The blues has inspired many things, whether new genres of music, dance, or works of art. But as today's guest regularly reminds us, perhaps the most important part of all of it is that the blues inspires people. It helps people learn, grow, and find themselves in their community. In this episode, Dr. Chelsea Adams sits down with award-winning children's book author Alice Faye Duncan to discuss her newest children's book on blues, Blues Boy: The B.B. King Story, as well as her previous book on blues, Yellow Dog Blues.

Guest: Alice Faye Duncan Link to her Website: https://alicefayeduncan.com/ Links to Purchase Books: Blues Boy: The B.B. King Story Yellow Dog Blues

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

To start off 2026, Dr. Chelsea Adams features a blues festival supporting mental health resources in her hometown of Ogden, Utah. In this episode, she features artists Sun Tiger, Carrie Scott, and Tony Holiday along with community members and attendees.

Guests: Sandra Hohmann, Sun Tiger, Carrie Scott, Tony Holiday, and Various Ogden Community Members Link to the Mitten Durch Festival: https://www.facebook.com/MittenDurchfest/

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

Dr. Justin McLendon, a professor of theology at Grand Canyon University and department chair for the Master of Arts programs for Grand Canyon Theological Seminary, joins Dr. Adams to discuss his chapter in his edited collection Theology and the Blues, part of a series from Lexington Books on Theology, Religion, and Pop Culture. They cover everything from philosophy and Civil Rights to lamentation and Christianity in the blues.

Guest: Dr. Justin McLendon Link to the Edited Collection: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/theology-and-the-blues-9781978714588/

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

Join Dr. Adams as she gets to know the lead band members of the multi-award winning blues band Piper and the Hard Times. They talk building relationships as musicians, genre and how they view the blues, and the songwriting process for the band and their new album. And for dancers, they've got a unique opportunity!

Guests: Al "Piper" Green, Steve Eagon, and Dave Colella Website: https://www.piperandthehardtimes.com/

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

Al Chesis and his Delta Sonics played the Sunday set at Mile High Blues 2025. While they didn't have a chance to sit down and talk live, Al and Dr. Adams sat down before the event to talk about his career, life, and blues music.

Guest: Al Chesis Website: www.deltasonics.net/home

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

Join Rex Peoples and Dr. Adams as they discuss blues music and dance, culture, and take audience questions in this live recording from Mile High Blues.

Guest: Rex Peoples Website: www.rexpeoples.com

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

The podcast travels to Denver, CO for the first Mile High Blues since the pandemic to interview the Colorado blues greats at the event. Dr. Adams started the weekend off with a live-audience interview with Maynard Mills and John Long.

Guests: Maynard Mills and John Long Websites: https://maynardmills.com/ ; https://www.johnlongblues.com/

Article on Maynard Mills

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

Podcast intro music is Chicago Shuffle Blues, courtesy of JuliusH. Song can be found at https://pixabay.com/users/juliush-3921568/.

Dr. Adams sits down with Lady A to discuss her music, but overall, this is an episode about getting to know your neighbors, about lifting each other up, and about speaking up for those who may not have opportunities to succeed if you don’t.

Guest: Lady A Website: https://www.ladyababyblues.com/

Info for One Seattle Soul: https://therhapsodyproject.org/one-seattle-soul/

Produced by Dr. Chelsea Adams Post-Production by Jeremy Carberry

12-Bar Talk is brought to you from Ogden, Utah's "Junction City" full of blues and jazz history on Historic 25th Street. You can learn more about Ogden's rich black history at https://www.visitogden.com/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-ogden-utah/.

Podcast intro music is Chicago Shuffle Blues, courtesy of JuliusH. Song can be found at https://pixabay.com/users/juliush-3921568/.