmother, her father's death, and her love affair with books. She also talks about how she learned to learn, and to rely on the wisdom of friends and colleagues -- skills that carried her through Princeton, Yale, her prestigious legal career, and one beautiful throw from the pitcher's mound. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2022

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2022

One was an aggressive, no-holds-barred television interviewer. One was a newspaper columnist, who employed gentle satire to swipe at the rich and the powerful. Mike Wallace and Art Buchwald were leading media figures for fifty-plus years: Wallace as the co-host of "60 Minutes", Buchwald as the Washington Post humorist whose column was syndicated to over 500 newspapers. They went after the truth in very different ways, but they were the best of friends. They jokingly called themselves "The Blues Brothers" because they helped each other get through serious bouts of depression. Mike Wallace and Art Buchwald talk here about their childhoods (both were first-generation Americans) and share stories of the tragedies in their lives. They also describe how they got into the news business. No doubt you'll be amused to hear Wallace in the early days of radio, reading an ad for Mars Candy Bars! (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2022

BB King began life as a humble Mississippi cotton farmer, and ended up one of the most influential guitarists and singers of the past century. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones and many others are among his disciples. During his lifetime he was celebrated by presidents, kings & queens - and declared a national treasure. The interview you’ll hear in this episode was recorded at the 2004 Academy of Achievement Summit in Chicago, and includes stories about King’s prowess on a cotton field as well his awakening to the racial injustice all around him. He recalls seeing the bodies of people who’d been lynched… and years later, the feeling he had the first time he arrived to play before an adoring crowd of white fans. This episode originally posted in 2015. The thrill is definitely not gone! (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2015-2022

Transcribed - Published: 22 August 2022

It is the rare writer who can make history so compelling, so alive, that people will flock to read it. David McCullough, who died last Sunday, was one of those writers. He was the author of two Pulitzer Prize-winning books: one about President Harry Truman and one about President John Adams. In honor of Mr. McCullough, we are reposting this episode from 2020 which featured him and two other great presidential historians: Stephen Ambrose and David Herbert Donald. They talk here about their subjects as if they had gone back in time and returned, breathless, to share the stories they'd heard. And each writer explains how he fell under the spell of history and made it his life's work. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2020-2022

Transcribed - Published: 9 August 2022

The most astonishing winning streak in the history of sports, belonged to the Boston Celtics. They won eleven championships between 1957 and 1969, eight of those in a row. And the player at the center of those wins - was Bill Russell, who died this week at the age of 88. Russell changed the game of basketball, with his incredible speed, and his ability to block shots as no player had done before. When he took over as coach of the Celtics (while still playing on the team), he became the first African-American coach of any major sport in the U.S. In this episode, which first ran in 2017, Russell talks about his life in basketball, and he describes how he was shaped by the racism he confronted, on and off the court. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2022

Transcribed - Published: 3 August 2022

These two remarkable men, from opposite sides of the 30-year "Troubles" in Northern Ireland, bravely reached across the divide and waged peace. They were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998. David Trimble, who died on July 25th, 2022, was the leader of the Protestant pro-British Ulster Unionist Party. John Hume, who died in 2020, was a Catholic civil rights and political leader. In a poll several years ago, he was voted the greatest person in Irish history. They talk here about the underpinnings of the brutal fighting that tore Northern Ireland apart, and they explain how and why they were able to negotiate a peace deal and begin the healing. They also offer some important lessons to the rest of the world. This episode originally ran two years ago. We are re-posting it this week in honor of David Trimble. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2020-2022

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2022

No one could tell a story better than Frank McCourt. His first book, Angela's Ashes, remains one of the most compelling accounts of poverty, alcoholism, and the longing for a better life. It won a Pulitzer Prize 25 years ago, and transformed McCourt from a modest immigrant and a lifelong high school teacher, into a literary celebrity. In this episode, which originally posted in 2017, you'll hear McCourt hold forth with tremendous humor and that lyrical voice - about the miseries of his childhood in Ireland, as well as his passion for teaching and writing. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2022

Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2022

Fifteen years ago, a sleek pocket-sized device was introduced that would change much about how we interact in the world: the iPhone. This is the intimate history of the two men who created it. Steve Jobs famously co-founded Apple. In the late 90’s, when the company was failing, he hired a young engineer and designer named Tony Fadell, who created a little device that became known as the iPod. It not only turned Apple’s fortunes around, it transformed the music industry and the experience of listening. Fadell’s next assignment was the iPhone, which changed the nature of communication itself. After leaving Apple, Fadell went on to found Nest Labs, a company that has begun to alter the technology of the home. You’ll hear Tony Fadell’s fascinating personal story, told with all the passion and enthusiasm he brings to his game-changing inventions. And you’ll hear Steve Jobs, speaking as a young man (in 1982) about what it takes to innovate. This episode originally posted in 2016. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2022

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2022

The COVID-19 vaccine came out at warp speed because of the work of these two scientists. For many years they had been investigating the secrets of messenger RNA (mRNA). And when the pandemic began, their research was ready and waiting. On this episode you’ll hear Katalin Karikó talk about her humble beginnings in Hungary, and the forces that enabled her to persevere, even though for decades people thought her ideas about mRNA were laughable. She was denied grants, lost jobs and wasn’t taken seriously, but she never wavered. Fortunately, she met Drew Weissman one day at a copy machine, where they both worked at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Weissman was an immunologist, working on a vaccine for HIV. He was interested in Karikó’s work and they began to collaborate. Even when they made major discoveries, they could not get support for their work… until the Corona Virus appeared. Now the scientific world sees the potential that Karikó and Weissman saw all along: that mRNA may open the door to many other vaccines and to therapeutic treatment for a host of illnesses, from Cancer to Sickle Cell Anemia to Heart Disease. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2022

Lauryn Hill has had an outsized impact on the world of hip-hop, soul and R&B. She entered the music world in the mid-1990’s as one third of the band The Fugees, and soon after released a solo album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”. It was a phenomenon, and swept the Grammys. But then Ms. Hill pretty much vanished from music and public life, in an internal battle between fame, family and faith. On this episode you’ll hear the incomparable and enigmatic Lauryn Hill, speaking in 2000, just as she had begun her retreat. She’s open, honest, raw and very funny about the transformation she was undergoing. This episode originally posted in 2016. We're bringing it back to usher in summer! (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2022

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2022

Norman Mineta spent three years in a internment camp for Japanese-Americans when he was a child. But this shameful period in American history did not deter him from becoming a celebrated civil servant, one who broke racial barriers to become a 10-term U.S. Congressman from California and the first Asian-American member of the Cabinet. In honor of Norm Mineta, who died last week at the age of 90, and in celebration of Asian-American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we invite you to take a second listen to our episode from 2020. It also features the story of long-serving U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, a veteran of the most decorated regiment in US history, the 442nd. The 442nd was a segregated Japanese-American unit that fought in Europe after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. These two stories stand in stark contrast, and reflect some of the worst - and best - impulses in America. And they are a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2020-2022

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2022

As a tribute to Naomi Judd, who died on Saturday night at the age of 76, we are re-posting our episode from 2017. Ms. Judd's life and storied career had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster, as she talked about here. For eight glorious years, she and her daughter Wynonna were the biggest country music sensation of the 1980's, with fourteen number one hits, sold-out stadium tours, and too many rhinestones to count. But Naomi's life before and after was far from glamorous. Her early years in a small-town Kentucky were tumultuous and at times traumatic. She struggled as a young single mom on welfare. But singing transformed her relationship with Wynonna, and took them to the heights of the music industry. As she shared in this conversation, however, a devastating case of Hepatitis brought it all crashing down, then eventually led her to a place of tremendous insight and gratitude. Naomi Judd died just one night before she and Wynonna were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Her death was announced by her daughter, actress Ashley Judd, who wrote on Twitter: “We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness.” (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2022

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2022

Only four women have ever received the Nobel Prize in Physics. This episode features two of them! Andrea Ghez unlocked a secret of the universe when she figured out how to prove the existence of a super-massive black hole in the center of our galaxy. Donna Strickland devised a way of producing far more intense and precise lasers. Those lasers have changed manufacturing, cancer treatments, and eye surgeries, and promise to offer insights into the fundamental principles of physics. Both Ghez and Strickland talk here about their lives and about becoming world-class scientists at a time when women were under-represented, under-appreciated, and often unrecognized for their achievements. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2022

