This Is Nashville

It’s time for our weekly Roundabout, where our panel representing views across the political spectrum dives into the biggest headlines of the week.  We take a deep look at new details surrounding immigration enforcement in Middle Tennessee, including an investigation by a media collaborative including Nashville Banner, as well as challenges to marriage equality and gender-affirming surgeries. We a...

Mayor Freddie O’Connell is back for another edition of Ask the Mayor . We’ve been through a lot since he was on the show last month. Today we start with questions about the ongoing ice storm recovery and the official review of the city’s response. Plus, property taxes, a change in leadership at NDOT, park recovery and debris removal. What are you wondering besides where on earth all the tree detri...

Independent theater could turn any one of us from a spectator into an on-stage participant. It provides a spotlight for people of all ages to share important human stories, build confidence and work as a team to create something that can touch us all. But theater — even on a shoestring — still takes space. And good luck finding an empty stage in a room with good acoustics (along with free parking)...

People come to Nashville from all over the world to make country music. Rissi Palmer is one of the many. But she’s also one of the few — one of the few to ever crack the Billboard country charts, and fewer still to do it as a Black woman. Nearly two decades ago, “Country Girl” announced her to the world. The song was a declaration that you don’t have to be from Arkansas or speak with a drawl to be...

It's Thursday which means it's another edition of The Roundabout. Today we focus on race, DEI backlash, race and redevelopment. What’s been your experience? How are you feeling about where the pendulum is swinging? It’s a delicate conversation, handled with care — and requires your voice! We take your calls during the show at 615-760-2000 and you can also chime in on our live YouTube stream . Gues...

Music put Nashville on the map. And specifically, it’s our music museums putting us on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail map. Jefferson Street Sound Museum and the new Museum of Gospel and Christian Music have just been added to the must-see landmarks — joining the National Museum of African American Music . Today, we go for a trifecta, visiting all three in one hour. This episode was produced by Blake...

Crime is down — way down. But many of us don’t feel safe. At least that’s what the latest survey data tells us. What’s going on there? Do you feel safe in your city? What are you worried about? What have you seen that has you looking over your shoulder? We’re exploring this contradiction on the show today. Guests with lived experience and professional backgrounds in criminal justice and anxiety ar...

The annual State of the Child Report released by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth shows fewer kids are living in poverty. The report also indicates academic improvement post-pandemic, particularly in TCAP Math scores. However, mental health remains a concern, as does the integration of technology in everyday life. On today's show, we speak with representatives from Tennessee state go...

As of this month, nearly 400,000 immigrants have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And ICE continues to carry out public raids and individual seizures across the country. As their tactics become more aggressive, we look at the rights of the detained, of witnesses and of property and business owners. We also take a closer look at the immigration legislation beginning to be...

We just lived through the same crisis — an ice storm that froze Nashville in place for the better part of a week and caused the worst power outage the city has ever seen. While we all experienced it, everyone’s experience was different, even from one neighbor to the next. Some lost power for two weeks. Others had lights and heat the whole time. Some had trees split their home in two. Others just h...

Chef Ericka Fizer made it her life’s work to take care of others even as she endured her own hardships — starting with feeding her siblings when she was growing up. Her mother was frequently absent, battling addiction. Fizer overcame her own challenges but never saw herself as a victim of her circumstances. Then on Easter Sunday 2024, her restaurant was the site of a mass shooting . In trying to s...

The streets are lined with trunks and limbs awaiting pickup. The power is back on for most — though not all. And the ice and snow is largely gone. But the response is going to be discussed and debated for a long time to come and we start in this episode with our roundabout panel: columnist Bruce Barry of the Tennessee Lookout , WPLN’s Metro Reporter Cynthia Abrams and attorney Rita Roberts-Turner...

It’s the 10-year anniversary of Curious Nashville and we’re revisiting some of the weirdest and most surprising questions you’ve asked. This means we're going underground to a fallout shelter, to the top of a skyscraper, and in between we’ll visit beehives, talk about dump trucks, and revisit some infamous pranksters. In this ep, you get to go behind the scenes of the reporting with WPLN Metro Rep...

