Every year, I scroll back hundreds of pages on our website and compile the best stories of the year in a single document.
In 2021, some of these investigated systemic wrongdoing: Samantha Max’s exploration of sexual assault within the Nashville police department; Meribah Knight’s powerfully written account of how adults failed children in Rutherford County; Blake Farmer’s investigations into hospitals in Lebanon and Clarksville that have been suing hundreds of patients; and Juliana Kim’s findings about the lack of support for mobile home owners.
Others responded with care to the biggest local news events of the year. We dug into the aftermath of the Second Avenue bombing, remembered the 2020 tornado, answered your questions about the Metro budgeting process with Ambriehl Crutchfield’s “Nash In The Know,” and covered flooding in Waverly and a tornado in Kingston Springs.
It’s our job to provide accurate information in times of crisis, to hold people in power accountable, and to elevate the voices of people who are suffering in our society. So these stories, which can spur anger and sadness, are important.
But this is not a list about heavy emotions.
This is a list about joy.
Because it is just as important that we create work that builds empathy, that shows our common humanity and that revels in art and nature. So instead of a typical year-end news list, which might remind you of all the mildly-to-very depressing news items of 2021 (remember when Bonnaroo was canceled?), let’s take a few minutes to listen to these delightful pieces of audio and soak in the joy.
You survived a tough year. That’s reason enough to celebrate.
— Emily Siner, WPLN News Director
1. More Winter Hummingbirds Are Spotted In Tennessee, Giving Data On These Elusive Creatures (Jan. 20)
Not much is known about hummingbirds that spend the cold-weather months in the United States rather than commute further south. In Tennessee, in particular, winter bird sightings have been especially rare — until now.
Courtesy Cyndi Routledge A Rufous hummingbird perches on a tree in Thompson’s Station. This bird has now returned for his second winter in Tennessee, at the same home.
2. Slim & Husky’s Brings Black Culture To Nashville’s Lower Broadway (Jan. 25)
“It’s very important for them to know that it’s not just cowboy boots and country music downtown, but that downtown should be a representation of what Nashville is made of, 100%. And we were part of that fabric.”
Ambriehl Crutchfield WPLN NewsClint Gray is one of three owners of Slim and Husky’s Pizza Beeria. The entrepreneurs originally owned a moving truck company.
3. Curious Nashville: Whatever Happened To Nashville’s Revolving Restaurant? (Jan. 28)
To pin down some answers about the Sheraton’s top-floor restaurant, we went in search of those who experienced the slow-spinning tower in its heyday, and found quite a few twists along the way.
Tony Gonzalez WPLN NewsThe Sheraton hotel in downtown Nashville long featured a revolving restaurant, although it no longer functions that way.
4. A Snow Day In Nashville Means Sledding And Skating — Yes, Outdoor Ice Skating (Feb. 16)
The winter storm closed schools, businesses and state offices for a day as Nashville turned into a snow-covered city. But, for the more adventurous, the growing piles of snow and ice meant sledding down the Capitol hill, snowboarding in front of the Parthenon and playing ice hockey in Centennial Park.
Rachel Iacovone WPLN NewsBen Wood skates on Lake Watauga in Centennial Park with the Parthenon as a backdrop. He was playing a pickup game of hockey with Turner Wood (not pictured), Cole Marciniak (center) and Sam Maloney (right) after the first round of winter weather in Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 16.
5. As A Nashville Teacher Welcomes Back Students, There’s Joy And Jitters In The Classroom (Feb. 17)
For the first assignment, the teacher asked the kids to share their feelings about being back inside the building. The students responded with mixed emotions. Most were excited. Others said they were looking forward to the opportunity to “learn better.”
Damon Mitchell WPLN NewsShwab Elementary teacher Lily Porter guides her fourth-grade class through a brief lesson on the first day back to in-person classes.
6. Senate Wraps Up Legislative Session With Song (May 6)
The 112th General Assembly was not what you would call “filled with joy.” But in the middle of a grueling debate over unemployment benefits, lawmakers took a recess with a complete shift in tone — and broke into song.
Sergio Martinez-Beltran WPLN News (FILE)Senators ended the legislative session by singing a series of songs about their experiences.
7. How An Attentive Nashville Birdwatcher Spotted A Species Not Seen Here In 60 Years (May 14)
It looked like a green-tailed towhee, a bird that lives way out west. This type of towhee hadn’t been seen in Tennessee since 1957.
Courtesy Ariel Dunham This green-tailed towhee has been observed for several days in East Nashville, marking the first sighting of the species in Tennessee in more than 60 years. It’s typically found in the West.
8. Listen: Middle Tennessee High School Grads Look At The Future With Resilience And Optimism (May 31)
High school graduation speeches across Middle Tennessee, including ones in Nashville, Gallatin and Clarksville, talked about grief and working through struggle — but also what’s in store for the future.
Courtesy Erin Holt KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School’s Class of 2021 enters the auditorium of Belmont University’s Curb Event Center for their graduation ceremony in May.
9. How The Pandemic Changed The Game (In A Good Way) For Nashville Parents Learning English (June 17)
For the first time, English language classes for MNPS families were offered online. And the response was so good that it’s transforming how the district offers the classes going forward.
Courtesy Luz Adriana Ruiz Gonzalez Luz Adriana Ruiz Gonzalez learned English online this spring through Metro Schools’ LEAF program. The response to a virtual option for EL parents has been so positive, that it’s transforming how the classes are offered going forward.
