James Alford reflects on a long, “wonderful” life that began in poverty and heavy responsibility as the eldest child on a Mississippi farm. He joined the Army at 17½, serving in the post-WWII occupation and later Korea, traveling across the Far East and briefly working around General MacArthur. A devout Christian and staunch patriot, he believes America was founded as a Christian nation and centers his “five loves” on God, family, nation, anthem, and flag. After the military he built a career in commercial art and advertising, starting at Coca-Cola and eventually running a successful agency with major accounts. Golf and business connections brought friendships with generals, executives, golf legends, and entertainers. He also cherishes his Civil War–era family history, which he recorded in a book. Now widowed and aging, he remains grateful, despite the nation’s troubles today, confident he’ll be reunited with his wife and loved ones in heaven.

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To learn more about my work and the conversations I care about, find me at @hey_dad_can_we

🎙️Host: https://www.instagram.com/hey_dad_can_we/

In this Interesting Humans episode, guitarist Paul Harrigill shares his inspiring journey from humble Louisiana roots to touring the world with Josh Turner. Raised in a pastor’s family steeped in gospel and bluegrass, Paul began performing at age five and formed The Harrigill Family Band by age ten. After dropping out of high school to pursue music full-time, he joined the acclaimed bluegrass group Flat Lonesome, where he met his wife, Kelsey. Together, they earned record deals, major awards, and national recognition before stepping away from touring life to focus on family. Paul reflects on struggles with self-doubt, faith, and financial hardship before receiving a life-changing call in 2020 to join Josh Turner’s band — just before the pandemic hit. His story is a testament to perseverance, humility, and unwavering belief in the power of music and family.

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To learn more about my work and the conversations I care about, find me at @hey_dad_can_we

In this episode of Interesting Humans, “Bonneau Ansley: My Comeback Story [Dyslexia to $440 Million],” real estate mogul Bonneau Ansley recounts his journey from struggling with dyslexia to building a $440 million business empire. He begins by describing the challenges he faced in school: being labeled “stupid,” failing classes, and internalizing negative expectations. Rather than letting that define him, Ansley used that adversity as motivation.

He emphasizes the importance of persistence and resilience. Rather than giving into defeat or pity, he chose to outwork others—putting in long hours, sacrificing comfort, and embracing the grind. He also credits mentors and role models who believed in him when nobody else did, giving him both encouragement and practical guidance.

Another key theme is self-belief. Ansley argues that success starts with a mindset—if you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. He insists that “vision” and “belief” must precede results, and that failures are simply data points to learn from. He urges viewers to redefine failure, treating it as feedback, not an endpoint.

Finally, he underlines the value of giving back: as his wealth grew, so did his commitment to supporting others—particularly those with learning differences or disadvantaged backgrounds. His story is framed as a “comeback,” not just personally, but in showing how limitations can be transformed into fuel for breakthrough success.

🎙️Host : @jeffhopeck

🚀Guest : @bonneau_ansley

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To learn more about my work and the conversations I care about, find me at @hey_dad_can_we