In 2008, I was working at a radio station part time while taking film classes and going on auditions. Late at night on the weekends, I produced a small entertainment talk show as a way to better learn the ropes for the daytime shows and to fill a niche. I had some friends help me cover different topics for the week so that we were able to cover film, theater, and music.

The early days of Backstage on the Bayou… Aura Fedora in the studio. 

We developed a nice little loyal following, but because we were on late at night on the weekends when most people were out, a lot of folks listened to the recorded podcasts later. When I was laid off from the radio station, I decided to produce my own podcast and thus began my adventures as an amateur freelance journalist. 

The format changed from round-table discussion to on-location interviews and then I began experimenting with produced pieces that were edited with narration, sounds, and bump music. 

                          

Aura Fedora interviews Big Sam’s Funky Nation on location at Voodoo Fest 2009. Courtesy of Julia Pretus Photo. 

At the end of 2011, I decided it was time to take things to the next level. I am slowly winding down Backstage on the Bayou, archiving past interviews and adding a few previously unpublished pieces. I am now applying what I learned to freelance audio journalism, with a special focus on music and human interest stories. 

Currently, you can check out my music interview series for Nola Defender, Audio Filé

Coming soon: Look for links to old shows and interviews, plus a few never-before-heard episodes.