For the better part of a decade, historian Betsy Phillips has been trying to get the truth about three Civil Rights-era bombings in Nashville: Hattie Cotton school in September 1957; the Jewish Community Center in March 1958; and the home of attorney and councilmember Z. Alexander Looby in April 1960. It has been painstaking work involving archival searches, Freedom of Information Act requests for FBI files, and even a road trip to Alabama.

The result is her new book, Dynamite Nashville, and in the process of writing it, what Betsy uncovered was not necessarily to the truth of who is responsible for these terrorist acts, but a wider and perhaps even more disturbing set of truths — that these bombings are likely connected, not only to each other but also to a wider network that, to some degree, is still with us. 

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Andrea Tudhope and Steve Haruch

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In the early 1970s, the Metro Nashville Police Department had no women working patrol. Valerie Meece was one of the first two women to step into that work — even if there were no women's police uniforms available at the time. And while there were plenty of men on the force who didn't think women had any business doing police work, she was undeterred. And she found allies, working her way up and retiring as an assistant chief after a decades-long career.

This being Music City, maybe it's not too surprising that becoming a cop was not what initially drew Valerie and her sister to Nashville. They performed around the city for a few years as a country duo called The Meeces, and they didn't fare too badly. But as someone who grew up fascinated by police work, Valerie didn't need much convincing when a recruiter encouraged her to apply to join the MNPD. She definitely had some close calls, but very little in the way of regrets.

Guest: Valerie Meece, retired MNPD assistant chief, one of the first women to work patrol

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Steve Haruch and Andrea Tudhope

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A historical marker commemorating the storied dance club Warehouse 28 was unveiled this month. The Warehouse began as a gay disco but was an inclusive environment that served as a refuge and hangout for Nashville's LGBTQ community starting in 1978 until its doors closed for good in 1995. It was also the place where Nashville CARES got its start, working to fight the AIDS epidemic.

Macon Kimbrough started hanging out at Warehouse 28, and with owners Steve Smith and Mike Wilson, he took a trip to Washington, D.C., in 1979 — 10 years after Stonewall — to march for gay rights. That began a political awakening, and when he got back to Nashville he started working at the Warehouse, eventually becoming a manager. It's a chapter of his life — and Nashville's history — he'll never forget.

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Andrea Tudhope and Steve Haruch

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In 2023, Phil Williams became the first Nashville reporter to receive the John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism from Columbia University. It was yet another piece of hardware to add to his already crowded shelf of accolades, full of numerous Peabody Awards, including one for his coverage of Franklin mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson.

Investigative reporting is hard work, and it can rub people the wrong way, especially if they have something to hide. But if that's what it takes to get to the truth, then Phil Williams is OK with people not liking him. And there are plenty of people who don't like him. But for this veteran investigative reporter, it's never personal when it comes to the facts.

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Andrea Tudhope and Steve Haruch

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Acclaimed music critic Ann Powers wasn't always sure this was the career path for her. In fact, she wasn't sure there was a path to making a living as a music writer. But after falling in with the right crowd — first at Tower Records in San Francisco and later at the Village Voice in New York — she found her calling and her voice.

These days, Ann works for National Public Radio, but she calls Nashville home. Her new book, Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell, is a multifaceted look at a complex artist — chronological but not conventional. It was eight years in the making, as Ann balanced work, life, and parenthood with deep research and far-ranging interviews. She talks with Demetria about how she approached the book, how she listens to music, and what it's like as a critic in Music City.

Guest: Ann Powers, NPR music critic; author, Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Steve Haruch and Andrea Tudhope

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When Richard Courtney was growing up in Columbia, Tenn., he went to visit a friend whose sister put "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles on the record player — a moment that changed his life. So much so, that all these years later he has a Beatles museum in the basement of his house in Nashville that houses more than 3,800 items, including obscure vinyl, autographs, rare artwork and even locks of the Fab Four members' hair. He's gotten to meet his favorite Beatle, and also struck up an unlikely friendship with a man many Beatles fans will never forgive.

A graduate of Columbia Military Academy and Sewanee, Richard is a real estate agent (with a column called "Realty Check," naturally) and also a two-time cancer survivor. His second bout with the disease resulted in having his nose amputated. The story of how he got a new nose is one you'll have to hear to believe.

Guest: Richard Courtney, real estate agent, two-time cancer survivor, Beatles superfan

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Steve Haruch and Andrea Tudhope

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Long before Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album re-ignited the conversation, Frankie Staton was booking showcases aimed at highlighting Nashville's Black country music talent, which remained hidden in the mix. "I knew that I was not the only Black person that was being treated the way I was being treated," she says.

A North Carolina native inspired to move to Music City by the likes of Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, Frankie has toiled in the shadows for decades, but not long ago she finally made it onto the stage at the Grand Ole Opry. And a new generation, inspired by her example, has both shined a light on her work and carried it on.

Guest: Frankie Staton, pianist, songwriter, performer; co-founder, Black Country Music Association

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Steve Haruch and Andrea Tudhope

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Dr. Jon Roebuck comes from a family of preachers, and for 17 years he was the pastor at Woodmont Christian Church. That experience laid the groundwork for what has become a staple on Nashville television: "A Moment That Matters." The one-minute bursts of inspiration air every Sunday and, while they're much shorter than the sermons he used to prepare every week, they've found a devoted audience.

In this episode, Jon talks about his background, his faith, and the challenges of keeping that faith — and staying in conversation with our neighbors — in polarized times.

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Andrea Tudhope and Steve Haruch

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When Eden Wilkinson was less than two years old, she had a different name, and lived in an orphanage in Romania. At the time, the country, like many former Soviet satellite states, was struggling economically and, thanks to government policies mandating that women have at least 5 children, was filled with children whose families could not afford to raise them properly. It was estimated that 100,000 children were in need of homes.

In 1994, Demetria Kalodimos accompanied Tennessee Congressman Bart Gordon on a fact-finding mission to Romania. She visited several orphanages, including the one where baby Eden was living. When her segment aired, a family in Nashville was watching. Thirty years later, that child, now grown, reunited with the reporter she first met half a world away.

Guest: Eden Wilkinson

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Andrea Tudhope and Steve Haruch

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Content warning: This episode contains discussion of intimate partner violence and child abuse.

Like other survivors of domestic violence, Mark Wynn has never forgotten what happened to his mother, his siblings and himself. In particular, he never forgot how the police who showed up at his house acted — or more importantly, how they didn't act.

After a long career in law enforcement, which included helping start the Domestic Violence Division at the Metro Nashville Police Department, Mark has dedicated his life to training others — especially other men — to recognize and prevent domestic violence.

Guest: Mark Wynn, domestic violence survivor and retired police lieutenant

Host: Demetria Kalodimos

Producers: Steve Haruch and Andrea Tudhope

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