This Is Nashville

Welcome back to our second season of In My Place . This special series educates listeners on what communities like Nashville can do to prevent and end homelessness — while caring for our neighbors who are still unhoused. In our last episode , we heard about how last minute hurdles can stand in the way of an apartment. Today? We’re going home. We’re gonna hear what it’s like to finally open that do...

Earlier this year, Demetrius Short spoke at Fisk University's Honors Convocation and got some apologies off his chest. He disclosed to his mentors and professors he was sneaking into their offices to sleep on their couches. He was grabbing a tray of chicken legs and hoping the cafeteria workers would look the other way. He was attending class for years without officially being enrolled as a studen...

It’s Thursday and time for another episode of The Roundabout. The Roundabout is your news of the week , analyzed by our panelists from points of view that span left, right and center. Joining us today are former congressional candidate and founder of Rise & Shine TN Maryam Abolfazli , political advisor Mark Rogers and Tennessean opinion reporter Andrea Williams . Today we talk about Tennessee...

It’s back-to-school time, and that includes older adults! An increasing number of people 50 and older are actively learning new things (55% of Americans age 45 and older, according to AARP surveys). These lifelong learners want to stay mentally sharp, intellectually stimulated or even start another career. Some take a class or two based on their interests; some develop (or refine) a talent or skil...

This year, Tennessee became the first state in the South to pass legislation specifically protecting in vitro fertilization — and the debate between Republicans made it clear that IVF does need some protection. The fight to outlaw abortion in states like Tennessee has also crept into the clinics that help people conceive children. This hour, we’ll talk to local doctors who specialize in fertility...

If you’re really looking for the hardest working man in showbusiness, he might not be on camera. It might have been our guest this hour – Tom Morales. He made his name catering the biggest movies in Hollywood – thousands across the globe. But he’s also a guy who sees himself as a defender of Nashville. His hometown. He’s built iconic spaces here like the Acme Feed & Seed. He helped turn Lovele...

It’s Thursday and time for another episode of The Roundabout. The Roundabout is your news of the week , analyzed by our panelists from the points of view that span left, right and center. Joining us today are former Metro council member Fabian Bedne, former Metro school board chair and candidate for mayor, David Fox, and Tennessee State University political scientist Dr. Ian Shapiro . We're hittin...

Freddie O’Connell is back for another round of “Ask the Mayor.” There are questions about a win for Metro's transit plan in the state's high court, airport tunnels, ICE recruitment on city property and the prospect of using the National Guard for policing. But there’s more to be asked. What does the mayor need to know about your part of Nashville? Where is Metro Government needed? Where is Metro g...

We’re facing the four-letter word no parent wants to hear — lice. Updated guidance from federal health authorities and the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests parents and schools don't need to panic. In fact, schools are now discouraged from sending kids home just because they have active lice. Tennessee has embraced this thinking with a new manual for schools. But it’s been tough to put into...

Local, award-winning author Kevin Wilson has deep Tennessee roots: he grew up in Franklin County, attended Vanderbilt, and today, teaches at Sewanee: The University of the South. Earlier this year, he released his latest novel, Run for the Hills . Like much of his work, the story considers the, (sometimes unexpected) ways “family” can come to be. He sat down with "This Is Nashville" to read an exc...

It’s the weekly Roundabout. From the uniquely Nashville to the national conversation, our guests today – left, right and center – will help us chew on the big stories of the week. And our Roundabout episodes give you a chance to weigh in. This week, we’ll face an execution, examine Elon Musk’s airport tunnel, and take an honest look at ourselves with Tennessee’s new ranking as one of the worst sta...

In 2021, the Tennessee State Government introduced new tax incentives to encourage film productions to make their next project in the Volunteer State. On today’s show, we sit down with artists, producers, and members of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission to learn why film-related economic output has grown by nearly fifty percent and whether or not Nashville has the potential to become a major...

