Southern Fried

Ellis Terry, founder of Soul Grown and host of Afield, joins this episode of Southern Fried! Born and raised in Montgomery,AL, Ellis found his way to Birmingham by way of Tuscaloosa. As a college student, Ellis decided to highlight all that made his home state great, thus was born Soul Grown. Now, Ellis spends his time continuing to love Alabama and promoting the people who make it the Soul of the...

James Spann joins this episode of Southern Fried! As the long-time voice for weather in the state of Alabama, Spann knows a thing or two of the state he has called home for most of his life. Charlie and James sit down and discuss his early life in Alabama, early radio and television jobs, and his passion for the people of the state and the South. We hope you enjoy this episode and consider leaving...

Ellen Skrmetti joins this episode of Southern Fried! A southern comedian who blew up on the internet with her "Hey Jesus, it's me" series, Ellen has developed herself as a top comedian that explores all things Southern. Listen to this episode as Ellen and Charlie sit down to discuss Junior League, comedy, and Jesus! If you like this episode consider leaving us a review and sharing with someone who...

John T. Edge join this episode of Southern Fried! A man who hardly needs an introduction, John T is a writer, TV host, and true Southerner who helped inspire the work behind Southern Fried. From books such as The Potlikker Papers and House of Smoke to the SEC Network television show he hosts, True South, Edge is an explorer of the region and the all the people, stories, and food that make it up. W...

Josh Snead, co-founder of SEC Shorts, joins this episode of Southern Fried! Josh and Charlie get into all things Southeastern Conference, how Josh got his start in creating funny videos, and the life-lessons one has to learn at a Waffle House. Go support Josh and his team by going to secshorts.com , watching their videos, and buying tickets to their upcoming shows. Don't forget to leave us a revie...

Katie Ortiz joins this episode of Southern Fried! An Alabama native, Katie and Charlie sit down to discuss her life in the South and how it influenced her latest book, The Southern Sorority of Superstitious Witches . Listen as they discuss Katie's favorite Southern traditions, her time working at a haunted house, and who has he best cornbread recipe. If you enjoy this episode please consider downl...

Brian Bates joins this episode of Southern Fried! Brian is a comedian and podcast host based out of Nashville, TN. Charlie and Brian talk about how Brian got into comedy, his journey as a comedian, and the best Cracker Barrel order. We hope you enjoy this episode of Southern Fried and consider leaving us a review!

Gena Elliott joins this episode of Southern Fried! The author of Southern Stock, Gena captures the legacy of her father Stick Elliott, famed NASCAR driver. Charlie and Gena sit down and talk about her life as a kid of Stick, growing up around that world, and solidifying her father's legacy through writing. If you're a fan of NASCAR, family tradition, or the South in general this is a great episode...

Will Pearson joins this episode of Southern Fried! Pearson is the co-founder of Mental Floss magazine and digital media company. Now, Will is busy as the president of iHeart Podcasts as they continue as the largest podcast publisher in America. While Charlie and Will talk about the magazine business and the boom of the podcast industry, they also dive into their shared roots as natives of Hoover,...

Landon Bryant (@landontalks) joins this episode of Southern Fried! Landon hails from Laurel, Mississippi where stories of Walmart and explorations of the quirky Southern dialect has led him too a career in content creation, comedy, and writing. Charlie and Landon discuss what makes the best cornbread, who are some all-time Southerners, and why "Nabs" are so controversial. We hope you enjoy this ep...

Matt Swift of The Southern Blueprint joins this episode of Southern Fried. Hailing from North Carolina, Matt and Charlie dive into who Matt is and what inspired him to start TSB. From Southern history and folklore to predicting the Men's National Soccer Team's success in the World Cup, the two of them talk about all lot and follow some fun rabbit holes. We hope you enjoy this episode of Southern F...

Peter Burns joins this episode of Southern Fried! A conversation packed with Southeastern Conference sports references turns into an ode of the stories of the South as Charlie sits down with SEC Network host Peter Burns. Growing up in Louisiana and Texas, Burns ended up taking a bet on himself to enter into sports radio before finding his way as the host of the SEC Network where he's been since th...

Hattie O'Hara joins Southern Fried on this episode! Originally from Decatur, Alabama she has found her way to Birmingham where her love for the city inspired the Instagram series, "One Week in Birmingham." Hattie has a passion for highlighting the city she loves, a Southern hub of great people and experiences. Charlie and Hattie talk all about Birmingham, the South, and Hattie's overall attitude t...