Russia's war in Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin's threat to unleash nuclear weapons, has put the world on edge. In 2018 we explored the complicated history of the nuclear age, and we thought it was an opportune time to revisit that episode. Our story focuses on Edward Teller, often called "The Father of the Hydrogen Bomb". He was also the force behind Reagan's Star Wars initiative, and the model for "Dr. Strangelove". Teller was a Hungarian math prodigy who fled Hitler's Germany. In America, he became one of the leading scientists at Los Alamos, developing the atomic bomb in a race against the Nazi war machine. But while many of Teller's colleagues later became disheartened by what they had unleashed, Teller stayed the course. His story is told here in his own voice, and by many of the other scientists who created the first weapons of mass destruction. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2018-2022

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2022

The Tuskegee Airmen were some of the bravest and best pilots to ever fly for the United States Armed Forces. One of the last surviving members of the pioneering African-American fighting force, is Lieutenant Colonel James Harvey. He faced tremendous discrimination during his career, but he became the very first winner of the Top Gun competition. The success of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II led to the desegregation of the military. And that opened a path for fighter pilot Charles Q. Brown, the current Chief of Staff for the U.S Air Force, and the first African-American to lead any branch of the military. Both men share their extraordinary stories, and talk about how they persevered against the odds. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2022

During March Madness, can you think of anything more satisfying to do between games than listen to an interview with legendary UCLA coach John Wooden?! Wooden led his team to more NCAA championships than any other coach in history, and he did it with a quiet, old-fashioned approach that challenged notions of what it takes to win. Even if you're not a sports fan, you can find lessons and inspiration from Coach Wooden's leadership. In this episode, which originally posted in 2016, Wooden talks about his fatherly love for the players, his famous pyramid of success, and the difference between reputation and character. He also explains why basketball is the greatest spectator sport there is. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2022

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2022

Last week, a shocking photograph was seen around the world. It showed a Ukrainian mother and her two children - lying dead on the street - killed by Russian mortar fire. The picture was taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario. Addario has covered wars and humanitarian crises in 70 countries, including Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and now Ukraine. She has been kidnapped twice and has been badly injured on the job, but she is determined to open our eyes to the state of the world and the human toll of violence, no matter the risk. This episode originally posted in 2018, but is just as timely today. Lynsey Addario is a lively storyteller who brings emotion and humor to every tale, whether she’s describing growing up the child of hairdressers, the harrowing details of her kidnapping in Libya, or the heartbreaking work of documenting women who die in childbirth. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2018-2022

Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2022

Andrew Young has worn many hats: pastor, congressman, ambassador & mayor, but his first role in public service was as Martin Luther King Jr’s strategist and negotiator. He was at King’s side for many of the biggest battles of the civil rights movement, and he helped draft and secure the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In this encore episode (originally published in 2016), Young shares his unique, personal stories about that turbulent period in our country’s history - from the center of the storm. He pays tribute to the women who were the often unacknowledged backbone of the civil rights struggle. And he recounts his fascinating life story, from his youngest days growing up in New Orleans, where his father taught him to fight racism with brains and heart, to his spiritual revelation at the top of a mountain. Our next episode will feature a brand new interview with Andrew Young, as he turns 90 years old, and reflects on the state of democracy, race & politics in America. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2022

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2022

In the fall of 1955, Rosa Parks refused to stand for a white passenger on the bus, Martin Luther King Jr. was chosen to lead the boycott that followed, and a lawyer named Frank Johnson was appointed to be the first and only federal judge for the middle district of Alabama (also the youngest federal judge in the nation). These three people didn't know each other, and yet, their paths converged in Montgomery, at the crossroads of history. In this episode, you'll hear rare audio of Ms. Parks describing the day of her arrest, and you'll learn the lesser known story of Judge Johnson, a principled and stubborn Southerner from northern Alabama, who issued many of the court decisions decimating segregation throughout the south. The episode was originally published in July, 2017. This encore edition, for Black History Month, includes new audio from a recently-conducted interview with Civil Rights Movement leader, Andrew Young. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2022

