Steel Magnolias - Uplifting Conversations About Life in the South

We went exploring in the Mississippi Delta this past weekend so we are sharing all the unique wonderful things we found in Oxford, Clarksdale and Greenwood, Mississippi!

 

• We took the Nachez Trace Parkway from Franklin, TN to Tupelo, MS and highly recommend grabbing this resource:  “Explore the Nachez Trace” via ScenicTrace.com

 

• Check out Ground Zero Blues Club and The Delta Blues Museum

 

• Previous episodes mentioned: The Natchez Trace and The Delta Blues

   

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Down in Alabama, the season is now upon us for what the locals have deemed a “jubilee.” During a jubilee, hundreds of flounder, crabs, and other aquatic animals come up into the shallow waters along the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay.  Join us as we dive (see what we did there?!) into this phenomenon as well as what makes soft shell crabs so special.    

• If you’d like to join our Patreon Community to support us monthly for perks and exclusive content check out https://www.patreon.com/steelmagnolias

 

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Today we have special guests Neil and Stan Thrasher; two lifelong southerners with plenty to say about life in the South.   Neil Thrasher is a country music singer/songwriter. His songs have been recorded by some of music’s most successful acts including: Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Randy Houser, Ronnie Dunn, Tyler Farr, Reba McEntire, and many others.  Some of Neil’s #1 hit songs include: 

• “There Goes My Life” Kenny Chesney 
• “Fast Cars and Freedom” Rascal Flatts
• “Take Me There” Rascal Flatts
• “Why Wait” Rascal Flatts 
• “Banjo” Rascal Flatts 
• “Tattoos On This Town” Jason Aldean
• “Fly Over States” Jason Aldean 
• “Night Train” Jason Aldean 
• “How Country Feels” Randy Houser 
• “Rearview Town” Jason Aldean

 

In 2010 Neil was awarded “GMA’s Country Song Of the Year” for “Somebody Like Me” recorded by Jason Crabb earning him his first Dove Award. In 2013 Neil was honored with “ASCAP Country Song Of The Year” for “How Country Feels” by Randy Houser. When not writing, producing or singing on the next project you will most likely find Neil out on the golf course, hunting or spending time with his family.

Stan Thrasher is a businessman who has traveled much of the South’s small towns. He’s our favorite person to listen to with stories from this region. He knows all the backroads and best diners, plus the history behind so much of the cuisine in Mississippi and Alabama! He is an outstanding cook and remained way too humble on the episode about his skills in the kitchen. Stan and Neil grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and both live outside of Nashville, Tennessee.    Song demos in this episode were provided by and performed by Neil Thrasher:

• “Tattoos On This Town” 
• “Banjo” 
• “Fast Cars and Freedom”
• “There Goes My Life”
• “Changed"

 

• If you’d like to join our Patreon Community to support us monthly for perks and exclusive content check out https://www.patreon.com/steelmagnolias

 

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We’re excited to discuss Foxfire. A nonprofit that is dedicated to the preservation and documentation of southern Appalachian culture and they’ve been doing this for over 50 years now. Foxfire started in 1966 at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High School when an English teacher had students go out and talk to neighbors and elders to find out what their lives were like when they were growing up in Northeast Georgia.   Connect with them at https://www.foxfire.org or @foxfireorg   Great Resources:

• The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery
• Foxfire Podcast: It Still Lives
• Foxfire Magazine
• The Foxfire 40th Anniversary Book: Faith, Family, and the Land
• Steel Magnolias Podcast: Southern Remedies (Season 1, Episode 46)

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• If you’d like to join our Patreon Community to support us monthly for perks and exclusive content check out https://www.patreon.com/steelmagnolias

 

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Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Elizabeth Heiskell. Elizabeth is a Mississippi cook and caterer, founder of Debutante Farmer Bloody Mary Mix, regular TODAY show contributor, and author of What Can I Bring? and The Southern Living Party Cookbook. Her latest book, Come On Over!: Southern Delicious for Every Day and Every Occasion, is available NOW!!    Connect with Elizabeth Heiskell: https://www.elizabethheiskell.com __   We are giving away a copy of Elizabeth’s new book, a “Peace Be with Yall” tote, and cheese straws from Mama Geraldines this week on our Instagram page. Enter @SteelMagnoliasPodcast  

• If you’d like to join our Patreon Community to support us monthly for perks and exclusive content check out https://www.patreon.com/steelmagnolias

 

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You can connect with us on Instagram @SteelMagnoliasPodcast or join our mailing list: https://bit.ly/32ObA86

Seems appropriate that we’d talk about any radio show that’s the longest running in history, producing shows each week right here in the South… but especially one that’s right here in our back yard of Nashville, TN. Excited to talk about the Grand Ole Opry!

Roy Acuff introduction that Lainie read on this episode is from the book, Nashville's Grand Ole Opry: The First Fifty Years 192

What started as an effort to plant more azaleas in Mobile, Alabama has now blossomed into a prestigious group of women chosen every year to represent the city. 

A southern tradition for 88 years! Let us introduce you to the Azalea Trail Maids!

https://mobileazaleatrailmaids.com

NPR’s “The Dress Hasn’t Changed, But the Girls Have”: https://n.pr/3tuzAJr

Check out all the Azalea Trail Maid photos we are posting on Instagram this week!

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Sean Dietrich, aka "Sean of the South" is a columnist, novelist, and podcast host, but more importantly than that, he's just an awesome southerner.

We sat down with him to discuss his new book you, The Incredible Winston Browne, as well as writing, Billy Graham, and the attributes of a true steel magnolia. 

Subscribe to his blog here: https://seandietrich.com

Enter to win a copy of his book this week on our Instagram:

@SteelMagnoliasPodcast

It’s the most sought after ticket by golf fans…. We are talking today about The Masters held annually at Augusta National Golf Club in AUGUSTA, GA.

**Special thanks to these contributors: Curtis Barman, John & May Bumpus, Jeremy Carlson, Charles Phillips, Bill Reeves and Mark Stiver**

Follow this link and set up an account to APPLY for 2022 tickets: https://tickets.masters.com/app/welcome

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Gumbo, the official cuisine of Louisiana, is a thick stew which consists primarily of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and the Cajun/Creole "holy trinity" ― celery, bell peppers, and onions. It's sometimes hard to get your hands on a great gumbo recipe, so we took a cooking class to immerse ourselves in this spicy goodness!

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