Season 2 Episode 4

Recorded 4/10/26

Released 5/13/26

Length: 32 MIN 37 SEC

Welcome to Shaping Our Story with host Louise Krikorian—where inspiring leaders share their passion, purpose, and perseverance to help you thrive.

Five-time Grammy-nominated jazz composer, bandleader, and former university professor Chuck Owen joins Louise Krikorian on Shaping Our Story for a powerful conversation about passion, perseverance, creativity, and the lifelong pursuit of music.

From composing music in high school to leading his acclaimed ensembles The Jazz Surge and ReSurgence, Chuck Owen reflects on the experiences that shaped his extraordinary career. He shares stories about teaching and mentoring students who later worked with legendary artists including Ray Charles, Paquito D’Rivera, Dolly Parton, and Stevie Wonder, while discussing the influence of musical icons such as Quincy Jones and Chick Corea.

In this episode, Chuck opens up about the discipline required to create music every day, the vulnerability of being an artist, and why growth comes from taking creative risks. He also previews The Jazz Surge’s 30th Anniversary Florida Concert Tour in September 2026 and the recording of the ensemble’s upcoming 8th album featuring special guest artists.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Jazz composition and creativity

Teaching and mentoring young musicians

Working with legendary artists

Inspiration from Quincy Jones and Chick Corea

The importance of perseverance and daily discipline

The creative process behind new music

The Jazz Surge 30th Anniversary Tour and upcoming album

👍 If this inspired you:

Like, comment, and share to help others build meaningful connections and live with purpose.

💻 LEARN MORE about our guest and his concert tour

Website: www.chuckowen.com

Facebook: @ChuckOwen7

Instagram: @ChuckOwen54

YouTube Channel: @chuckowen9628

6-24-2025 USF Oral Histories project

https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/arts_culture_ohp/18/

💡ABOUT US

On Shaping Our Story, exemplary leaders share lessons in passion, purpose and perseverance. Real people. Real stories. Real strategies to help you thrive. Hosted by Louise Krikorian, award-winning storyteller, educator, and filmmaker, this podcast brings you powerful insights from inspiring voices across industries.

#entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #businesslessons #businessleadership ##founders #founderstories #founderstory #angeladuckworth #grit #kellycorrigan #melrobbins #jeffberman #simonsinek #leadership #chuckowen #jazzsurge #resurgence #usf

🚀 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisekrikorian/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisekrikorian/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShapingOurStory/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/louisekrikorian

🏆 LIKE-MINDED COLLABORATORS

Kelly Corrigan, Mel Robbins, Jeff Berman, Simon Sinek

PBS Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan

Angela Duckworth Oct 4, 2022

https://www.pbs.org/video/angela-duckworth-k8wbgb/

The Mel Robbins Podcast

How to Create a Successful Mindset: The Science of Passion and Perseverance, Oct 13, 2025

https://youtu.be/rmW3Afu9npY?si=T9mdbxzI9TGxbtcu

Jeff Berman | Masters of Scale

Angela Duckworth on her new book, the limits of grit, and her advice to founders, May 16, 2024

https://youtu.be/19CS4L8v4TE

Simon Sinek | A Bit of Optimism Podcast

What Grit Really Teaches Us About Happiness with Professor Angela Duckworth, Feb 3, 2026

https://youtu.be/KAi2L_b1V2I?si=Lsf7YtcA5I4EcS4M

Creator, Producer, Host: Louise A Krikorian

Editor: George C Davison

Years Active: 2025

Episodes: 14

Rating: Clean

Hosted with Buzzsprout www.b

Season 2 Episode 3 Belinda West Womack Vocalist

Welcome to Shaping Our Story with host Louise Krikorian—where inspiring leaders share their passion, purpose, and perseverance to help you thrive.

In this episode, we sit down with Belinda West Womack, a Tampa Bay jazz icon, who shares her extraordinary journey from Billboard-charting recording artist to Worship Chaplain. In this powerful episode of Shaping Our Story, she reflects on recording in Nashville with Kris Kristofferson’s Combine Music, her hit song “Seabiscuit in the Fifth,” and her lifelong passion for music, faith, and service.

Raised in Augusta, Georgia during the civil rights era, Belinda began singing at just four years old and performing professionally by eleven. Her career spans decades in the music industry, including work with RCA-affiliated Panorama Records, before transitioning into a life of ministry, community impact, and spiritual leadership in Tampa, Florida.

Now a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Belinda continues to inspire through jazz, gospel, and outreach—proving that purpose evolves, but passion endures.

🎤 In this episode:

• Billboard success & Nashville recording career
• Singing through adversity in the civil rights era
• Transition from music industry to ministry
• Faith, purpose, and serving the Tampa community
• Advice for pursuing passion with perseverance

👉 Connect with Belinda Womack:
Facebook: Belinda West Womack
Instagram: @BelindaSinger1
Clubhouse: Good Day Souls Womack

Stageworks Theatre, Tampa, Fl

https://stageworkstheatre.org/

#BelindaWomack #TampaBay #JazzSinger #BillboardArtist #FaithAndMusic #InspirationalStories #WomenInJazz #GospelMusic #TampaFlorida #ShapingOurStory #Perseverance #PurposeDrivenLife #AngelaDuckworth

👉Information

Louise Krikorian’s outline of questions comes from her years of researching the psychology of learning, motivating students, and researching Dr. Angela Duckworth’s work on Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (Scribner, 2016). For more information on Dr. Angela Duckworth, you can visit https://angeladuckworth.com/.

👉Follow Us

https://www.facebook.com/ShapingOurStory/

https://www.instagram.com/louisekrikorian/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisekrikorian/

https://www.youtube.com/user/louisekrikorian

Recorded in ShowTech Studios, Tampa, FL.

Creator: Louise Krikorian

Years Active: 2025

Season 1, 10 Episodes

Season 2, 3 Episodes

Total Episodes: 13

Length 24:11

Frequency: Updated biweekly

Rating: Clean

Hosted with Buzzsprout www.buzzsprout.com