American Achievers

About American Achievers

AMERICAN ACHIEVERS explores the power of ambition, commitment to excellence, risk-taking and tenacity in pursuit of the American Dream. Hosted and produced by author, documentary filmmaker, and media trailblazer Keith Dunnavant, who has been interviewing newsmakers for more than four decades, including many years as an award-winning journalist for various major publications, covering and directing coverage of sports, business, media, culture and politics. Widely acclaimed for his history books, including THE MISSING RING, MONTANA and SPY PILOT, Dunnavant directed the 2023 ESPN Films documentary BART STARR, based on his definitive biography. With each episode of AMERICAN ACHIEVERS, Dunnavant explores the life of an accomplished individual who has relentlessly chased success and fulfillment, often battling through significant adversity and reflecting universal lessons that strike at the heart of the American experience. Featuring entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, astronauts, media figures and civic leaders. Coming in late 2026: Season 5. KeithDunnavant.com

Publisher

Keith Dunnavant

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Oct 2021

Latest episode

23 Dec 2024

Latest episodes

67 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Dec 2024

   Season 4, Episode 12: Franc D’Ambrosio

   Part 2 of 2: Franc D’Ambrosio talks about the sacrifices he made to chase his dreams, including routinely choosing between food and shelter, how dyslexia affected his career, how playing the Phantom changed his life, and the critical skill he learned from Barry Manilow.

2. 

   16 Dec 2024

   Season 4, Episode 11: Franc D’Ambrosio

   Part 1 of 2: Franc D’Ambrosio talks about walking away from the security of his family’s bakery business to pursue a career as a singer and actor, the intense desire that drove him, landing the part of Anthony Corleone in THE GODFATHER PART III, and how he almost turned down the stage role that will always define him—the masked man in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

3. 

   9 Dec 2024

   Season 4, Episode 10: Ulice Payne, Jr.

   Lawyer and former Major League Baseball executive Ulice Payne, Jr. talks about the formative values of his childhood in western Pennsylvania, landing a basketball scholarship to Marquette, where he played on the 1977 NCAA championship team, and the moment of heartbreak that opened the door to his future.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

14 ratings

Contact American Achievers

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.