Artistic License With Rachel Woodall From Wgn Plus

If you listened to episode one of our BJJ mini-series, you’re on your way to being well-versed in the basic language of BJJ, thanks to our panel of experts. To help us now dive further into the world of jiu-jitsu, we welcome Valerie Worthington. After 18 years of training, Val is a black belt who’s accomplishments reach far past the mat: she has written two books on BJJ, traveled and trained around the country, and co-founded Groundswell Grappling. Valerie, Sam Spiegelman, and Rachel […]

This Artistic License is a little different from the rest. This episode includes a podcast that my cousins and I put together last year for our grandparents’ 62nd wedding anniversary. Not too long after that, my grandfather passed away from a five year battle with lung cancer. The end of the podcast today is the speech I gave in celebration of his life on Earth. Today, we celebrate what would be their 63rd wedding anniversary. This podcast is dedicated to Ronald F. Woodall, to his wife, Janet, and to […]

He has been through all that was and stands tall in what is today. Whispering Bill Anderson shares with us glimpses inside the world that is his mind- one of a songwriter, a family man, and now an author- and wearing all these hats in the face of adversity. Bill is a country music legend: he sang 80 charting singles, discovered Connie Smith, and toured with Johnny Cash. He wrote songs which were recorded by artists like James Brown, Dean Martin, Jerry […]

Between Who’s Line coming back to tv, and the growing popularity of theaters like Second City, many people are at least vaguely familiar with the art of improv…but there’s always more to learn. The improv team at Crystal Lake Central high school today is flourishing. In this episode of Artistic License, the CLC Laughletes take us through the world of improv from their eyes.   Check out the Laughletes live THIS FRIDAY, May 20 at 7pm in the Crystal Lake Central Auditorium. More Artistic License: Website / Facebook […]

In “Exploring BJJ,” Rachel Woodall and Tim Apuli dive into the world of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Throughout this four-part series, we will explore the basics, the niches, and the art of it all. For the first episode, we are joined by New Breed Training Center’s Mark Vives and Samuel Spiegelman, as well as Lake County Brazilian Jiu-jitsu’s Carlos Archila. It’s time for jiu-jitsu 101. If you’re just starting, if you’ve never stepped onto a mat, or if you’ve been at it for awhile now, […]

One year ago today, we posted the first episode of Artistic License. Today, Rachel Woodall narrates a look back at the past year of podcasts. We’ve had so many different kinds of artists on the podcast in the first year: musicians, extreme nature survivalists, actors, cosplayers, coffee aficionados. We’ve featured adults and children, celebrities and neighbors. We have had the opportunity to go to events like Comic Con, Riotfest, and a live taping of the Gilmore Guys podcast. Sit back, relax, […]

Kawehi is a Hawaiian-born, one-woman band with a sound unlike any other. Her unique blend of beatboxing, synth, guitar, and vocals are created one layer at a time. Kawehi just released her latest EP, Interaktiv. The EP, like all of her past releases, was funded via Kickstarter. What is most interesting about her campaigns, however, is what the fans get in return for donations: input into her sound. They get to vote on song topics, genres, album artwork, etc. This episode of […]

Listen to Rachel Woodall’s full conversation with The Gilmore Guys, Kevin Porter and Demi Adejuyigbe. They chat about the formation of their podcast, the evolution of the podcasting world, the Gilmore fandom, their live shows, and what’s next. Plus, they answer rapid fire, Gilmore-related questions submitted by Artistic License listeners.   And don’t forget to check out our other podcast which featured the Gilmore Guys: More Gilmore Guys. More Artistic License.

Gilmore Girls is a show which has earned truly it’s place in our cultural lexicon. Even if you haven’t seen it, you’re bound to know something about it. The Gilmore Girls are a fast-talking, coffee-loving, pop culture-spouting mother and daughter duo. Although the show ended it’s run in 2007, it has retained a large, loyal fanbase. The show’s intro to Netflix in 2014 sparked a new bout of fans and even generated enough buzz to award the show a Netflix […]

Ahh, musical theater. From community stages all the way to the shining lights of Broadway, musicals have remained woven into our national fabric. In recent years, shows like “The Book of Mormon” and “Hamilton” have reminded a larger audience that musicals are a powerful weapon of pop culture. But where does it all begin? No one starts on Broadway. Many actors and actresses put their skills to the test for the first time on the high school stage. Rachel Woodall, a high […]

Sir the Baptist joins Rachel Woodall live in studio for this episode of Artistic License. Sir talks about the Chuch people movement, the importance of social activism in music, and his take on gospel music’s future. He gives a lesson in urban hymns, theology, and the boundaries that need to be broken in gospel music and in activism. The interview is interlaced with songs from his upcoming album,Preacher’s Kid. For more Sir the Baptist, visit his website here. Artistic License Website.

