Marie Williams is the kind of state official who will get choked up on stage talking about the passion of her team. She came up through homeless services in Memphis and found her way to the state agency that oversees mental health and substance abuse services when Gov. Bill Haslam appointed her to lead the […]
Vandy neurologist Britt Stone on coming back around to ‘bush medicine’
When Dr. Britt Stone was growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, her Bahamian mother made her choke down a spoonful of cod liver oil each morning. That daily ritual was part of a “bush medicine” philosophy incorporating an array of natural supplements and remedies. While training at Meharry Medical College, and later specializing in neurology, Stone […]
Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, the Grand Ole Opry’s longest serving legend
As the Grand Ole Opry celebrates its 100th birthday this week, we hear from its longest-serving member.
Music City’s benevolent mogul, Mike Curb
It might look like anything Mike Curb touches turns to gold. But he says he’s never been great at anything – just passionate. After more than 60 years in the record business, Curb is still looking for the next big hit. He’s also looking for a way to preserve the thing that brought him to […]
Tennessee’s pandemic chief Dr. Lisa Piercey on her post-COVID career change
When Dr. Lisa Piercey left state government after guiding Tennessee through the pandemic, she decided to turn over an entirely new leaf. She was tired of working for someone else. So she got into the business of buying businesses. And even though she’s only a few years in, she also wrote a book about it. […]
Charles “Wigg” Walker, legendary R&B and soul artist
There’s one man ensuring rhythm and blues gets some airtime on Lower Broadway, even if it’s a Saturday morning brunch crowd.
Stuart McWhorter on business, divisive politics, and carrying on his father’s legacy
When an emcee introduces Stuart McWhorter on stage, at some point he feels the need to cut them off. From his resume, it starts to sound like he either can’t hold a job or he’s always looking for the next thing — a joke that he makes about his own varied career. Before government service, […]
Tamara Saviano on a fateful firing and finding Americana music
Americana often becomes a place for artists or music industry types who don’t fit neatly elsewhere. And for Tamara Saviano, it was a place for a writer and publicist who was shunned by country music. Saviano moved to Nashville and quickly found herself crossways with industry heavyweights. A fateful firing over politics led to a […]
No excuses from Fred Bailey, who grew up unaware he was blind
Fred Bailey didn’t just defy the odds. He didn’t see his circumstances as a deck stacked against him. In fact, he couldn’t see at all, which was one of the challenges you’d expect to hold someone back. “You’re Black, blind, and poor,” his father told him, adding that hard work was going to be the […]
Joy Flores and the mission to shelter the unhoused
When people in Nashville have nowhere else to go, they find this hour’s guest.
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