We grapple with our precious and destructive trees. Winter storm Fern may have been misnamed because it was actually hardwoods and hackberries wreaking so much havoc. The local canopy will never be the same. And for those of us who lived through this storm, we may never again see limbs near power lines as non-threatening. Today, we talk about protecting our trees and our power grid, plus we take y...

This city isn’t known as an ice skating mecca. Far from it. There were only a couple of places to even lace up and glide until a few years ago. But this is where Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton decided to relocate as he wrapped up his skating career.  As the 2026 Winter Olympic Games approach, we thought it best to talk to someone with firsthand experience about what it's like to skate under...

Life is starting to get back to normal for some, but not nearly for all. Power restoration is still slow-going in some communities. One in five homes in Nashville is still in the dark and cold. And in some parts of town, work has hardly begun. This hour, we’re going to get an update about the arrival of the National Guard, hear about schools running out of snow days, and learn the warning signs ab...

Multiple days without power is taking its toll on both our spirits and on Middle Tennessee's infrastructure. Water main breaks and power loss to pumping stations is causing more water outages as Nashville thaws and nearly 100,000 people are still in the dark with no heat. Many residents are at a loss for what to do next. In this episode, we air Metro Nashville's daily press conference live from Ma...

It’s day two of our live coverage of the large-scale snow and ice storm affecting all of Middle Tennessee. Hundreds of thousand Middle Tennesseans remain in the dark and cold. As crew members work to restore the power grid to normal operations, we bring you answers to FAQ and the latest on where the region stands in terms of power and emergency management. Guests Brent Baker, Vice President and Ch...

A large-scale snowstorm crippled much of the nation over the weekend, including all of Middle Tennessee. "This Is Nashville" provided live updates about downed power lines, safety tips, and where to go to warm up. As outages persist statewide, electric companies are working around the clock to ensure power is restored as swiftly as possible. In this episode, we hear from locals and WPLN reporters...

This week, our Roundabout panel discusses President Donald Trump’s second first year. Have we entered “The golden age of America” as President Trump said during his inauguration speech — or something else entirely? Immigration policy. The economy. Military action in foreign lands. We break it all down. Plus, we want to hear from you. Call 615-760-2000 during the live show or pop into chat on our Y...

It’s hard to make heads or tails of the housing market in Nashville. You’ve got McMansions sitting for months and starter homes swept up in a flash. If you’re selling you’re a little nervous. If you’re buying, you’re also a little nervous. Can it really be that you need a six-figure income to be a homeowner in Middle Tennessee? We’ve got your market report. A homebuyer, a real estate agent, an aca...

We bring Leonard Slatkin to our podium on the eve of his first performance in this new era at the helm of the Nashville Symphony. He’s one of the most prominent American conductors of our time, and he’s back in town 20 years after serving a similar interim period between permanent conductors. We get reacquainted, talk about the state of classical music and take your calls live later in the show at...

The Tennessee General Assembly reconvenes for another session this week. Today we take you inside the halls of power to preview the key issues, potential legislation and the political dynamics that will shape the next few months – and our state’s future.  We hear from reporters who offer insights into what’s at stake and break down major topics expected to dominate the conversation in the coming m...

Is Major League Baseball on the horizon? Women's basketball? Nascar? Today we check in on the professional sports eco-system in Nashville: baseball, football, soccer, how far hockey has come — and the $2 billion dome going up for a team that’s coming off one of its worst seasons to date. This episode was produced by Mary Mancini . Guests: Emma May-Bradley , Co-founder, Playmakers ; sports marketin...

It might be hard to believe after a visit to Lower Broadway, but fewer people are drinking these days – at least that’s what folks are telling pollsters. According to Gallup , people say they are abstaining from alcohol more now than in the past 85 years. Besides being generally better for your health, going booze-free has become fashionable. On today's show, we’re exploring what it looks like to...