The past few years have not been easy for Nashville’s WeGo bus network. But behind the scenes, the agency has been trying to make progress on improvements that riders have been requesting for many years. On today’s show, we start by looking back over the bus system’s recent history. In 2018, voters rejected a sprawling mass transit proposal . In 2019, budget cuts led WeGo to eliminate some routes . And then the coronavirus pandemic slashed ridership. We’ll also talk with WeGo leaders and frequen...
Oct 05, 2022•51 min
Nashville is known as the Buckle on the Bible Belt. However, the city is home to a diversity of religions and traditions, including paganism. In today’s episode, we’re joined by a pair of community leaders to learn more about Pagan Pride Day and what it means to be pagan in a traditionally Christian area. Then, we’ll hear from solo practitioners about how they found paganism, and how they discuss their spirituality with their family and friends. But first, WPLN’s political and criminal justice r...
Oct 04, 2022•51 min
Film festival season is underway in Nashville. The International Black Film Festival wrapped up on Sunday while the Nashville Film Festival is slated to run until Wednesday. In this episode, we look at the history and significance of these two festivals in Music City. We'll also be joined by local filmmakers, who will talk about their craft and decision to work in Nashville. But first, Hillsdale College-affiliated charter schools withdrew its request to start schools in Tennessee on Friday after...
Oct 03, 2022•51 min
Anyone who lives in Nashville can tell you how hard it is to get around town without a car . But, trying to bike to work or school can be dangerous or downright impossible in the city. Today, we’re joined by transportation planners and a cyclist to learn more about the current state of our city’s cycling infrastructure and what plans are in the works. Then, we’ll hear from a couple of educators who work with kids and adults about what it means to own a bicycle and the best ways to stay safe on t...
Sep 30, 2022•51 min
When it comes to manners and etiquette, every city has its local quirks. So we explore the question: What is “Nashville Nice”? This is the South, so you’re likely to hear a good old fashioned “bless your heart” on a regularly basis. But there’s more to unpack. So we explore some of the origins and nuances of Music City’s social graces with our panel — as well the potential downsides of keeping up an appearance of niceness. But first, it’s our weekly @Us segment. Guests: Freda Player , Metropolit...
Sep 29, 2022•51 min
Nashville is home to one of the nation’s most prominent HBCU marching bands: The Aristocrat of Bands (AOB) at Tennessee State University. The band is revered for its live performances, including at presidential inaugurations, NFL halftime shows and parades. Now they’re blazing a new path with a studio-recorded gospel album, “The Urban Hymnal,” that unites many musical genres. On today’s show we’ll hear the behind-the-scenes story of how that album came to be, learn more about the legacy of the A...
Sep 28, 2022•50 min
Housing is affordable — meaning you are not cost burdened — if it takes up 30% or less of your gross income, according to national housing guidelines . But we want to know what YOU would consider affordable in Nashville. In this episode, we’re speaking with local residents to about their particular concerns about finding and paying for housing in Nashville. Then, we’re joined by a local expert and an official to answer listener questions. But first, WPLN contributor Laura Dean will dive into her...
Sep 27, 2022•51 min
With a mix of homegrown startups and big players moving in, Nashville’s tech scene is booming, and it shows no signs of slowing down. It’s good news for the city’s boosters who see the economic benefits of a strong tech sector, which is expected to bring thousands of high-paying jobs. However, there’s a lingering question about who will fill those jobs, especially since the tech field is predominately white and male %2C%20and). But, in Nashville, there are those who are working to make the field...
Sep 26, 2022•51 min
When you think of Music City, you probably think of the big-name musicians who got their start here. But session musicians, studio musicians, and backing musicians are a huge part of what keeps the live music scene alive and thriving. These are the go-to musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. In this episode, we’ll meet session musicians and a recording engineer to get an inside look at how the craft works. But first, we’re talking about the vulnerabilities of our...
Sep 23, 2022•51 min
Bisexual people make up the largest proportion of the LGBTQ community but are also sometimes the least visible. So, we take a look at the lives and journeys of bisexual people in this city, and how they find community on social media, and in person. But first, we start the hour with our weekly @ Us segment, responding to your feedback. Guests: Emily April Allen , photographer, founder of the Nashville Bi Diaries project Kristin Jones , speech pathologist, founder of Voce Speech Therapy Phil Cobu...
