Classic City Rewind with Lesley Platek

This episode is going to feel like sitting down with an old friend. Host Lesley Platek welcomes Karen Morgan, a born-and-raised Athens, Georgia native who has built a remarkable life straddling courtrooms, comedy stages, and now, Hollywood screenwriting. Karen Morgan is a former trial attorney turned nationally touring stand-up comedian, known for her two Dry Bar Comedy specials and her comedy alb...

What better way to close out Season One of Classic City Rewind than with this conversation — especially with the NCAA Tennis Tournament coming to Athens May 14th–17th. Classic City Rewind returns with Season Two in July. If you've ever wondered what it looks like when passion, purpose, and place all come together, this conversation is for you. Host Lesley Platek sits down with legendary UGA women'...

If you've ever wondered what it looks like when a life is built on gratitude, grit, and genuine community, this episode is for you. Host Lesley Platek sits down with Will Glenn, partner and owner of Select Trees Enterprises, a Athens-area business that has grown over four decades into one of the larger tree nurseries in the country — with roots (literally and figuratively) that run deep in the Cla...

If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to take control of your health, this episode is a warm reminder that it's never too late — and that the right guide can make all the difference. Host Lesley Platek welcomes Kelly Ward, a longtime Athens fixture with over 30 years of expertise in orthopedic sports medicine, who is now channeling that experience into something deeply personal and forward...

Coca-Cola Has Proud Athens History  This episode features Athens native Alex Sams, a real estate agent with 5Market Realty and recently moved to Berkshire Hathaway and who served as chair and a member of the Athens-Clarke County Historic Preservation Commission. He shares his family's deep roots in Athens, dating back to 1922 when his great-grandfather, Walter Sams, became involved in the local Co...

The Man Who Bet His Life Savings on a 1961 Shopping Center. From selling menswear in the late 80s to owning one of Athens' most beloved community spaces, Dave Mulkey's connection to Beechwood Shopping Center runs deeper than business—it's personal. When this former apartment developer decided to invest his life savings in reimagining a tired shopping center, he wasn't just buying real estate. He w...

  Trenchers, Tents and Tables, Barron's rental covered it all through the decades as it grew to be an Athens Premier Event Business. From A to Z Rental on Baxter Street to one of Athens' most trusted equipment rental and event partners, Charlie Barron's story begins with a father's leap of faith and a son's vision to transform how Northeast Georgia celebrates. When Charles Barron Sr. left his secu...

From a Wrightsville filling station where travelers stopped for gas and Coca-Colas on their way to Athens, Loran Smith watched cars pass through carrying dreams he could barely imagine. When this farm boy from middle Georgia finally made that two-hour trip north in the late 1950s, he discovered a world that would reshape not just his own life, but the very fabric of University of Georgia athletics...

From carriage makers to fertilizer magnates, the Hodgson family story begins with a widow and her six children arriving on the first horse-drawn train to Athens in 1840. When Anne Bishop Hodgson brought her family from England via Troy, New York, she planted roots that would grow into six generations of Athens history—spanning Civil War service, business empires, and personal tragedies that reveal...

When Ecuador Meets Georgia The Cultural Fusion Behind Peter Dale's Restaurant Success From backpacking through South America to becoming Athens' most dedicated culinary storyteller, Peter Dale's path to restaurant ownership began with a simple question: what happens when you stop following everyone else's plan and start following your passion? When a 25-year-old with a public relations degree walk...

The Kelly Boy Who Became Mayor, Doc Eldridge's Five Decade Athens Story From Millage Circle to mayor's office, Doc Eldridge's Athens story begins with a childhood shaped by neighborhood carpools, YMCA adventures, and the profound influence of Cobern Kelly. When Doc's parents moved from Rome, Georgia in 1952, they planted roots that would grow into decades of community service, political leadership...

Five Consecutive Championships and the Relentless Spirit Behind Georgia's Gym Dogs From announcing gymnastics meets over grocery store intercoms to building one of college sports' most passionate fan bases, Suzanne  understood what it took to create champions. When the University of Georgia called in 1984, this Pennsylvania gym owner initially resisted—Jimmy Carter, peanuts, and Confederate flags...

