Where do you go after reaching the pinnacle of your profession? What if you were forced out of that job? For former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, his second act steered him to academia. In 2014, he moved to Middle Tennessee to become dean of a law school that was just getting off the ground […]
Allison Russell, ‘In the Hour of Chaos’
A quote got back to Allison Russell from her daughter talking to the daughter of another artist: My mommy “just sings sad songs about her sad past.” She did win a GRAMMY for a song she describes as an open letter to her adopted father — a white supremacist — who abused her throughout her […]
Jim Palmer on deconstruction and what’s next
Jim Palmer was a crusader for Christianity.
Biochemist Billy Hudson on his awards, his Aspirnauts and his own self-care
At 84, biochemist Billy Hudson is still at it, researching collagen and kidney function. He’s been named as a 2026 medal of honor recipient by the Ellis Island Honors Society. An unlikely pioneer in the field of nephrology, Hudson endured poverty and abuse in rural Arkansas, not even finishing high school before he found himself […]
Former Titan Kevin Dyson still has something to prove in education
Kevin Dyson was part of the biggest play during the biggest season the Tennessee Titans have had to date. He saw the highs of the Music City Miracle and the bitter lows of being one yard short at Super Bowl XXXIV. And before long, he found his injury-prone career cut short in 2005. He wanted […]
Finding simplicity on 21 strings with guzheng master Wu Fei
Today we meet Wu Fei, a master of the 21-string Chinese zither known as the guzheng. A classically-trained composer and singer, Wu Fei was educated in China’s conservatory system before continuing her studies at Mills College in the United States. She eventually made her home in Nashville, where her sound has evolved through collaborations with […]
R.A. Dickey on redemption, purpose and the unpredictable pitch that changed everything
Knuckleball pitchers are a small fraternity, and R.A. Dickey is one of its most notable members.
The redemption story of RaDonda Vaught
It started with one request to speak to a group of risk analysts. Former Vanderbilt nurse RaDonda Vaught reluctantly told her story on a stage for the first time — she was still on probation from her felony conviction. “It was emotionally overwhelming and a little cathartic, but I’m gonna tell you, you could have […]
Rissi Palmer on the Black Barbie evolution of country music and other ‘Perspectives’
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.
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