Earlier this week, we had Sister Mary Jo McDonald as a guest on the podcast.

So, naturally, we are following that up with Spanky Spangler, a fun-loving stunt man who used to run with Evel and Robbie Knievel.

Most of us in Butte got to know Spanky back in 2002. That is when he jumped off Hotel Finlen during Evel Knievel Week. Oh, and he did that while he was on fire.

After the initial “Evel Knievel Week,” the festival turned into “Evel Knievel Dayz” and then “Evel Knievel Days.” Under any name, the festivities started by the legendary daredevil paved the way for the Montana Folk Festival and the Ań Rí Rá Irish Festival to come to town.

Year after year, Spanky was a key part of Evel Days. He jumped a car, jumped out of a balloon, jumped off the Original headframe, jumped off the Metals Bank Building and again off the Finlen. He came to Butte to perform his stunts because Evel asked him, and Spanky was blown away by the reception he received in the Mining City.

Now 75, Spanky is ready to retire from the stunt business with a retirement jump, and he is doing it right here in Butte, America.

Spanky will do a high-fall jump at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Butte Civic Center. The jump will be part of the Butte-Silver Bow County Fair, and Spanky will take part in a meet and greet at the Butte Plaza Inn at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Earlier this week, I caught up with Spanky over the telephone for a fun conversation. Listen in to hear Spanky talk about his long career as a stunt man and some of the people he has worked with along the way.

Listen in to how he met Evel Knievel back in the day, and listen in to hear some stories about some of Robbie Knievel’s biggest jumps. Listen to how he went from Robert William “Billy” Spangler to Spanky Spangler.

Listen in to hear why Spanky is choosing to make his retirement jump in Butte.

Like with Sister Mary Jo, this is a podcast you do not want to miss — but for completely different reasons.

Today’s podcast is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today.