This Is Nashville

Love, romance and intimacy can look very different in the second half of life — no matter your gender or sexuality. Today we get stories of gay men growing older together, a trans woman from Coffee County finally living in full expression after a huge loss and a woman with her own coming out story who is now coaching people later in life on how to get through the messy middle and beyond.

Throughout a lifetime, one hope is that we never stop growing into ourselves — evolving as we know more, overcome more and love more. On today’s episode of NextAge, we talk with leaders in our LGBTQ+ community to learn how we can become more resilient and kind to ourselves and those around us. Especially in the face of mighty hurdles.

Got a story to share for our NextAge series? Leave us a message at 615-751-2500 or chime in during the live show on our YouTube stream.

This season of NextAge is made possible by a grant from the West End Home Foundation — Advancing Aging with Dignity and Strengthening Communities — and by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

Guests

• Dwayne Jenkins, Nashville Black Pride, Nashville Cares, Brothers United
• Ginger Cutrell, transgender community advocate
• Anne-Marie Zanzal, Coming Out Coach

Tech developer DC Blox has filed permit applications for a tentacular data center to be built right next to the Nashville Zoo. A 'Quantum Leap' data center is underway on Fisk University's campus.

These constructions have seemingly started to pop up nationwide. And they were showing no sign of slowing. That is, until the public had something to say about it. Americans from all political walks of life are protesting the sudden mitosis of these mysterious buildings. A petition opposing the data center by the Zoo has garnered over 400,000 signatures.

Still, questions remain: are they harmful to the surrounding ecosystem? Are they loud? Are they creating jobs? Are they taking jobs away?

On today's Roundabout edition, our panel is here to answer your questions. Call in with your thoughts and concerns at 615-760-2000 or comment on the YouTube livestream.

This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. 

Guests

The descendants of the American Revolution are the keepers of our personal histories, saving the stories of ancestors whom time might have forgotten.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, Tennessee was the rugged Western frontier. Yet, the brave individuals who fought for freedom left a legacy that lives on through local families today. Today, we share some of their historical journeys. Plus, we connect with modern-day patriots in our communities and visit local grant-funded projects marking the 250th anniversary — including a community-staged historical play. Join us as we explore patriotism, then and now.

Guests

Have you ever looked closely at your Tennessee driver's license? There might be something surprising in the fine print.

Curious Nashville listener Sam Barocas used his microscope to find it. And then he asked the question that inspired today's show: Why is there a microscopic typo on the Tennessee driver's license?

In some instances — likely on millions of licenses — a thin ribbon of text reads "The Volundeer State." With a 'd.'

"And I saw that and I was like, 'Huh? That's funny,' " Barocas says. "How'd that happen?"

Among the theories:

WPLN's Justin Barney helps Curious Nashville get to the bottom of this mystery. Then we’re staying on the theme of "microscopic Nashville," and learning from experts about other parts of our community that are hiding in plain sight.

Long before she ever heard of Hatch Show Print, Celene Aubry fell in love with letterpress printing.

Fascinated by the smell of ink, the feel of paper, the hand-carved wood type, and the big machines that churn out poster after poster, she spent her spare time learning about it while working a marketing day job in Chicago. What began as a passion led to where she is now: the first woman director of Hatch Show Print, Nashville’s 147-year-old printing institution. 

In this episode, Celene shares how her interest in letterpress printmaking became a career, and how she now stewards a legendary shop whose iconic posters have promoted everyone from Dolly Parton and Bill Monroe to nearly every artist who takes the stage at the Ryman Auditorium.

Healthcare is all about who is going to pay for it. Because if you can’t afford to go to the doctor, you probably won’t until it becomes an emergency – which isn’t good for the patient or the system. This is a particular problem in rural Tennessee. When there’s a hiccup in the system, rural systems may shutter.

Healthcare Hollow is a WPLN series that takes an in-depth look at the crisis of rural hospital closings.

In this episode, we’re focused on who is going to pay for care in rural Tennessee. Those residents are more likely to rely on TennCare (the state’s version of federal Medicaid). Post-COVID policy changes have resulted in more people losing TennCare coverage. At the same time, fewer people are keeping insurance under the Affordable Care Act because of the expense.

This episode is part of our Healthcare Hollow series, made possible, in part, by the NIHCM Foundation.

Guests

Gordon Bonnyman, staff attorney & co-founder, Tennessee Justice Center

Jackie Shrago, ACA marketplace volunteer navigator

Sarah Boden, independent healthcare journalist with KFF

Kelly Insana, vice president of marketing & communications, Tennessee Hospital Association

“All-American Girl.”
“God Bless the U.S.A.”
“Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”
You'll hear these songs many times this summer as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary. But those aren't everyone's anthems.

In Nashville, a group of musicians and songwriters are responding to this milestone with something different: unfiltered reflections on what it means to exist in America as Black, Brown, and Queer people living in the South. Through their music, visuals, fashion and performance, they are defining and embracing — or rejecting — American identity and patriotism on their own terms.

Guests

With one of the oldest tracks in America, racing is part of our city's fabric as one of Nashville's earliest professional sports.

Even as diehard fans say it’s time to invest in our history, the sound of the cars has become an unwelcome neighbor amid rapid development south of downtown. Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s worth understanding this deep legacy as we make decisions about the future. Today, we're revving up to chase down our racing roots.

And, we want to hear from you. Have you seen fandom fading? What explains that? What got you into racing in the first place? What’s the importance of having a track in the heart of the city? We’re taking your calls during the show at 615-760-2000. You can also send your thoughts through our livestream.

This episode was produced by Josh Deepan.

Guests

With Father's Day on the horizon, two dads join us to share their perspectives on love, loss, priorities and fatherhood.

After David Fischette stepped away from the day-to-day grind of running his business, he began walking 10,000 steps a day as a personal health challenge. Before long, the habit evolved into a series of “walk and talk” videos exploring themes of love, loss, priorities and codependency, and eventually into Hello Fine Friends, a book that, in part, reflects on his efforts to repair his fractured relationship with his daughters.

Then, fatherhood is a public health issue for Robert Taylor. He spent the last few years helping fathers change a few more diapers, and more importantly, see themselves as more than providers. He leads the New Life Center, which has produced a documentary called Fatherhood Beyond the Frame.

This episode was produced by Mary Mancini and Blake Farmer.

Guests:

CMA Fest is upon us. How you feel about that will inform whether or not you're hitting up Broadway this weekend.

But the festival has a storied past in Nashville, and so do the iconic cowboy boots both fans and performers wear when attending. For this episode, we'll have historians and writers, as well as a seasoned CMA performer and a full-time bootmaker.

What's more—we want to hear from you. The number to call in and talk about your boot experiences is 615-760-2000. You can also pop into the chat on our YouTube stream live during the show.

This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. 

Guests