10. Black Tennesseans Take Ownership of Juneteenth Through Good Food, Music, Company — And History (June 21)
Two organizers shared their thoughts about what the day meant for the community, as thousands of residents flocked to celebrations across Middle Tennessee.
Courtesy Juanita Charles Performers dance during Clarksville’s Official Juneteenth Festival at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center.
11. ‘We Don’t Look Back, We Look Forward’: A Syrian Family Rebuilds Their Life In Murfreesboro (Aug. 14)
“If you (had told) me that … ‘In 10 years, you will be in America, you will be a citizen, you will have a life in there, you will speak the language, you will teach in there’ … I would say ‘Are you kidding me? I will never be able to do that.’ ”
Kinan Alrifai (right) stands with her daughter, Tala Aldairi, and husband, Ziyad Aldairi, reflecting on family photos taken over the years. Not pictured is her son, Tareq, who she says is a busy teenager with jam-packed social and extracurricular calendar.
12. At Nashville’s Most Inclusive Runway Show, Fashion Is For Every Body (Sept. 14)
Hairspray and glitter are flying before the fashion show, as models hurry to get ready. Alicia Searcy came up with the idea years ago, after she was invited to a fashion show but couldn’t get in when she showed up. The venue wasn’t accessible for Searcy, who uses a wheelchair.
Paige Pfleger WPLN NewsModels take to the runway wearing Any Old Iron at the Fashion Is For Every Body show.
13. Radio Special: Three Castles And The Music City — 150 Years Of The Fisk Jubilee Singers (Oct. 9)
In October of 1871, the oldest university in Nashville teetered on the brink of collapse. To survive, Fisk University staked its last $40 on a set of field hymns and 10 descendants of American slavery. The landmark tours of the Fisk Jubilee Singers rescued a university, pioneered global touring, and brought American music to the world. Immerse yourself in the music and voices of the original emissaries in the one-hour special.
14. Colorblind people can get their first-ever glimpse of fall foliage at Radnor Lake State Park (Oct. 29)
For many people with colorblindness, fall foliage doesn’t do much for them. But at one spot, on the edge of Nashville’s Radnor Lake, there’s now a way for them to get a glimpse of the season’s splendor.
Blake Farmer WPLN NewsDonald Tate of Goodlettsville was one of the first to use the new colorblind viewfinder at Radnor Lake.
15. It rained on their parade, but Tennessee State University fans still showed up for homecoming festivities (Oct. 31)
The festivities were canceled last year, because of the pandemic. But this year, Jefferson Street was filled with dancers, marching bands, umbrellas and ponchos, as Tennessee State University fans braved the rain for the annual homecoming parade.
Samantha Max WPLN NewsDancers shake their pompoms and sway their hips at Tennessee State University’s annual homecoming parade Saturday.
16. For Diwali, Nashville Hindus got back together to celebrate light and hope — with fireworks (Nov. 8)
After a much smaller gathering last year, Nashville’s largest Hindu Temple hosted a Diwali that once again looked — and sounded — like a celebration.
Tasha Lemley WPLN NewsAfter a much smaller gathering last year, Sri Ganesha Temple in West Nashville hosted a Diwali that once again looked — and sounded — like a celebration.
17. Nashville’s new Black symphony is powered by a love of classical music, and hopes to make it more representative (Nov. 29)
It’s a new group made up of 52 Black classical musicians — some are doctors, others lawyers, educators, engineers and politicians. Many of them studied music in college but set down their instruments years ago. Now, they have a reason to pick them back up again.
18. Bobcat — with bobkittens! — spotted in a Nashville park (Dec. 9)
A resident who lives just north of Shelby Bottoms maintains a dedicated trail camera to glimpse the private lives of Nashville’s mammalian neighbors. So, when he spotted a female bobcat and her three bobkittens last week — in broad daylight — he knew it was a special experience
Courtesy National Park Service The National Park Service tracked a litter of bobkittens in the Santa Monica Mountains in 2015.
19. Why a small team of citizen weather reporters have gained the trust of thousands in Nashville (Dec. 13)
They are not meteorologists, but they’ve become a go-to resource for many during potential natural disasters. During the recent tornadoes, tens of thousands watched the account’s YouTube livestream, looking for their calm companionship during the storm.
Nashville Severe Weather via YouTube Andrew Leeper hosted the Nashville Severe Weather channel’s livestream on Saturday morning.
20. The flood closed this Waverly grocery store. Now, residents rejoice at its reopening (Dec. 20)
The grocery market was one of the hardest-hit businesses in the flood. But it only took two days for the owners to decide they’d rebuild in the community. “We prayed about this. We knew that this was what we were supposed to do.”
Paige Pfleger WPLN NewsWaverly Cash Saver was one of many businesses damaged in the August flood. Employees and volunteers have spent the past few months rebuilding the place.
21. ‘This band puts the B in HBCU’: TSU’s marching band takes national stage in Rose Parade (Dec. 22)
Tennessee State University’s marching band is heading to the West Coast. The Aristocrat of Bands will celebrate its 75th anniversary in style — by playing in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day.
Paige Pfleger WPLN NewsTSU’s Aristocrat of Bands rehearses before heading to California for the Rose Bowl.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM