Twenty Thousand Hertz Captures Remarkable Vignette Of Human Connection In Most Personal Story to Date, "Being Dallas Taylor"
After Two Years in The Making, New Episode Explores Emotional & Sonic Makeup of Names, How a Few Syllables Define an Identity
Host Dallas Taylor Interviews Five Other People Named Dallas Taylor; The Similarities Are Striking
Art by George Butler
After two years in the making, Twenty Thousand Hertz releases its most personal podcast episode to date, “Being Dallas Taylor.” In a poignant vignette of human connection, the show journeys deep down a rabbit hole in an effort to unpack the emotional and sonic elements behind the most recognizable and powerful sound of a person’s life: their name. Inspired by a quote from Dale Carnegie (“A person's name is to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language”), host Dallas Taylor illustrates how a few syllables can form an entire identity, while tracing the unexpected commonalities that emerge when other people share those same sounds.
In a break from the typical format that’s garnered multiple Webby awards and nearly 150,000 regular listeners for Twenty Thousand Hertz, Dallas Taylor opens up on his life story through intimate conversations with five other individuals named Dallas Taylor, including the former heavy metal vocalist of Underoath and Maylene & The Sons of Disaster. After an initial interview with name expert Laura Wattenberg, who discusses her own assumptions about his background based on his name alone, Taylor conducts a series of earnest, joyful and bizarre heart-to-hearts full of fascinating similarities.
Listen to “Being Dallas Taylor” Here
Laura Wattenberg, name expert and author of The Baby Name Wizard, begins the episode by deciphering the many messages names carry. For host Dallas Taylor, this might be a family heritage in the South, close to the Texan namesake, or a simple love of country music shared by his parents. Wattenberg explains that every name offers a social microclimate that shapes the way people may respond to you — without ever even knowing you.
Dallas Taylor then launches an exploration of his own experience and upbringing, along with the surprising traits he shares with five other Dallas Taylors. From laughing over their least favorite nicknames and multiple siblings named Austin, to the realization that they all lead creative lives, the episode unveils countless serendipitous similitudes between the assorted crew.
All of the interviews lead to the final guest, the former singer of prominent heavy metal bands Underoath and Maylene & The Sons of Disaster, Dallas Taylor. The vocalist shares how he dealt with performance anxiety in his career, revealing how his recovery from a horrific ATV accident gave him an unexpected outlook on living with purpose. “Before my accident…I was always looking at life as it was a cup half empty. And so after…it's almost like my brain got rewired,” he says. “I try to let people know, "Hey! You're not alone. I've been through that. Or even if I haven't, I'll try my best to understand.”
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Dallas Taylor and the team of sound designers at Defacto Sound. Subscribe to Twenty Thousand Hertz here.
About Twenty Thousand Hertz
Twenty Thousand Hertz is a lovingly crafted podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. With 20 million+ lifetime downloads, 125,000+ listeners per episode, and 3 Webby awards to its name, Twenty Thousand Hertz is the world's leading podcast about sound. Episodes of Twenty Thousand Hertz have been featured on Planet Money, 99% Invisible, Endless Thread, and Every Little Thing. The show has also been covered by The New York Times, Marketplace, Entertainment Weekly, Salon, Popular Science, and many others.
About Dallas Taylor
Dallas Taylor is the host and creator of Twenty Thousand Hertz, a lovingly crafted podcast revealing the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. Dallas is also the Creative Director of Defacto Sound, where he has led thousands of high-profile sound design projects - from blockbuster trailers and advertising campaigns, to major television series and Sundance award-winning films. Additionally, Dallas is a TED mainstage speaker, a regular contributor to major publications, and a respected thought leader on the narrative power of sound.
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