Greg Brownderville - Podcast Details

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The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD30: My Weird Experience in WalesIn this episode, I'm joined by Nicole Morris for a discussion of my recent trip to Wales and the strange and fascinating experience I had there.2025-07-2145 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD29: Love in VainIn this episode I introduce a new series called Let's Talk Lyrics, beginning with "Love in Vain," a great blues song by Robert Johnson. As a native of the Delta region, I have been listening to, and playing, blues songs all my life. This song by Robert Johnson has been a big inspiration to me.In this new series, Let's Talk Lyrics, I discuss songs that have influenced me as a lyricist. I'll also introduce pieces of literature that relate to the songs and discuss the relationship between poetry and song lyrics. This should be helpful to...2025-06-2114 min

Hidden CityHCP #028 - Greg Brownderville: The Magic of Southern Folklore and Finding a Literary Home in Oak CliffGreg Brownderville is a poet, musician, professor of English at SMU, and editor of the Southwest Review. He joins us to talk about growing up in Pumpkin Bend, Arkansas, discovering community in Oak Cliff, and the deep influence of Southern folklore on his work. We dig into Firebones, his multimedia storytelling project, and Frontera Fest, a free literary and arts festival in Bishop Arts that blends voices from the U.S. and Latin America. Along the way, we talk ghosts, shade tree storytellers, and why literature should never be boring.2025-04-091h 04

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD28: A Crack in the Pavement#ritaguerrero #sergioloo #mexicanpoetry #mexicanrock #mexicocity #cdmx #santasabina In this episode I explore the poignant story of how Mexican rock star Rita Guerrero's life intersected with that of Mexican poet Sergio Loo.Have a look at _Southwest Review_:https://southwestreview.com/Subscribe to _Southwest Review_ here:https://southwestreview.com/subscribe/2025-03-071h 18

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD27: How I Became a PoetIn this episode I am interviewed by Robert Ehlert of the SMU Perspectives podcast.2024-10-1049 min

