This Is Nashville

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. 

This episode was produced by...

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 open. Call 615-760-2000 to ...

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 provide legal services for t...

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 not heard before, a story...

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 and confronted drug deale...

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 Council from forty members ...

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 up doing sound for Rob Thom...

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 at a care facility, during ...

Candice Lee is a Vanderbilt Commodore through and through.

In the late 90’s and early aughts, she played for the women’s basketball team. She endured injuries but never quit. After her playing days were over she moved to the administration side of sports. Also earning a PhD from the university. 

Today, we learn what it’s like to get inside the mind of an athletic director for a school in the most powerful athletic conference...

The school voucher debate has been raging in Tennessee for almost two decades...

but it was just this year the Tennessee State Legislature successfully passed a law creating a statewide program. The Education Freedom Scholarship Act will provide 20,000 eligible students with about $7,300 per year in public school funds to use for private school tuition. So far, nearly 40,000 families have applied for the program.

Today we as...

In 1960s Southern California, a movement called "Kustom Kulture" emerged. Its mission: restore and refurbish cars. Since then, thousands across America have had their own vehicles customized.

On today's show, we speak with local builders, musicians, and enthusiasts about their Kustom Kulture, how it helps people express themselves creatively, and the outlook of the community today.

This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. 

G...

Today we’re talking with identical twins who live here in Middle Tennessee - including two who work at the same local police department- to learn about how their unique connection has shaped their lives. We’ll also speak with the parent and a spouse of identical twins to learn about how they love the twins closest to them. It’s going to be a double fun hour. Join us!

This episode was produced by Liv Lombardi and Katherine R...

For over three decades Kurdish refugees have found a safe place to land in America.

The latest wave of Kurds is arriving from Turkey – fleeing political repression and nationalist hate groups. But today, they’re coming to a very different America. It’s an America in turmoil. A place where immigrants are increasingly seen as enemies within, to be rooted out and sent back to where they came from.

The Country in our Hearts is t...

When a wave of Kurdish refugees came to Nashville, they quickly got to work.

They opened businesses and raised their kids. As those kids grew up, they had to figure out how to navigate the world of a first-generation Kurdish-American teenager. And in that world, something new was forming — something that threatened to tarnish the sterling reputation their parents worked hard to build.

The Country in our Hearts is the story o...

Revealing all this family lost to war and displacement. But also, what they are determined to reclaim and rebuild.

The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance.

But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in th...

We dive headlong into one family’s migration odyssey from Iraqi Kurdistan to Nashville.

To really understand what this family — and so many others — were fleeing from, we need to go back to one terrible, pivotal day in 1988. And to do that, we need to go to Kurdistan.

The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of fr...

Science and religion are in a constant state of friction. But 100 years ago, that friction flared into a firestorm in Tennessee.

In 1925, John Scopes, a 24-year-old high school science teacher in Dayton, decided to teach human evolution to his students even though the state had just outlawed it. He was put on trial, and Dayton was the center of international attention. Today, the impacts of what became known as the “Monkey ...

Do you want to live to 100 or longer?  It’s possible and could be commonplace within the next couple of decades. The new longevity requires serious money moves to have financial security for a long lifespan.

The 100-Year-Opportunity is here, according to researchers at the Stanford Center on Longevity. They've also developed a guide for leading a quality, thriving life as we live longer called The Map of Life.  An important...