Welcome to Listening with Leckrone, a new podcast in collaboration with Four Seasons Theatre! In each episode, our host, Mike Leckrone, legendary music educator and former director of the University of Wisconsin-Marching Band, will explore moments in popular music history, pairing musical samples with historical context and anecdotes. Visit fourseasonstheatre.com for podcast guides and more information about other Four Seasons Theatre productions.
Host Mike Leckrone explores the life and enduring musical legacy of influential soul artist Sam Cooke in this episode.
11 Nov 2025
Tony Bennett
In this episode, Mike guides us through the life and career of legendary crooner, Tony Bennett. For a podcast guide and other episodes, visit fourseasonstheatre.com. Thanks for listening!
2 Apr 2025
Bunny Berigan, Wisconsin's Own
In this episode, Mike guides us through the career of Wisconsin native, Bunny Berigan. Although his life was tragically short, he quickly established himself as one of the leading trumpeters of the swing era.
Visit fourseasonstheatre.com for more information and podcast guides. Check out the companion playlist on Spotify.
28 Feb 2025
Mike's Got Rhythm!
In this episode, similar to our previous episode on "Stardust," we take a deep dive on a single song. "I Got Rhythm," written by George and Ira Gershwin, not only inspired countless performances and recordings, but also created a harmonic structure used for endless jazz compositions and improvisations. We hope you enjoy hearing all the different takes on this American classic.
18 Dec 2024
Count Basie Singers
Legendary music educator Mike Leckrone spotlights three iconic Count Basie Orchestra singers, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, and Joe Williams, offering a glimpse into their unique styles and contributions to jazz history.
6 Sept 2024
Clash of the Clarinets: Benny Goodman & Artie Shaw
In today's episode, we compare the careers of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, bandleaders and renowned clarinetists of the Big Band era. For more information on this episode, and to check out Four Seasons Theatre's 2024-2025 season announcement, visit fourseasonstheatre.com.
16 Jul 2024
Mr. Hi De Ho - Cab Calloway
In this episode, Mike explores the illustrious life and career of one of music's greatest entertainers, Cab Calloway. Check out more information, including podcast guides, at https://fourseasonstheatre.com/onstage_on_air/listening-with-leckrone/
9 Jun 2024
Moten & Lunceford
In this episode, Mike spotlights big band leaders Bennie Moten and Jimmie Lunceford. Though they may not be household names, we hope this episode will inspire you to listen to more from these swinging orchestras and perhaps make new discoveries within the Big Band Era.
18 Dec 2023
Holiday Hits
Happy Holidays! To offset the same old holiday songs playing through your head, Mike has curated a playlist of Holiday Hits you may not have heard before. Enjoy arrangements from Fats Waller, Harry James, Stan Kenton, and more!
Find transcripts and podcast guides at fourseasonstheatre.com.
1 Nov 2023
Les Paul - The Wizard of Waukesha
In this episode, Mike explores the career and music of Wisconsin's own Les Paul, legendary guitarist and inventor. In addition to having an impact on the industry through his musicianship, he also greatly influenced physical guitar models and recording techniques through his own inventions and explorations. Whether you are listening to his early jazz trio, his collaborations with Mary Ford or Chet Atkins, or his country roots, Les Paul's personality and love for his instrument always shines through.
For a transcript of this episode, along with a podcast guide, visit fourseasonstheatre.com.
18 Jul 2023
Jack Teagarden
In today's episode we explore the music of Jack Teagarden, a trombonist and vocalist whose superior technique and relaxed singing style found him playing with the biggest band leaders of the day. Check out fourseasonstheatre.com for more info and a transcript of this episode.
24 Feb 2023
Fats Waller
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike focuses in on one of Jazz's most charismatic and skillful pianists, Fats Waller. From his infamous playing styleto his renowned compositions, there was something for all to enjoy when Fats Waller took the stage. Enjoy.
3 Feb 2023
The Boswell Sisters
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike showcases the unique style and talents of The Boswell Sisters, a highly influential vocal group that helped popularize swing for a larger audience.
6 Jan 2023
Bing Crosby
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike details the career of Bing Crosby, one of the world's first multimedia stars. From radio to television to movies, Bing's voice reached an unprecedented audience and his influence on music and culture is still felt to this day.
30 Nov 2022
Duke’s Men
In Episode 5 of "Listening with Leckrone," Mike unpacks how the "Duke Ellington Sound" wasn't simply the doing of the legendary pianist and composer, but largely due to the talents and contributions of his many bandmates, folks like Johnny Hodges, Bubber Miley, and Tricky Sam Nanton. This show is all about them.
28 Sept 2022
Venuti & Lang: Stringing The Blues
In today’s episode, Mike takes us through the life and music of two jazz giants, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lane. This duo revolutionized their instruments and shaped the sound of jazz guitar and violin playing for decades to come.
21 Jul 2022
Stardust: Hoagy’s Hit
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, we focus on a single song, Hoagy Carmichael's legendary "Stardust." With over 1,500 recordings, "Stardust" lends itself to a wide range of musical styles and interpretations. Mike guides us through a handful of these renditions, exploring how each artist put their own spin on the iconic song.
2 Jun 2022
The Crooners
When people hear the term “Crooner,” they often think of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, or Bing Crosby. Although these singers could be categorized as the crooning type, their music was largely influenced by the works of an even earlier set of singers who popularized “Crooning” as a genre. In this episode, Mike focuses on these earlier Crooners, from Gene Austin, to Russ Columbo, to Rudy Vallée to Whispering Jack Smith.
15 Apr 2022
Hello, Louis!: How Louis Armstrong Found His Sound
Our debut episode takes us back to the early career of Louis Armstrong. Host Mike Leckrone follows a young Louis' journey as a gigging musician, bouncing from band to band, from to Chicago to New York then back to Chicago. In listening to his earliest recordings, we begin to hear Louis find his voice as an artist and witness the makings of a legend.
Inside a recent episode
Sam Cooke
Published 16 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] He said it was to signify a new life. He was the fifth of eight children of Reverend Charles Cook, who was a Baptist minister. Soon the family moved to Chicago, and at the age of six, Sam started singing with a group called Swinging Children. Later as a teenager, he appeared with a quartet called Highway QC, and at that time he became a close friend of Lou Rawls. In high school, he was a straight-A student, excelled in athletics, In 1950, he was named the lead singer in a vocal quartet called the Soul Stirrers, and they signed with Specialty Record. His first record with the Soul Stirrers was Jesus Gave Me Water. […]
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