When Athens Had One Sporting Goods Store and Everyone Knew Your Name From a rural North Georgia county agent's son with outdoor plumbing to becoming Athens' most beloved sporting goods entrepreneur, Woody Chastain's story begins with a torn ACL that changed everything. What started as a devastating football injury in 1963 led to a baseball career at the University of Georgia and ultimately sparked...

Historian & Author: Charlotte Thomas Marshall "The Tangible Past of Athens, Ga."  From a small town in southwest Georgia to becoming one of Athens' most dedicated historical preservationists, Charlotte Thomas Marshall's story begins with a chance meeting at a covered dish dinner in 1966. What started as a simple conversation about avoiding political arguments with George O. Marshall, Jr. Professor...

JImbo Laboon : Growing up on King Avenue in the 1950s meant freedom to explore forests where Athens Regional Medical Center now stands, spending countless hours at the YMCA on Broad and Lumpkin, and learning life lessons from community leaders like the legendary Cobern Kelley. For Jimbo Laboon, those formative years in Athens shaped not only his character but also his remarkable journey from a tex...

From Final Four Glory to Boys Club Hero Derek Floyd's Athens Story From the basketball courts of Miami to the Final Four stage at Syracuse, then to 36 years mentoring children at the Athens Boys and Girls Club, Derrick "Big D" Floyd's story weaves together athletic achievement with profound community impact. His path from highly recruited guard to beloved youth advocate reveals how one person's ca...

Gene Dixon : The History of the Twilight Bike Race. A Racing Event that would help Revitalize Downtown Athens.  In 1974, Athens, Georgia had four serious cyclists. Downtown was virtually empty after business hours, with just one restaurant and maybe two bars serving the community. Fast-forward fifty years, and the city pulses with energy every April as thousands gather for one of America's premier...

From a small rental unit near the botanical garden where cars with mysterious occupants cruised the streets, to becoming one of Georgia's most beloved first ladies of football, Barbara Dooley's story reveals the grit, humor, and determination that defined an era when coaches' wives did everything themselves. Barbara's path from Birmingham to Auburn wasn't conventional—following a high school boyfr...

Bill Hartman Shares His Athens Story. Growing up on Dearing Street in Athens during the 1950's meant running freely through the neighborhoods where traffic was scarce and friendships formed the foundation of childhood adventures. For Bill Hartman, those early years shaped not only his love for this Classic City but also set the stage for a remarkable broadcasting career that would span decades. Fr...

Bill Hartman Reveals Hidden Athens Stories  From the moment Bill learned that the University of Georgia didn't actually begin in 1785—despite what the famous arch suggests—he found himself questioning everything he thought he knew about his hometown. The truth? Athens didn't even exist when the university was chartered, and the first students didn't arrive until 1801. What You Can Expect from This...

The Story Behind "Appointments at Five"   Fearless Women Who Made It Happen. What happens when two Southern women decide to chase their passion for antiques across the Atlantic Ocean? Sometimes the most extraordinary businesses begin with a simple leap of faith and Jenny Sligh and Kitty Culpepper's story proves that adventure and determination can create something truly magical in Athens, Georgia....

From Scrapbook Mysteries to Aviation History Dan Aldridge Rewrites Georgia's First Flight. What happens when a simple newspaper article about an aviation anniversary leads to rewriting history? Sometimes the most extraordinary discoveries emerge from casual moments—and Dan Aldridge's quest to verify a single date became a decade-long investigation that challenged everything we thought we knew abou...

What happens when an 18-year-old from Atlanta arrives at the University of Georgia a year early and meets a future NFL star in a 7:30 AM English class? Sometimes the most extraordinary stories begin with the simplest moments—and Charlotte "Chot" Johnson's story is proof that life's unexpected turns can lead to remarkable destinations. In this compelling episode, we explore how a young woman who ne...

Welcome to Classic City Rewind! Where we uncover the people, places and events that have shaped Athens, GA. I'm your host,  Lesley  Platek!  What started as a young girl with an 8-millimeter camera in 1960s Atlanta has become something much bigger—a mission to preserve the stories that make Athens, Georgia extraordinary. When my parents chose to buy a movie camera instead of a couch, they taught m...