MACC Talk at Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center

Kip Winger is one of those rare artists who’s both a famed rock musician and a noted classical composer. As lead singer and bass player for his eponymous rock band, Kip cranked out a couple of hard-charging, platinum-selling rock albums in the late 1980s and early 90s. In recent years, he’s emerged as an important composer of symphonic music, earning a Grammy nomination for his ballet score Conversations with Nijinsky. In this episode of MACC Talk, Winger joins host John Pitcher to discuss his new Violin Concerto, which the violinist Peter Otto and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra will premiere May 9-10, 2025 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. The episode is sponsored by our friends at Nōssi College of Art and Design.

Deanne DeWitt is the president of the Preservation Foundation of Sumner County. Deanne and her organization have been instrumental in raising community awareness about the importance of old places. One of those places is Sumner County’s historic Comer Barn, which is now receiving a new lease on life thanks in part to her efforts. In this episode of MACC Talk, Deanne speaks with podcast host John Pitcher about the importance of preserving Sumner County’s historic treasures.

Dana Pettit’s new exhibition A Divine Appointment is on display at Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center from April 18 to 27, 2025. The exhibit features portraits of Jesus rendered in a dozen different styles of Western art, from Baroque and Impressionism to Pop Art and Performance Art. Pettit created the works in this series as part of her own personal quest to find God. In this episode of MACC Talk, Pettit discusses her artistic and spiritual inspirations with host John Pitcher. This episode is sponsored by Olympian Construction Company.

Donna Woodley is curator of the exhibit Black Vibrations, which runs through March 23 at Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center. This amazing exhibition features 56 works by more than a dozen of Middle Tennessee’s preeminent Black artists. Donna is the perfect curator for this exhibit. An art instructor at Tennessee State University and successful studio artist, Donna was named Nashville’s Best New Artist in 2016 by the Nashville Scene. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally, and she was a featured artist for the Rep. John Lewis Mural Project installed in downtown Nashville. In this episode of MACC Talk, Donna talks with host John Pitcher about the special vibes of this unique exhibition.

Scott Williams is the president and CEO of Discovery Park of America. Located in Union City, Tennessee, the aptly named institution is one of the Volunteer State’s great museums. It’s a place where visitors can explore natural history, regional history, science, technology and much more. In this episode of MACC Talk, Williams joins host John Pitcher to discuss the wonders of this West Tennessee museum.

Wendy Rodrigue is founder of the Life and Legacy Foundation. The Foundation is devoted to deepening our knowledge and appreciation for the life and art of her late husband, the legendary Louisiana-born artist George Rodrigue. The Life and Legacy Foundation is currently sponsoring an exhibit at Monthaven called The River is the Road: The paintings of George Rodrigue. In this episode of our podcast MACC Talk, Wendy joins host John Pitcher to talk about George Rodrigue’s remarkable life and enduring artistic legacy.

Bill Miller is the owner of one of Nashville’s leading entertainment and hospitality companies, Icon Entertainment. The company operates museums, restaurants, bars and experiential venues. If you’ve ever visited Nashville’s Johnny Cash Museum or enjoyed a little music and fine dining at the Sinatra Bar & Lounge, then you’re familiar with Bill Miller’s work. Icon Entertainment also owns the Patsy Cline Museum, Nudie’s Honky Tonk, House of Cards, and much more. It’s no wonder The Nashville Business Journal has selected Miller as one of Music City’s Top 100 Power Players three years in a row. In this episode of MACC Talk, Miller joins host John Pitcher to talk about Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra and myriad other things. The episode is sponsored by the law firm Spencer, Fane, Bone, McAllester.

Deborah Evans Price is one of Nashville’s preeminent music journalists. Over the course of her 40-plus-year career, Price has interviewed countless artists, including Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, Alan Jackson and Taylor Swift. In 2023, she received the Country Music Association’s Media Achievement Award. In this episode of MACC Talk, Price talks with host John Pitcher about her new book Country Faith Christmas: 50 Reflections and Recipes from Leading Country Music Stars. It’s a great read, and it’s definitely going to keep us cooking over Christmas. The episode is sponsored by Ponce Law – Justice for All – Middle Tennessee’s Premier Personal Injury Law Firm.

Tennessee songwriter and Army veteran J.T. Cooper fought in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia. The conflict was famously portrayed in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down. Following his military service, Cooper turned to songwriting to help him deal with his PTSD. In 2018, he founded the nonprofit group Warrior Rounds, a healing arts program that pairs military veterans with songwriters. The songwriters help the veterans tell their stories – a crucial step in the healing process. Cooper will be the keynote speaker at the MACC’s Boots and BBQ fundraiser on Oct. 19, 2024. The fundraiser supports the MACC’s healing arts program for military veterans. In a wide-ranging conversation with the MACC’s Chief Operating Officer John Pitcher, Cooper discusses his military service and his commitment to helping other veterans cope with trauma.

Sergeant First Class Joseph James (U.S. Army, Retired) and his wife Jarin are co-chairing this year’s Boots and BBQ fundraiser for Monthaven Arts and Culture Center. Proceeds from the event on Oct. 19, 2024 support the MACC’s Between the Lines Healing Arts Program for military veterans. James knows a thing or two about the healing power of the arts. He turned to art to assist in his recovery after he lost both legs to an improvised explosive device in Iraq. In this episode of MACC Talk, James reveals his indomitable spirit and unfailing commitment to veterans in a wide-ranging conversation with the MACC’s John Pitcher.