SMU PerspectivesSMU Poet Greg Brownderville: medium for a multitasking museWe waited to release our latest episode of SMU Perspectives Podcast until October because it’s the month of Halloween and pumpkins and things that go bump in the night. Our guest, SMU English Professor/Poet Greg Brownderville, hails from Pumpkin Bend, Ark., where folklore holds court like a poet-in-residence. It wafts through the Mississippi Delta breeze and lifts up mystical ideas like “marked” babies. That’s a situation where a tractor injury to a relative, like Greg’s father, might magically leave “marks” upon his sons. It did. Greg’s fascination with the “imagination of spirituality and the spirituality of ima...2024-10-0748 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD26: Speaking in Tongues and Cultural RecoveryIn this episode I discuss the connection between ecstatic worship practices in twelfth-century Wales and those of twentieth-century Wales. I show how Pentecostal worship in the early twentieth century brought Welsh worshippers closer to their own ancestral language and its rich literary history. Later in the video, I link Welsh and Lebanese Pentecostal worship practices and discuss how speaking and singing in tongues has helped Pat Davis—a Lebanese-American man in Mississippi—connect with the Arabic language that his forebears spoke.My previous episode about awen can be found here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF3w...2024-07-2929 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD25: Mysterious Welsh BreadIn this episode I offer a new way of interpreting the fascinating and mysterious bread imagery in folktales about marriages between Welsh faery women and mortal men.2024-06-2912 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD24: Let's Try This AgainA number of people in nineteenth-century Wales claimed faery ancestry. Specifically, they said a woman of the tylwyth teg (the "beautiful family," or Welsh faeries) had married a mortal Welshman, and that they were her descendants. In this episode I point up some parallels between these nineteenth-century oral histories and much earlier Welsh stories about the origins of the British people.2024-06-1412 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD24: Could There Be Faery Blood in Welsh Veins?#tylwythteg #faeries #welshmythology #welshfolklore #welshculture #britishfolklore In this episode I ask and attempt to answer the question "Could there be faery blood in Welsh veins?" Along the way I explain how stories about the Mediterranean origins of the Welsh people (particularly with reference to magical matriarchs associated with water) might shed light on the question.2024-06-0811 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD23: Experience the 2024 Eclipse Through PoetryIn this episode my poetry students at SMU invite you into the experience of 2024's total eclipse in Dallas, Texas, which occurred last month. The students talk about what it was like to see the eclipse, and then they read poems they wrote only fifteen minutes after totality. 2024-05-2316 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD22: Getting Married to Faeries, Magical Pigs, and Mike Tyson’s Beowulf MomentIn this episode I respond to questions from viewers, discussing (1) the faery blood running in Welsh veins, (2) the magical pigs in The Four Branches of the Mabinogi and the connection between dreams and myths, and (3), just for fun, the upcoming Mike Tyson / Jake Paul fight and how it relates to Beowulf, Toby Keith, and the Spoon River Anthology.I also tell the story of my days as a member of a blues band in the Arkansas Delta. Here's the essay I wrote about blues singer J. R. Hamilton, who was our band leader:https://southwestreview...2024-05-1331 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD21: Welsh MagicIn this episode I discuss the meaning of the magical force of awen in Welsh culture and interpret a few stories about the tylwyth teg (the Welsh faeries).2024-05-0637 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD20: The Magic of May DayIn this episode I talk with renowned British historian Ronald Hutton about May Eve and May Day. Ronald offers tips as to how we might celebrate this wondrous holiday and weave it into our lives.2024-05-0137 min $D Magazine\'s EarBurner$ D Magazine's EarBurner176: Greg Brownderville starts a literary festivalGreg is an SMU professor who hails from Pumpkin Bend, Arkansas. He's also the lead singer for Beekeeper Spaceman and the editor of the Southwest Review. It is under the auspices of the latter that he is launching a new literary festival. Frontera runs April 12 and 13 in three Oak Cliff venues (Wild Detectives, the Texas Theatre, and the Kessler Theater). So we talked with Greg about how you stage a lit fest that feels less like homework and more like a party. And we talked about one of the most amazing physical feats ever performed in the city of...2024-04-0852 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD19: Celebrating Hen Galan, the "Old New Year," in WalesIn this episode I tell about my recent experience celebrating a West Wales holiday called Hen Galan ("the Old New Year"). The centerpiece of the episode is my conversation with a young man named Carwyn, for whom Hen Galan and the historic pub where it is celebrated are of deep emotional and cultural importance. Bessie Davies, the woman and pub owner who did so much to keep Hen Galen alive, had passed away only a month before I arrived. The nighttime festivities still took place at her pub, but this was the first time in over seventy years that...2024-03-3153 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD18: A Pumpkin Bend ChristmasFor this special Christmas edition of GBD, I set up in my dad's shop in Pumpkin Bend, Arkansas, and talked with him about what Christmas has meant to him through the different stages of his life. 2023-12-2745 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD17: Working Men, Fighting Men (featuring Johnson, Dylan, Haggard, and Heidegger)In this episode I discuss the personalities of professional fighters Alexander Volkanovski and Tyson Fury in connection with three songs by Robert Johnson, Merle Haggard, and Bob Dylan.Purchase Beekeeper Spaceman here:https://shop.bandwear.com/products/be..."Workin’ Man Blues" by Merle Haggard:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EwK0..."Workingman's Blues #2" by Bob Dylanhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGT7X..."They're Red Hot" by Robert Johnsonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ehtc...2023-12-1245 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD16: How to Celebrate Michaelmas, a Forgotten Fall HolidayIn this episode I describe the forgotten fall holiday called Michaelmas, give my thoughts on its meaning, and offer some ideas about how to celebrate it.2023-10-2826 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD15: Poems for AutumnThe scorching triple-digit heat in Texas (where I live) certainly isn't giving anyone a fall feeling, so I'm turning to autumnal poetry to change the emotional weather. In this episode I read and discuss seven poems that convey the enchantment of autumn.I recorded the video for this episode with my phone in a hotel room; forgive the less-than-amazing video quality.Links to the poems I read in this video:"Autumn" by T. E. Hulmehttps://poets.org/poem/autumn-3"First Fall" by Maggie Smithhttps://apoemaday.tumblr.com...2023-09-1011 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionEp. 15: The Aesthetics of IncarnationWhy does God allow us to suffer? Why would God let his own son suffer and die? In this episode I present an unconventional way of thinking about these age-old, troubling questions. This is the second installment in my new series on the poetics of wordhood.2023-06-1015 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD14: The Bead SpitterThis episode kicks off a special series on poetics, built around the idea of “wordhood.” I discuss a Dakota myth called "The Killing of Bead-Spitter" and why it matters to me.2023-05-2718 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD13: The Case for Dylan ThomasOn March 12, 2015, I gave this interview and lecture on Welsh poet Dylan Thomas at the Allen Public Library (TX) for its Celtic Month.2023-05-2341 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD12: Living the Lore (with Ronald Hutton)In this episode I speak with Professor Ronald Hutton in his office at the University of Bristol, discussing the value of participatory, experiential folklore scholarship: living the lore rather than studying it aloofly. Afterward, by way of example, I tell how my own direct experience of the May this year has deepened my understanding of the holiday and my sense of its enchantment. I also answer questions from "the mailbag"—that is, from my listeners and viewers.Irish American Heritage Museum's discussion of May Eve traditions and beliefs:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaNlXSSGm3Q 2023-05-0226 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD11: The Magic of May DayIn this episode I talk about a largely forgotten holiday called the May: May Eve (30 April) and May Day (1 May). I also discuss the mysterious May carols, which were traditionally sung this time of year.2023-04-2622 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD10: Ronald HuttonThis episode is a conversation with the eminent historian Ronald Hutton. I wanted to talk with him partly because I’m fascinated by obscure British holidays and how they add color, meaning, enchantment, and fun to the calendar, a topic on which Professor Hutton is the world’s leading authority. If you happen to share this interest, I highly recommend his 1996 book, The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. Hutton and I also discuss his newest book, Queens of the Wild: Pagan Goddesses in Christian Europe: An Investigation. —the scholarly debate about...2023-04-0746 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD9: Rupert Sheldrake (Round 2)This is my second audio episode featuring the English biologist Rupert Sheldrake, recorded during Christmastime in London. If you watched the short version of this episode (titled “The Logos and the Calendar”) on my YouTube channel, I still recommend listening to this audio episode. The video version is only twenty-three minutes long, whereas this long-form audio version contains over an hour of content and goes into much greater depth.Rupert Sheldrake’s books:https://www.sheldrake.org/books-by-ru...my website:https://gregbrownderville.comIf you have questions for me about this episod...2023-03-141h 09