Sep 22, 2022•51 min
Their work can be subtle and unseen, but neighborhood associations often play a key role in building connections among neighbors and setting the vision for a community. But running an association is no small job. Their myriad tasks can include staying on top of changes within the city, advocating for Metro services, organizing local events, and also recruiting participants to serve on the association itself. What does it take for a neighborhood association to remain relevant to the average (extr...
Sep 21, 2022•43 min
Dr. Alex Jahangir served as head of Metro Nashville’s COVID-19 Task Force for the two years it was in existence. It was a role he never expected to fill, but with the city between Public Health Department directors, he stepped up when asked by Mayor John Cooper. The long hours, on top of his already demanding workload as a trauma surgeon and coupled with intense public scrutiny, took a toll on his personal life. Through it all, Dr. Jahangir kept a pandemic version of “op notes” — the entries he ...
Sep 20, 2022•44 min
Earlier this month, Mesa Komal Cafe opened at Belmont University. The cafe is a unique partnership between Belmont, the hospitality company Sodexo and Conexión Américas that will feature chefs from the Mesa Komal culinary incubator program at Casa Azafrán on a rotating roster. First up: longtime chef and caterer Karla Ruiz. For nearly a decade, the Mesa Komal program at Conexión Américas has provided work space in their commercial kitchen for food entrepreneurs, often connecting immigrant and fi...
Sep 19, 2022•43 min
Americana is a unique genre of music. Straight away, its name lets you know that it is a self-aware exploration of national identity and culture, something that our country has been fiercely debating for the past several years. Today marks the fourth day of the annual Americana Fest. In this episode, we're sitting down with artists from Nashville and beyond to talk about the future of this genre and its relationship to Music City. But first, we're speaking with Nashville Scene reporter Kelsey Be...
Sep 16, 2022•43 min
Dr. Paul Kwami, longtime music director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, passed away this weekend . He was 70. Under his direction, the group garnered a Grammy , a Dove Award and the National Medal of Arts. The group was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and performed at The Apollo, Carnegie Hall and the White House among other venues. Kwami also took the ensemble to Ghana, where he grew up. While there, the singers recorded at Elmina Castle, once a key location in the transatlantic slave ...
Sep 15, 2022•44 min
How are Nashville’s small businesses rebounding from the pandemic? The report card is mixed. Metro recently handed out $9 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, and more than 450 local businesses benefited . Yet, nearly twice that number applied and were unable to tap into the money before it ran out. That sent a clear message that the city’s small businesses still need support. In this episode, we’ll hear from Pathway Lending, which works to get capital to underserved small bus...
Sep 14, 2022•44 min
It feels like just as we’ve started to get a grip on COVID-19, a new highly-contagious disease has emerged: monkeypox. We’re sitting down with people in the community to learn more about what their concerns are and what they’re doing to keep themselves safe. There’s a lot of misinformation and stigma around this virus, so to get answers to your questions, we’re joined by experts in LGBTQ+ health and infectious disease. But first, we’re talking all things Titans with the editor of the All Titans ...
Sep 13, 2022•51 min
On Monday, Warner Elementary Arts Magnet School in East Nashville was named a reward school. This makes it one of the top-performing schools in all of Metro Nashville. While that is plenty to celebrate on its own, consider this: Just two years ago, Warner was a so-called “priority school,” meaning it was among the lowest-performing schools. In that two-year span, enrollment has more than doubled. Warner was the subject of Season 2 of WPLN’s podcast The Promise , which explores not only the plan ...
Sep 12, 2022•51 min
Songwriters are at the heart of Music City’s namesake industry, from big-name performers to veteran hitmakers to those just starting out. In this episode, we’re sitting down with songwriters, musicians and a local union president to learn about what it takes to write songs and make a living in Music City. But first, we’re saying goodbye to WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell and talking about some of his proudest work from his time at WPLN. Guests: Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter He...
Sep 09, 2022•50 min
Many Nashvillians are vaguely aware that the city is home to “Little Kurdistan,” which is the largest Kurdish community in America. However, it’s easy to know that fact without really understanding these neighbors. In this episode, we’ll unpack how Nashville became a destination for Kurdish refugees starting in the late 1970s and then hear from local Kurds about their future hopes and ambitions for their community. But first, it’s time for @ us! Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos...