Graham Sharp, one of The Steep Canyon Rangers‘ six members, joins Rachel Woodall on Artistic License. The band’s most recent release, Radio, is their ninth studio album. Sharp discusses his writing process, collaboration among the group, their relationship with Steve Martin, and the future of bluegrass music. This and more, on the podcast! For more Steep Canyon Rangers, visit their website here.  

The one and only Drake Bell joins Rachel Woodall & Tim Apuli at the WGN Radio studios. They chat about his music career, balancing several passions at once, charities he loves, and life beyond the Nickelodeon universe. Hear tidbits about Drake’s every day life, his writing process, and how he seems to do it all at once! This and more, on the podcast.   http://serve.castfire.com/audio/2619053/2619053_2015-11-22-122353.64kmono.mp3?ad_params=zones%3DPreroll%7Cstation_id%3D3736.mp3   Check out the video of Drake Bell’s exclusive Artistic License performance here!

The great James Van Osdol recently interviewed our own Rachel Woodall on WGN Radio about Artistic License.  They discuss the birth of the podcast, some of their favorite episodes, and what is coming next! Listen below:

These are the times of the “Great Podcast Renaissance.” Podcasts are everywhere, this decade-young media form growing into it’s prime as each day passes. To dig into the art of it all, it only made sense to chat with two of the frontmen in this audio movement. Josh Clark and Charles W. “Chuck” Bryant are the hosts of the “Stuff You Should Know” podcast from How Stuff Works and Discovery, responsible for almost 800 episodes and 15 billion downloads. The podcast covers […]

Rachel Woodall got the chance to sit down with R&B singer-songwriter, SoMo, before his recent performance at the House of Blues Chicago. They talked about everything from his rise on Youtube to his favorite thing about love, as well as his latest mixtape, My Life II. SoMo also discusses his favorite things about being on the road and his creative processes. Listen to the podcast and look for a video with more SoMo coming soon! You can find more on SoMo, including […]

We walked past Tenacious D’s stage, through a carnival, and straight into a crowd of Snoop Dogg fans. The art of music cannot be confined into any narrow category. Neither can Riot Fest, for that matter. Rachel Woodall and Tim Apuli spent last weekend at Chicago’s Douglas Park for Riot Fest. Rachel narrates their first Riot Fest experience, and then chats with Philadelphia rap trio, Ground Up. Listen for a musical journey through the festival and a look into the minds of […]

Rachel Woodall and Tim Apuli traveled  all the way to Wizard World…Comic Con, that is! The four day convention truly is a unique experience, especially for the uninitiated like ourselves. Listen as we venture for the first time through Artist Alley, participate in a panel with the Green Power Ranger, and take a peek inside the lives of cosplayers. All of that and more on the podcast. Also be sure to check out our Comic Con photo gallery here, and the Comic Con Cosplayers […]

Shane Lewis is a travel and survival veteran. Throughout his adult life, he’s traveled to 76 countries and stayed in every kind of accommodation you can imagine: from hostels to a sleeping bag upon a glacier. Perhaps one of his most adventurous (and certainly most public) excursions has been his time on “Naked and Afraid” and “Naked and Afraid XL.” The show pits survivalists in extreme situations and leaves them for 21 and 40 days, respectively. The catch? They’re totally […]

Jeff Zausch is a born survivalist; from the tender age of nine, he’s been testing the limits of his environment and his body in all sorts of outdoor survival situations. Perhaps one of his most adventurous (and certainly most public) has been his time on “Naked and Afraid” and “Naked and Afraid XL.” The show pits survivalists in extreme situations and leaves them for 21 and 40 days, respectively. The catch? They’re totally naked. Rachel Woodall chats with Jeff about […]