The Real Talk Podcast

Classic interview with legendary guitarist Carlos Santana in a candid one-on-one conversation about his illustrious career! Originally recorded August 2011 prior to his concert in Bakersfield, CA on 9-27-11.

Check out the new documentary, "Carlos: The Santana Journey" in theaters now. Interview released as part of Hispanic Heritage Month 2023. Also heard on Real Talk (FORGE 103.9) 9-29-23.

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Adriana Magana is a multi-talented singer songwriter known as Shexist and also one-half of Los Angeles experimental electronic music duo, Tigercide. Her story is inspiring for creatives everywhere! You can catch her LIVE at Riley's Tavern in downtown Bakerfield on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.

Find her music and more at (click on each name to be redirected): She.xist and Tigercide. Originally aired 9-22-23. 

Catch Real Talk, every...

Gustavo Arellano is an American writer and journalist. He is a featured contributor for the Los Angeles Times and the former publisher and editor of Orange County's alternative weekly OC Weekly. In this segment, Gustavo shares his thoughts on National Hispanic Heritage Month - Sept. 15 to Oct. 15th, and why it's important to share our stories! We'll have him back on a future episode of Real Talk, so stay tuned! Original...

Mexican director Rodrigo Reyes makes films deeply grounded in his identity as an immigrant artist, crafting a poetic gaze from the margins of both cultures, using striking imagery to portray the contradictory nature of our shared world, while revealing the potential for transformative change. Currently residing in the central valley, he will be appearing in-person at the Historic Fox Theater in downtown Bakersfield, CA on Friday, S...

Fabian Vasquez Euresti is an independent filmmaker based out of Bakersfield, CA and current curator of FLIX at The Fox film series that features critically-acclaimed films from around the globe. In this interview, we'll be discussing his moviemaking background, working with the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah as well as his first selection for FLIX - "Sanson & Me" from director Rodrigo Reyes, screening ...

Hispanic Heritage Month 2023

Albert Herrera is an artist, musician and author based out of Bakersfield, CA. Widely known for his award-winning works of art, his passion for music dates back to his childhood and teenage years playing conjunto music with his family, as well as being a member of one of Bakersfield's first Chicano alternative rock and funk bands, FEO! Learn about his illustrated children's book (Outskirts Press...

Get a preview of one of Bakersfield's longest-running fundraising events, Village Fest, happening Sept. 9, 2023 at the Kern County Museum. Village Fest steering committee member, Miranda Whitworth stops by to give us a preview of this huge beer, wine, food and music event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for CAREFORKIDS.ORG ! BUY TICKETS NOW AT: Bakersfieldvillagefest.com / FORGE103.9 is a proud media partner of this ye...

Veronica Morley is a Senior Reporter for 23ABC news in Bakersfield, CA. Born and raised in Kern County! Get to know this talented Multi-Media Journalist whose commitment to providing the community with the latest hyperlocal news has helped make her one the area's most trusted figures in news media. Originally aired on 8-25-23.

Catch Real Talk, every Friday from 10am to 12pm PST on FORGE 103.9FM (Kern County, CA) or stream anyw...

It's a Fest Fest 4 preview! Includes music by Hello Goodbye, Andres, Doc Samson, and Carson Hill!

Ruben Val Verde is the co-founder of Fest Fest - independent music festival in Bakersfield, CA. He also runs promotions outfit Plan B Company and works with veteran central coast promoter, Eddy Numbskull, of Numbskull Productions.

Fest Fest 4 takes place on Saturday, Sept. 2nd, 2023 from 11am to midnight at Temblor Brewing Co. in B...

Cesareo Garasa is a bi-weekly entertainment columnist at The Bakersfield Californian and musician in Bakersfield, CA. This week, Cesareo stops by Real Talk to talk about the recent closure of longtime Old Town Kern restaurant and live music venue, Narducci's Cafe in East Bakersfield, that announced its closure during a punk rock show at the venue on Aug. 12, 2023. Together we share stories and our thoughts on the fate of the ve...

Gabriel Adame is the Executive Director of Youth 2 Leaders Education Foundation in Bakersfield, CA.

About Youth 2 Leaders: Youth 2 Leaders Education Foundation is dedicated to developing the next generation of Kern County professionals. Founded in 1994, the mission of Youth 2 Leaders is focused upon substantially increasing the number of high school students attending a community college or university and significantly impacting th...

Real Talk host Matt Munoz takes you on a musical journey to explore the birth of the groundbreaking band Quetzal in 90s era Los Angeles through fascinating insights about how cultural and political movements played a crucial role in the evolution of the band’s music, helping give voice to a new musical youth movement.

The band's musical director Quetzal Flores also details how the traditional music of Son Jarocho from Veracruz...

Marvin Lemus is a Bakersfield, CA native and an award-winning director, co-creator, co-showrunner, and executive producer of Netflix’s Latinx dramedy series, "Gentefied". Originally aired 11-19-21. Official Website: www.elmarvinlemus.com/

About Gentefied: Gentefied is an American comedy-drama streaming television series created by Lemus and Linda Yvette Chávez, that aired for two seasons on Netflix from 2020-2021. The ser...

Maria Bernabe is Outreach Specialist at Kern Regional Center in Bakersfield, Ca. In this episode, Bernabe shares details and services offered by KRC for kids and young adults with disabilities and programs and resources available to families. Plus information on upcoming resource fair events.

About KRC: Kern Regional Center (is one of 21 private, nonprofit regional centers contracted by the State of California through the Departme...

John F. Uranday is a Kern County native filmmaker now based out of Los Angeles, Ca., and the co-founder of Penwheel Productions. Mr. Uranday started off in the music industry as a recording artist, before jumping into the world of Web streaming shows with The CORE Live, the 99 Cent Show and others years before the rest of the world caught on. In 2006, he attended LA Film School for directing, producing and writing. Once he graduate...

DAVID BLAK (Plascencia) was born in La Colonia Independencia, Tijuana, Mexico. He was raised by a single mother and singer of boleros. At the age of seven, he moved to California to live with his father who was an Aerospace Engineer. Severely grieving the loss of moving from his home country, the warmth of a kind mother and adjusting to American culture, Plascencia found solace in writing and producing hip-hop music. After leaving ...

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Belinda Lopez Rickett is the founder of The Bakersfield Burrito Project.

The Bakersfield Burrito Project has been serving the community of Bakersfield, California since 2009. Every Sunday, without fail, our volunteers create fresh burritos from raw ingredients and package them. Loading up insulated bags to keep the food piping hot, Team Burrito takes the remaining burritos, snack foo...

Andres Chavez is the Executive Director of the National Chavez Center in Keene, CA. Danny Rodriguez is founder of the longtime Lowrider car club, Classic Dreams from Bakersfield, CA. The duo stopped by Real Talk to talk Lowrider history and promote the upcoming Cesar Chavez and Classic Car Show happening August 12th, 2023 at The National Chavez Center from noon to 8pm. Over 100 classic rides, plus food and drink vendors and live mu...