People-Inspired Podcast
Connecting with people is like a vitamin B injected advanced Google search, except better. Inspiration fuels the creative process, and there is little that excites me more than interesting people who teach me something new (which is pretty much anyone I run into these days).
Join me for this People-Inspired Podcast where I get to talk to inspiring people about what and who inspired them. We will fill the tank and crank that flywheel, proving that one person's story is often all you need to get things rolling.
People ask about what sparked my debut novel, Back to Blue Holly, and the answer is easy. The book is place and PEOPLE-inspired. I relied heavily upon the stories I collected traveling Kentucky with artist Kelly Brewer, painting and interviewing people from all walks of life for our Common Wealth of Kentucky Project (2022). And equally influential were the good folks I am lucky to know (or heard about) in the North Georgia region.
And as I write my next novel, I'm back to being nosy Beth, poking around, asking lots of questions, and mining the unsearchable, compelling gems I cannot find anywhere else than in the people I talk to.
https://www.bethpride.com/
People-Inspired Podcast
Whaddaya got, Loran? Loran Smith, UGA Hall of Famer
When you think about Georgia athletics, there are a few names that stand out for their impact, longevity, and stories, either lived or written. One of those names is Loran Smith. No one loves the University of Georgia more than Loran Smith.
Loran's journey with the Bulldogs began as a student-athlete, track team captain, and MVP in 1959 — but it didn't end with graduation. Instead, it turned into a lifelong love story. Loran has worn about every Dawg hat you can imagine. He is well-known as the first sideline reporter Georgia's radio broadcast ever had. Over the years, he became an institution, the on-field complement to Larry Munson's legendary play-by-play calls from the radio booth. He was the Assistant Sports Information Director, Business Manager, Executive Director of the Bulldog Club, radio producer, host of the Mark Richt locker room show, producer of several documentaries, and even a tailgate cookbook with his wife, Myrna, the perfect pairing for the pre-game Tailgate Show he continues to host.
Loran's contributions extend far beyond what happens on Saturdays in the fall. He's been the storyteller of Georgia football, chronicling its history in newspaper columns, game day programs, and dozens of books that Bulldogs fans pass down like family heirlooms — titles like Glory, Glory with Lewis Grizzard, Dooley's Dawgs with Vince Dooley, and The Football Vault, a treasure trove of memories from 1892 through 2007, and How 'Bout Them Dawgs!: The Inside Story of Georgia Football's 2021 National Championship Season with Coach Kirby Smart,
He's also a proud native of Wrightsville, Georgia, home of Herschel Walker, a Georgia Sports Hall of Famer, a devoted husband to Myrna, and a father and grandfather whose love for the Dawgs is rivaled only by his love for his family.
I was fortunate enough to sit down with Loran to hear not just the milestones, but also the moments — the stories from the sidelines, the friendships forged in locker rooms, and the Bulldog traditions he has helped create and preserve. If you love Georgia football or love a great story, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.
Beth Pride
www.bethpride.com