Katie Collins joins this episode of Southern Fried! A teacher in Hoover, Alabama at Bluff Park Elementary School, Katie is passionate about education and impacting her students. She's the 2026 Alabama Teacher of the Year and a top-five finalist for National Teacher of the Year. Since being awarded that title she has taken her personality on the road by co-hosting the podcast Driving Education, tal...

Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois joins this episode of Southern Fried! A Southeastern Louisiana native, Chef has spent time all across the country in kitchens before finding his way to a content-based career. His YouTube channel, Stir the Pot, explores Southern and cajun recipes including his hit series, Duck Camp Dinners. You can catch Chef on the new Food Network show, Chopped Castaways, on Tuesday nigh...

Amanda Storey, the Executive Director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm, joins this episode of Southern Fried! Based in Birmingham,AL, JVTF is on a mission to deliver food-based education to the people of the city. Through school farms and downtown crops, Jones Valley has cultivated relationships that go beyond just consuming food, but understanding where that food comes from. Amanda and her team are...

Paul Attaway joins this episode of Southern Fried! Growing up in Georgia before making his way out west to Arizona, Paul built himself a life in entrepreneurship and business. 30 years out west were spent owning, operating, and consulting with businesses before his life would take him back to the South where he settled in Charleston. Now, an author of three books, Paul draws inspiration from the l...

Holly Swafford of SoulGrown joins this episode of Southern Fried. A mostly Birmingham, AL native, Holly has spent time all over the South, including Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama. Holly has a clear love for not only writing, but for showing her curiosity through that writing that sparks conversations. It's the real people and real stories of the South that Holly highlights, making her work incre...

Jamey Shirah, CEO of Revival Restaurant Group, joins this episode of Southern Fried! Born and raised in small town Georgia on his family farm, Jamey is defined by his work ethic and hospitable nature. This mentality has been transferred over to his company, Revival Restaurant Group, that strives for genuine hospitality to be shown at their restaurants in Atlanta and Birmingham. We hope you enjoy t...

Chef Jeremy Lett of Cracker Barrel joins this episode of Southern Fried! Growing up in Alabama and Florida, Chef Jeremy is no stranger to a kitchen, inspired by his grandmother who whipped up southern staples as well as Italian classics. Lett attended college at the University of Florida before finding his way into a restaurant kitchen in Tampa, where his love for the industry grew from there. Now...

Coach Duane Reboul joins this first in-person episode of Southern Fried. Coach Reboul is a New Orleans native who found his way to Birmingham,AL through coaching basketball at Birmingham-Southern College. A two-time national champion and multi-time conference champion and coach of the year, Reboul knows his way around the hardwood. Charlie spends this episode diving into Coach Reboul's childhood i...

B.C. Rogers III joins Southern Fried this week! Down South, one of the key aspects to many lives is a deep love for the outdoors and today on Southern Fried we have the opportunity to talk with B.C. Rogers III, the founder of Wren and Ivy, a brand focused on crafting high-quality gear for the sportsman lifestyle. B.C. and Charlie talk about his roots in Mississippi, time in Nashville, and his love...

Bill "Bubba" Bussey joins our host, Charlie, on this episode of Southern Fried, as we explore the South through its people! Bussey is best known for his many years as a member of the "Rick and Bubba Show," the nationally-syndicated radio morning show that ran for 30 years. Join Bubba and Charlie as they recount his days growing up in Jacksonville, AL, his time in radio, and his new podcast "Bubba...

Sophie Hudson joins Southern Fried today! She is a fellow podcaster who resides in the South, a Birmingham native, and to make things even better, a Mississippi State Bulldog, it was a gift to have her on! Sophie is a bestselling author who has a gift of encouragement through her writing. For over 20 years she’s documented her ideas, life, and all that’s in between on her blog BooMama.net and has...

Robby Hayes joins Southern Fried this week! A Birmingham, AL native, Robby is no stranger to the community and hospitality shown across the South. In 2024, Robby, his wife Lauren, and a team of people formed Neighbor9, a non-profit seeking to create a movement of loving your neighbor through Community Done Differently. Robby talks with Charlie about his life in Birmingham, love for his Auburn Tige...