On the eve of World Elephant Day , we celebrate with one of Tennessee’s best kept secrets — The Elephant Sanctuary . Nestled in the woods and knolls of Hohenwald, Tenn., about 80 miles southwest of Nashville is a 3,000-acre refuge for retired elephants where they can live out their days out of the spotlight. These magnificent animals spend their remaining years in a natural habitat developed speci...

Garrison Keillor is still performing , even as he turns 83 this week. He sat down with This Is Nashville in the greenroom at City Winery before his performance in June because this city was central to his creation of "A Prairie Home Companion," which launched 50 years ago. For a long time, it was one of the biggest things in public radio . He now calls leaving the show a mistake. He’ll explain. An...

It’s one of the toughest balancing acts of our time – kids and their screens. With most young teens having their own cellphones , screen usage is an unavoidable issue for schools. A new Tennessee law has led school districts to revisit their policies and in some cases strengthen their screen restrictions. We’ll hear what’s changing, what experts recommend and go deep at a school that banned phones...

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to live behind bars, any episode of “Ear Hustle” will give you a pretty good idea. It’s basically “This American Life” but for the 2 million Americans who are incarcerated – primarily produced by people who are in prison. “Ear Hustle” hosts and co-founders Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods join us to talk about what they’ve learned in 15 seasons of podcast...

Welcome back to our second season of In My Place . This special series educates listeners on what communities like Nashville can do to prevent and end homelessness — while caring for our neighbors who are still unhoused. In our last episode , we learned what happens when the paperwork finally comes through and puzzle pieces start building a hopeful picture. Well, we're taking a couple steps back....

Tia Sillers has written her fair share of hit songs — most notably, “I Hope You Dance,” performed by Lee Ann Womack. From her beginnings as a songwriter to performing with her husband, she joins us to reflect on her career, her approach to creativity and her relationship with Nashville. We also learn about her personal life and how her husband’s death further strengthened her musical expression. ...

t’s not just a one-year budget crisis. Federal support for public media may be a thing of the past. And it’s hardly just WPLN at risk. Leaders of public media outlets in Middle Tennessee will be in the studio talking about the immediate impacts and uncertainty that lies ahead. Plus, it’s your turn to talk! We’re taking your calls, whether it’s curiosity or a particular critique, the lines will be...

As rent in Nashville remains close to its all-time high, some affected tenants rush to court to contest their eviction notices. They may have medical issues, significant personal challenges or legal hurdles, but the same question hangs over each of them: where are they going to go once their lease is up? The Eviction Right to Counsel program is a group of local advocates who have collaborated to p...

Opryland has been closed for nearly 30 years, and as the producer of a new documentary puts it, some people are still “butt hurt” about it. Maybe we didn’t know what we had until it left a theme park-size hole in Nashville’s heart. A documentary premiering at the Nashville Film Festival, called “A Circle Broken,” gives us a good excuse to reopen that wound and hear the story of Opryland like we’ve...

Pastor Glenda Gleaves Sutton arrived in Nashville with her two sons in tow. She had left a stressful but steady life as an air traffic controller and was on a mission to repair her own family. That effort didn’t pan out as quickly as hoped, and left her temporarily homeless. She has since dedicated her life to repairing the families of anyone within the sound of her voice. She’s dished out diapers...

It’s that time again! Time for you to talk with Mayor Freddie O’Connell. Do you have a concern you would like him to address? Do you have a question about the direction of the city? Every month, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell joins us to discuss the latest happenings in and around the city — and take your calls! Plus, Last month, an appeals court upheld a state law reducing the Nashville Metro...

When you go to a live show these days, you expect to see a spectacle — an artistic production that will blow you away. Behind the scenes, there’s one person responsible for bringing this production to life — the production manager. Today we join with WNXP's Music Citizens podcast to go behind the scenes with Nashville-based production manager, Tori Butash. As a “lady soundguy,” Tori worked her way...

There is no more tender time than the months, weeks and days before a loved one's passing. More likely than not, hospice care is going to be involved. Still, many people don’t fully understand what hospice looks like. So today we’re breaking down what you need to know so you’ll be a little more prepared when it matters.  We'll hear from two Tennesseans who relied on hospice care, both at home and...