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD8: The Simples (with Eric Brownderville and Johnny Wink)In this episode I return to my undergraduate alma mater, Ouachita Baptist University, to sit a spell with Johnny Wink and Eric Brownderville (my brother). This is one of the most joyous conversations I've ever been a part of.—Greg and Eric reminisce about their first experiences as college students (4:56)—Eric runs into his former English professor somewhere he never would have expected to see him (6:50)—"the grim stubble period" (8:20)—the historical importance of "hair certainty" for American presidents (11:43)—seven ways to prune a grapefruit (12:50)—Silky, the blue Fugates, and cosmic silliness (20:55)—Greg's...2023-03-071h 52

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD7: Rupert SheldrakeIn this episode I pay a visit to the London home of the brilliant English biologist Rupert Sheldrake. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one: Rupert says one profound, fascinating thing after another. Also, he is at times downright hilarious, especially when he’s exposing the fundamentalism of the crotchety materialist Richard Dawkins and others like him.—pilgrimage (3:17)—the centrality of incarnation in Christianity (9:05)—how evolutionary science sheds light on the story of Christ’s sacrifice and the archetype it instantiates (12:00)—how morphic resonance might inform the roles that archetypes play in artistic ins...2023-01-2648 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD6: Bart WeissIn this episode recorded a few days before Christmas, I sit down with filmmaker Bart Weiss to talk about our experimental online project, Fire Bones (www.firebones.org). We also discuss imitation and originality, the relationship between head injuries and dysregulation of sleep, synesthesia and poetry, the art of filmmaking, Robert Frost's ideas about poetry writing, my upcoming trip to the UK, Christmas rituals in Wales and the United States, and much more.2022-12-271h 42

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD5: Wordjoy for LifeThis episode’s guest is a magnificent poet named Johnny Wink, author of _Haunting the Winerunner_ and _Seven Ways to Prune a Grapefruit_ . . .(03:04) Johnny meets the great bluesman Fred McDowell, and then something beautiful and unforgettable takes place(09:45) “Errors” as edits(11:17) welcoming, and benefiting from, constructive criticism without applying all of it slavishly(14:52) embroidering otherwise-true stories to make them better (including a great Yeats anecdote)(17:20) Yeats vs. Frost cage match (loser must retire!)(20:57) Don Rickles, Frankenstein’s Monster, a chocolate milkshake, Las Vegas, and love (complete with Johnny’s...2022-12-071h 28