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2022

Every time the Olympics roll around, we’re regaled with inspiring stories of the athletes. Well, it’s hard to imagine a more inspiring story than this one, from long ago. Tenley Albright was the very first American woman to win the Olympic gold medal in figure skating, and the first to win the World Championship. That was in 1956. It was a remarkable feat, made all the more so, because Tenley Albright was a polio survivor. After those Olympics, she entered Harvard Medical School - one of only 5 women - and spent the next decades as a surgeon, a researcher, and a professor. At 86, she is still running a center she founded at MIT to devise creative solutions to public health issues. She talks here about how her recovery from polio contributed to her success as a skater, and how the lessons of skating prepared her for a life in medicine. She also tells some wonderful stories from the Winter Olympics, and shares her gentle insights about motivation and competition. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2022

E.O. Wilson was sometimes called "the father of biodiversity," sometimes "a modern-day Darwin," and sometimes simply "Ant Man." His recent death was an enormous loss to the world of biology and environmentalism. You'll hear him tell wonderful stories here, including one about how a childhood disability gave him a great advantage in his work. You'll also get to know two major figures in a related field: ethnobotany. Richard Schultes created the field with his groundbreaking studies in the Amazon, back in the 1940’s & 50’s. He studied the plants that the indigenous populations used for healing, in an effort to identify new molecules that could be used in modern medicine. Along the way, he discovered over 2,000 plants previously unknown to science. One of Schultes' proteges was Wade Davis, who furthered the work of ethnobotany, and today is a best-selling author of books about indigenous cultures around the world. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2022

Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2022

Sidney Poitier changed America’s view of black men. And he changed Hollywood. The star of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “The Defiant Ones,” and “In The Heat of the Night” became, in 1964, the first African-American to win an Academy Award (for “Lillies of the Field”). He was a leading man and box office sensation throughout the 1950’s and 60’s, portraying a huge array of characters with a dignity, courage and humanity that was radical for its time. Sidney Poitier died on Thursday, January 6th, at the age of 94. In his honor, we are reposting this episode from 2016. In it, Poitier talks about his remarkable life, and he describes how his childhood on a tiny island in the Bahamas made all the difference in his view of himself, and in the choices he made throughout his career as an actor. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2022

Transcribed - Published: 8 January 2022

Desmond Tutu was the moral force that helped bring down Apartheid in South Africa. As a young priest, he was not very political, despite the fact that he’d grown up under the most brutal form of segregation. But his theology evolved, he says, and he realized it was a divine calling to fight for justice. Archbishop Tutu died on December 26th, 2021. In his honor, we are replaying this episode from December of 2015. In it, you’ll hear Archbishop Tutu describe his personal, spiritual and political journey -- including the Nobel Peace Prize and chairmanship of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. You’ll also hear his passionate explanation of why humans are essentially good, no matter how often the facts seem to suggest otherwise. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2015-2021

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2021

Edna O'Brien's first novel, "The Country Girls," was banned in Ireland, and burned in her own home parish. The year was 1960, and young Irish women of that era were NOT supposed to reflect on their lot in life, or harbor sexual desires. But Edna O'Brien had one goal as a young writer - to tell the truth. Decades later, her compatriots finally came to view her the way the rest of the world did: as a trailblazer, and as one of Ireland's greatest living writers. Forty plus books and plays later, truth-telling is still Edna O'Brien's goal. She talks here, at age 91, about her life and her love of words. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2021

Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2021

Steven Spielberg hired Janusz Kaminski as the cinematographer for "Schindler's List” twenty-five years ago, and they have worked together, hand-in-glove, ever since. Their collaboration has produced "Saving Private Ryan," "Bridge of Spies," "Lincoln," and many others, including the new, eagerly-awaited "West Side Story," which opens December 10th. In this episode, which originally posted in 2016, both filmmakers tell how they fell in love with the movies and learned to make them. Spielberg talks about his first camera and trusting his instincts, and Kaminski talks about how growing up in 1970's Poland gave him an unusual eye on the world. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2021

