Shelley’s Plumbline

Oct 02 2024 2
Shelley’s Plumbline Podcast artwork

In construction, a plumbline is a weight suspended from a string used as a tool to find the true reference line. A plumbline will always find the vertical axis pointing to the center of gravity, ensuring everything is right, justified, and centered. 

​

Pulling from a library of more than 3,000 shows from his storied career in broadcasting, Shelley's Plumbline leads us in a search for the truth, opening the channels of communication and understanding on tough social topics that are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago.

 

Join us as we explore the past, compare it to today, and craft a better future.

RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


The Playboy In His Prime

Oct 02 2024 30 mins  
Send us a textShelley's popularity is growing in strength and numbers as his fresh style and approach pays off as begins to dominate the airwaves in Birmingham, Alabama in the mid-1950s.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The Birth of Shelley "The Playboy"

Sep 25 2024 34 mins  
Send us a textAs we celebrate Shelley’s 90th birthday this week, Shelley shares an episode in his life that marks the birth of Shelley “The Playboy.” It was while he was in the Air Force that Shelley first began to develop his well-known radio persona. Stay tuned.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Escape from Mississippi

Sep 18 2024 34 mins  
Send us a textIn this week’s episode, Shelley talks about a daring escape where Shelley recused his brothers Sam and Dave from a plantation in Mississippi.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

A Reunion with Bubba and Some Trouble With A Gun

Sep 11 2024 38 mins  
Send us a textAs we continue our march towards Shelley’s 90th birthday, Shelley shares some stories about his first experience with journalism, public speaking and broadcasting. He shares how he ran into some trouble with one of the gangs at high school and how he had a second reunion with his oldest brother, Bubba.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, a

Shelley Heads to High School

Sep 04 2024 38 mins  
Send us a textAs we enter September and get closer to Shelley’s 90th birthday celebration, we explore the ironic challenges Shelley faced. He lived with an aunt and uncle who continually tried to discourage him from getting an education. Stay tuned and learn how he persevered.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Shelley's Life: Shelley Learns His Name is Shelley

Aug 28 2024 28 mins  
Send us a textDid you know when Shelley was growing up, he thought his name was Shurley? Stay tuned and learn how Shelley learned his name was Shelley.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Shelley's Life: Back with Aunt Mamie

Aug 21 2024 35 mins  
Send us a textWe continue sharing the story of Shelley’s life as we get closer to the celebration of his 90th birthday in September. In this week’s episode, Shelley describes life after he is taken back to his Aunt Mamie and Uncle Henry’s house.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

1947: The Year Everything Changed for Shelley

Aug 14 2024 27 mins  
Send us a textSo far, we’ve followed Shelley from living on a screened-in porch to living in a horse stable with his brother Bubba and then to the basement of Clyde Smith’s home. In today’s episode, Shelley talks about the year 1947 and how it changed everything.Follow us and continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Shelley Learns About Black and White Cultures in the 1940s

Aug 07 2024 31 mins  
Send us a textIn this week’s episode, Shelley discusses how there were two curriculums. The one he was taught in the negro school, and the one he shared with Mary Sue Smith, Clyde Smith’s daughter. Even though she was a polio victim she somehow got a hold of books and magazines from the white school and shared them with Shelley. Listen to find out how Shelley learned about both

A Decade at a Time: The Last Words of Mattie C. Stewart

Aug 04 2024 25 mins  
Send us a textHey, Plumbliners. Yes, we received all your texts and emails telling us that we missed an episode last Wednesday.Thanks for noticing. You’re right. We didn’t publish last Wednesday, but that’s because we held off this week’s episode to release a very special edition of Shelley’s Plumbline.Today is Sunday, August 4, 2024. It is exactly 85 years to the day tha