Horror hosts emerged nationwide after Vampira burst onto the late night Los Angeles television scene in 1954. In 1971, Nashville's WSM-TV launched their own with Creature Feature Saturday hosted by Sir Cecil Creape. Decades later on July 1, 1999, Larry Underwood, inspired by the legendary Creape, created his Dr. Gangrene alter-ego and produced his first episode of Chiller Cinema.

Today we welcome the physician of fright Dr. Gangrene and Horror Host Hall of Famer Underwood to tell us about the history of Nashville horror hosts, the Gangrene origin story, and Underwood's fascination with monsters, fear, and the horror host genre of cornball humor.

This episode was produced by Khalil Ekulona and Elizabeth Burton.

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Nashville's music scene contains talented artists from all over the musical landscape and we've been fortunate enough to have some of them on the show to share their talents with us.

In this episode you'll hear from The McCrary Sisters, Crys Matthews, Mike Floss, Alex Barnes, Zach and Maggie White, and Ashley McBryde. You'll also hear from some of the best freestylers in the city – Pow Shadowz, JusBam, Brian Brown,  Ah-Deli – and a voice that will be very familiar to This is Nashville listeners. 

This episode was produced by Liv Lombardi & Khalil Ekulona.

Each week during Your Turn to Talk we convene a panel of guests with in-depth knowledge of a variety of subjects like media consumption, presidential immunity, overdose awareness, immigration, voting, and navigating a complex healthcare system. Then, we open the phone lines to take your questions and comments.

In this episode, you'll hear highlights from shows about civic engagement, the future of Jefferson Street and the transit referendum that's on the November ballot.

This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.

You'll hear from local chaplain and trans rights advocate Dahron Anneliese Johnson, preeminent TSU professor and historian Dr. Learotha Williams, journalist and ghost writer Nancy French, and singer, author, actor and speaker Pat Boone.

This episode was produced by Tasha A.F. Lemley.

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FURTHER LISTENING

The 2024 referendum, Choose How You Move: An All-Access Pass to Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety in Nashville, is on the ballot for the November election. As part of WPLN's ongoing coverage of the transit plan and referendum, we've assembled a panel of guests with in-depth knowledge of the proposal to answer your questions and hear your comments. What you do like about the plan? Do you have concerns? How will the funding mechanism affect your bottom line? Election Day is almost here and we're standing by to answer your questions.

This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.

Guests

Cynthia Abrams | Metro reporter, WPLN News
Professor Craig Philip | Research Professor; Director, Vanderbilt Research Center for Transportation and Operational Resilience
Ashley Northington | Chair, Moving Forward of Middle Tennessee

Squirrels, possums, turtles, foxes, birds of prey and countless other wild creatures live right here with us in Middle Tennessee. Unfortunately, interactions with humans and human-made things can lead to injuries or death for these animals. Today we’re speaking with the dedicated leaders and volunteers of several local wildlife rehabilitation centers to learn about what to do - and not do- if we come across an injured wild animal. We'll also discuss steps we can take to be considerate and help prevent injuries to our wild neighbors. Join us!

This episode was produced by Katherine Ceicys.

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On this episode, we gaze skyward — at dusk — and pay tribute to the best mosquito-eaters around. Bat-loving guests join us to debunk a ton of misconceptions and teach us where bats live, what makes up their diet, what their greatest threats are, and how we can actually share our homes with them.

This episode was produced by Tasha A.F. Lemley. Special thanks to John Michael Cassidy, Alan Hatcher, and John French.

Guests:

Have you discovered any of the hundreds of colorful painted animal signs with the word ‘vote’ on them here in Nashville? Or have you encountered the giant books around town which are part of the Unbannable Library installation? Middle Tennessee artist and Austin Peay State University professor Paul Collins is behind both of these projects. Today we’ll talk with Collins about the stories behind his works and his own journey as an artist. Join us!

This episode was produced by Katherine Ceicys

GUEST

• Paul Collins

How do you establish care after moving to a new city? What do you do if you want a second opinion on a cancer diagnosis? Is there something you can say if you feel like your emergency room doctor isn’t listening to you? Dr. Divya Shroff hears these questions all the time. As the former chief medical officer of TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, she has an expert-level understanding of how our medical system works. Today, she’s live on This Is Nashville to answer your questions about navigating interactions with doctors.

Guests

Today, we hear from WPLN's Power and Equity Reporter, Marianna Bacallao. She'll update us on the recent wiretapping scandal involving the office of Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk. Next, we hear from authors Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig, who recount years of abuses of political power at the state legislature in their book, Welcome to Capitol Hill: Fifty Years of Scandal in Tennessee Politics. And finally, Keel Hunt, author of Coup, tells the story of Democratic Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton. In 1979, Blanton was removed from office three days early by an alliance of leaders from both political parties who sought to stop him from selling pardons for cash.

This episode was produced by Char Daston and Mary Mancini.

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