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD4: Thanksgiving editionIn this episode Greg invites you to join him in Pumpkin Bend, Arkansas, for Thanksgiving and some stories about a beloved Delta dish served this time of year: duck and dressing. Featuring Greg's good friends Rod and Dale.logo design by Julie Savasky at 508 Creative: https://508creative.commusic by Beekeeper Spaceman and Eric Brownderville 2022-11-2512 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD3: SpoetryIn this episode Preston Hutcherson joins Greg to talk about the poetry of sports broadcasting and sports punditry.(00:35) Preston regales Greg with a bizarre and hilarious piece of audio in which sportscaster Jim Nantz suddenly reinvents himself as a mortician.(09:45) Greg and Preston parse the psychology of stardom and discuss Bono and Tom Brady.(19:18) Strange trends emerge in sports punditry.(19:59) Colin Cowherd sparks wonder and bewilderment with the phrase “Sunday bodies.”(21:26) Preston asks Greg about the connection between weird sports talk and actual poetry.(24:27) Which is actually more...2022-11-1534 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD2: AMAIn this episode Greg answers his favorite questions from Episode 1:“Greg, why do you like Yeats so much?” (:36)“Greg, why are you obsessed with folklore?” (06:18)“Greg, why are death and eating mythologically linked?” (24:47)”Greg, have you been working on any new artistic projects, and if so, what are they?” (29:40)Fire Bones: https://www.firebones.orgMaya Deren’s awesome book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/divine-horsemen-the-living-gods-of-haiti-revised-maya-deren/9421967?ean=9780914232636Greg’s book Deep Down in the Delta: https://bookshop.org/p/books/deep-down-in-the-delta-folktales-and-poems-revised-greg-alan-brownderville/7016729?ean=9781935106333logo design by Julie Savasky at 508 Creat...2022-11-0833 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionGBD1: Halloween editionThis special Halloween edition of GBD includes:—two funny stories involving the word “casket" —an explanation of the dumb supper—American boxer Deontay Wilder on death and sweet potatoes—an in-depth discussion of John Keats's “The Eve of St. Agnes”—poetic form / the Spenserian stanza —the tension between the imaginal life and the life of worldly engagement—news about the Halloween issue of Southwest Review A good audio performance of “The Eve of St. Agnes”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNMT_...The poem itself...2022-11-0153 min

The Greg Brownderville DimensionEp. 0: Welcome to The Greg Brownderville Dimension!In this episode, Greg introduces himself and explains what this show is all about—namely, the joy and magic of language. Also in this episode: while Christmas shopping, Greg’s friend Alex sends him an unforgettable text message, and Tim (another friend of Greg’s) says poetry is “the perfect technology” to meet a very specific psychological need that we all have.Fire Bones (Greg’s online narrative series)book of stories by Alex TaylorTim Cassedy’s bookGreg’s books Yeats’s poem “Vacillation”logo design by Julie Savask...2022-10-2307 min

Gravy"Carlo Flunks the Seventh Grade," by Greg Brownderville"Carlo Flunk the Seventh Grade," by Greg Brownderville. Featured in Vinegar & Char: Verse from the Southern Foodways Alliance. University of Georgia Press, 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 2022-01-0506 min

I Love that Movie!FirebonesWe have something a little different this week as Bart Weiss and Greg Brownderville stop by to discuss their "Go show" project "Firebones". https://firebones.org/ Catch up with us on Twitter: @ILTMPodcast Instagram: @ILovethatMoviePodcast Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Ilovethatmovie Website: https://www.ilovethatmoviepodcast.com/ 2021-03-1634 min

Fog of TruthBonus Episode: Slamdance 2021In this bonus episode, we invite back our former cohost Summre Garber to talk about the documentary slate at the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival, where she is co-captain of the documentary-features program. Then we all discuss, in depth, the following three films: Code Name: Nagasaki, Everyone Wants to Be the Next Weismann and Holy Frit. This episode marks the departure of Chris Reed as permanent cohost, leaving Bart Weiss in charge of the future. Should be fun! Enjoy! Group Review Documentaries: Code Name: Nagasaki (Fredrik S. Hana, 2021) Everyone Wants to Be the Next Weismann (Alberto Triano, 2020) Holy...2021-02-2635 min

ClassiclecticClassiclectic Connection: Jacob Cooper, "Terrain"Terrain is an album of otherworldly vocals, processed strings, and elaborate electronic orchestrations from composer Jacob Cooper. Studio invention and collaboration with vocalists Theo Bleckmann, Jodie Landau, cellist Ashley Bathgate, and poets Greg Brownderville, Dora Malech, and Zach Savich synthesize into the three works contained on the album Terrain, releasing July 10, 2020 from New Amsterdam Records.2020-07-1015 min

Unitarian Universalist Sermons and Conversations from First Unitarian Church of Dallas"The Poetry of Our Lives"Greg Brownderville is Director of Creative writing and a professor at SMU. He helps us reflect on how our authentic lives become works of art.2019-08-1315 min