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2021

He grew up next door to Oscar Hammerstein and became his greatest protege. In 1957, he wrote the lyrics for "West Side Story," and for the next 60 years dominated the world of musical theater, and transformed it. His songs managed to express the most complex and vital human emotions, and touched generations of theatergoers. Stephen Sondheim was still writing and composing at 91, until Thanksgiving night, when he died suddenly, hours after dining with a group of friends. The shows he leaves behind include "West Side Story," "Gypsy," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "Company," "A Little Night Music," "Sweeney Todd," "Sunday in the Park with George," "Into the Woods," and "Assassins." In this episode, which originally posted in 2018, he pulls back the curtain on his life and work, giving fascinating insights into some of the greatest Broadway collaborations of all time, and into the process of writing a song for the stage. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2018-2021

Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2021

While listening to this episode, we dare you to NOT sing out loud. Carole King and Hal David were each one half of a legendary songwriting duo, and each responsible for many of the greatest songs of the 1960’s and 70’s (too many to start mentioning here, but we packed as many as we could into the podcast). If you like a medley, you’re in the right place. Carole King worked with (and was married to) Gerry Goffin. Hal David worked with Burt Bacharach. They all worked in New York City’s Brill Building early in their careers, surrounded by record label execs, music publishers, radio promoters, and pianos. Lots and lots of pianos. The impact they had on music in the second half of the 20th century is undisputed. This episode originally posted in 2016. We present this encore version in honor of Carole King's 2021 induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2016-2021

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2021

Much of what we've learned over the past half-century about the ancient Egyptians, we've learned from these two archaeologists. They've both made major discoveries and have played a crucial role in protecting the pyramids and burial sites for future generations. Zahi Hawass is a National Geographic explorer, and once oversaw all of antiquities Egyptian government. But beyond that, he has drawn millions of tourists to visit Egypt, with his many books and television documentaries. He wears a signature hat, and is famous for his outsized personality. Kent Weeks is a more professorial type. He is retired now, but for 60 years lived and breathed the life of the Pharaohs. He created what many consider the most important preservation effort ever undertaken in Egypt: The Theban Mapping Project. It catalogued every tomb and every shard of pottery unearthed in The Valley of the Kings. We hear just what motivated each of them to spend their lives unearthing the secrets of a 5,000 year old civilization. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2021

Transcribed - Published: 8 November 2021

Colin Powell, who died on October 18, 2021, wore many hats during his distinguished career in public service, among them: Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and National Security Advisor. And he was the first African-American to hold each of those positions. When he joined the Army in the 1950's, though, his only ambition was to be a good soldier. It was beyond the realm of possibility for the son of working class Jamaican immigrants to aspire much higher. In this episode, which originally posted in September of 2017, you'll hear Powell's stories about his journey from the South Bronx, to the jungles of Vietnam, to the Jim Crow South, to the highest reaches of government, and about the decades of American history he helped shape. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2017-2021

Transcribed - Published: 25 October 2021

He had a voice that could make a mountain quake. And his impact on the world of music is legendary. As fans prepare to celebrate the arrival of a new Johnny Cash album -- recorded live in 1968 but never released -- we take a second listen to the very first episode of What It Takes. You'll hear the deeply introspective Cash near the end of his career (1993). He reflects on how he overcame considerable personal obstacles and turned his failures into the stepping stones to success. He also talks about the first music he remembers, the voice teacher who advised him to stop taking lessons, and the source of his creativity. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2015-2021

Transcribed - Published: 18 October 2021

The 1960's, 70's and 80's brought about a revolution in the treatment of heart and kidney disease. Dialysis, organ transplants, coronary bypass, open heart surgery and many other procedures that we think of as almost routine today - were created during those decades. Meet three of the important innovators who, between them, have saved millions of lives. Denton Cooley performed the first human-to-human heart transplant, Willem Kolff invented dialysis and is considered the father of artificial organs, and William DeVries was the first surgeon to implant a permanent artificial heart in a dying patient. They tell the stories here of what led them to the forefront of their field, and describe the rewards of a career spent saving lives. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2021

Transcribed - Published: 4 October 2021

George Lucas’s only dream as a teenager was to race cars, but he went on to create the most popular films in motion picture history. Along the way, while writing and directing Star Wars, Indiana Jones and American Graffiti, he learned life-changing lessons about humility, generosity, and the inestimable value of friendship…. as well as the secret to happiness. A not-too-subtle hint here: it has nothing to do with fame and fortune. *This episode was originally published in 2015. (c ) American Academy of Achievement 2015-2021

Transcribed - Published: 20 September 2021