Sep 08, 2022•51 min
Thousands of Tennesseans could have their student loans reduced or wiped clean under a new program by the Biden administration. Student loan forgiveness is on a lot of people’s minds since one in eight Tennesseans has student loan debt. It’s a topic folks have strong opinions about – and with about 20 colleges and universities in the Middle Tennessee area, Nashville is especially impacted. In this episode, we’re joined by former and future college students to talk about how student loans have sh...
Sep 07, 2022•51 min
Rosetta Miller-Perry is at the helm of the longest running African-American newspaper in Nashville, the Tennessee Tribune , which she started in 1991. Otherwise known as the “Queen Mother” of the Black Press, she joins us to reflect on her life and legacy, and what she sees as she looks around at a Nashville undergoing rapid change on many fronts — and slower change on others. But first, WPLN’s Blaise Gainey discusses the recent controversy over the seating of a Republican to the Sumner County C...
Sep 06, 2022•50 min
This episode originally aired on July 7, 2022. Unions have historically been associated with factory workers and those in the automotive industry. In Tennessee, food service employees – particularly baristas – are leading the labor organization push. In Knoxville, Memphis and Murfreesboro, there’s been various efforts to unionize local Starbucks locations. While in Nashville, much of the labor organizing is taking place at smaller, independent shops – like Three Brothers Coffee and Barista Parlo...
Sep 05, 2022•51 min
This Friday, we're talking chicken wings! What's the restaurant scene like here in Music City? What makes a good wing? And is there a quintessential Nashville-style wing? To get some answers to these questions and more, we're joined by restaurant owners and an expert chicken wing reviewer. Then, we'll talk about how our local wing joints have been impacted by inflation, supply chain issues and the pandemic over the past few years. But first, we're talking about the origins of "Cashville" with WP...
Sep 02, 2022•51 min
According to a 2018 report , only 13% of teachers in the state are people of color, even though 37% of students are. Last month, the Tennessee Education Research Alliance received a four-year, $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to address the lack of teacher diversity in Tennessee schools. What will researchers be looking for? What can be done to increase diversity? And what does it look like on the ground, right now, for teachers of color?...
Sep 01, 2022•51 min
In the wake of the Roe v. Wade decision, a lot of people were left wondering: What does this mean for access to birth control and emergency contraception? While birth control remains fully available in Tennessee, the process of selecting and obtaining contraception can be difficult to navigate. From the pill, to intrauterine devices, to vasectomies or condoms, understanding and obtaining birth control options can be overwhelming — and not to mention, at times, expensive to access. To better unde...
Aug 31, 2022•51 min
Angela Tucker wants to change the conversation about adoption. She is an adoptee advocate and mentor, host of the podcast The Adoptee Next Door and author of the forthcoming book You Should Be Grateful: Stories or Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption . Born in Chattanooga, Angela grew up in Bellingham, Wash., with white adoptive parents — an experience that was challenging and sometimes isolating. She didn’t have a person of color as a teacher until she was in college. After turning 21, she w...
Aug 30, 2022•51 min
The Tennessee State Fair has taken place for over a century, with only a couple of interruptions: WWII and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been lots of changes over the years, from a huge fire in the 1960s, to the addition of car shows, to the recent move from the Nashville fairgrounds out to Lebanon. In this show, we’ll dive into the past and present of the fair with a historian and the fair’s current executive director. Then, we’ll hear from a couple farmers about what the fa...
Aug 29, 2022•51 min
This episode originally aired on April 25, 2022. Nashville is known as Music City, but as the cost of living continues to rise in Nashville, it’s putting pressure on those trying to get by. What is it like to make music in Nashville if you aren’t headlining arenas? How are musicians piecing together a life for themselves? We start by talking with WNXP about former artist of the month $avvy, who is joined by rapper and producer Mike Floss. We also talk with more musicians about doing the work, an...
Aug 22, 2022•49 min
This year marks the 34th anniversary of the Nashville Summer Shakespeare Festival , which puts on free, outdoor performances of The Bard and other playwrights’ work. This year, the festival includes Cymbeline and, starting on the 25th, August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean . To learn more about how the festival got its start and how it relates to Nashville’s broader theater community, we’re joined by the executive artistic director and managing director. Then, we’ll hear from the directors of both pl...
Aug 19, 2022•51 min
