Contributed
West Chester, OH – Among the vast array of information found on the Internet, don’t be surprised if you hear about a fast-growing grassroots podcast that’s listened to worldwide. “This&That with David & Brenda,” based in Southwest Ohio, started in early 2019 with a few followers. The eclectic podcast started its second season in 2020. The show has expanded in popularity with listeners across six continents and in more than 100 cities in the United States.
“We aim to inform, inspire and impact,’’ said Brenda, co-host of This&That. “That’s a major reason our listeners keep coming back and our listener base, which we fondly call This & That Nation, keeps growing.”
Podcast listeners love the eclectic podcast that is listened to in over 50 countries across all continents except for Antarctica, she said. Besides the United States, some of the countries This&That podcast listeners hail from include Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, South Africa, Kenya, South Korea and New Zealand.
Described by some listeners as “The Dynamic Duo,’’ David and Brenda McCaskill collaborate to produce the free, eclectic podcast.
Their knowledge of current events and various topics, sharing of personal anecdotes and experiences, airing of others’ viewpoints, all wrapped in light-hearted banter, epitomizes their brand of “infotainment.”
While most podcasts focus on a single topic, This&That covers a wide range of recurring subjects, including arts and entertainment, politics, technology, law and justice, sports, living your passion and words of wisdom.
“We talk about everything that’s anything,” says David. “You never know who we might interview or what we might talk about.”
One of the most popular episodes of This&That Season 1 was an interview with Griffin Lotson, spokesperson from the world-renowned Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters based in McIntosh County, Georgia. In Episode 31, Lotson discussed how the group embraces, preserves and protects the culture and heritage of their African ancestors. Additionally, he discussed his research into the first recording of “Kumbaya,” a well-known spiritual song that occurred in Darien, Georgia, during 1926.
Listeners also learned about Lotson’s consulting work on a new original opera, “Castor and Patience,” which incorporates Geechee Gullah culture into the performance. The opera’s world premiere in Cincinnati with the Cincinnati Opera is set for July 16-26.
”I love talking the history,” Lotson shared with This&That. “Thanks to David and thank you, Brenda, for what you are doing.”
While David and Brenda like to share their knowledge, they also incorporate feedback, comments and questions from their listeners. “That’s partly what makes our podcast a great collaboration,” said David.
The free, weekly This&That with David & Brenda podcast can be found in major locations people listen to and/or download podcasts, including Apple Podcast, Soundcloud, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, Google Play Music and more. The podcast is also available thru Alexa-enabled voice-assisted devices.
An archive of previous podcast episodes is located at https://soundcloud.com/thisnthat-podcast/.
David and Brenda McCaskill can be reached via email at thisnthat@aboutgreatercincinnati.com.