IMAGiNE FiTTiNG IN™ Podcast #092: Chilly Billy Howell, Delta Bohemian & Mississippi Stories

Sometimes conversations begin in unexpected ways.

In this case, the introduction came through Logan Elliott of Modesto and Waverly, Illinois. Over the years, Logan joined Chilly Billy Howell on several Delta Bohemian Tours and later purchased a copy of Wrestling with Wisdom at the Crossroads. Believing Greg Jankowski and Billy would enjoy talking with one another, Logan suggested that Greg, host of the IMAGiNE FiTTiNG IN™ Podcast, reach out.

At the time, Greg had never read Wrestling with Wisdom at the Crossroads. What interested him was not so much the book itself as the person behind it and the stories that had shaped his life.

That introduction led to Podcast #092, where Greg welcomed both Chilly Billy and Madge Marley Howell for an unrehearsed conversation that ranged well beyond the pages of a book.

Greg Jankowski, known to many as The Balance Professor, lives in Dayton, Ohio, where he returned in 2019 after a career that took him through the fitness and training worlds of cities such as Los Angeles and New York. An artist, personal trainer, and mentor associated with Absolute Fitness Personal Training in nearby Kettering, Greg brings a broad perspective to his work and interviews. His interests in balance, recovery, personal growth, and holistic living naturally shaped the direction of our conversation.

Greg was not entirely unfamiliar with the Mississippi Delta. Recently, he had welcomed Roger Stolle, founder of Clarksdale’s Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art and the Juke Joint Festival, to the podcast. Billy became another Delta voice in Greg’s ongoing interest in people whose lives and perspectives have been shaped by a distinctive place and culture.

Those interests intersect naturally with the Delta Bohemians’ appreciation for faith, sense of place, storytelling, and the importance of remaining present to the people, places, and experiences that shape us. Although our backgrounds and life experiences differ, the discussion revealed a shared curiosity about how people overcome adversity, cultivate meaningful relationships, and pursue a life well lived.

The discussion broadly explores Wrestling with Wisdom at the Crossroads, Delta Bohemian Tours, and the Delta Bohemian blog, while also touching on Mississippi Delta culture, blues music, storytelling, travel, addiction and recovery, and the many influences that have contributed to our work over the years. Along the way, we reflected on the Delta, the stories that emerge from it, and the lessons that often appear when people take the time to listen to one another.

We are grateful to Greg for the invitation and to Logan for making the introduction. The world often feels smaller than it once did, yet it is still remarkable that a connection made through social media can lead to a thoughtful conversation between Illinois and Mississippi about books, culture, community, faith, wisdom, and the stories that shape our lives.

The full interview is available below. In addition to the YouTube presentation, the audio version can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most major podcast platforms.