Shows / This Is Nashville
This Is Nashville
This Is Nashville is a live one-hour daily show driven by community, for community. This flagship program of WPLN News will become your one-stop-shop for news in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, as we continue to show up each day.
Episodes
- This Is Nashville
Rebroadcast: Sexism and the role of women in country music
The This Is Nashville team is off for July 4. We’re rebroadcasting an episode about women and country music, which originally aired on May 16. As the 1990s…
- This Is Nashville
The unending appeal of vinyl records
For decades, vinyl was the primary medium for recording and listening to music. As technology advanced, CDs and digital downloads became the norm, and records…
- This Is Nashville
Breaking down the Nashville Metro budget
On June 21, the Nashville Metro Council passed its $2.9 billion budget for the 2023 fiscal year. Metro’s budget approval process can be difficult to navigate…
- This Is Nashville
How mediation solves disputes, including between landlords and renters
Disputes between landlords and renters typically end up in front of judge and can result in an eviction. Instead of going to court, some landlords and renters…
- This Is Nashville
Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza on faith, activism and embodiment
Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza has been on a mission to truly understand their body. The transqueer theologian, activist and Nashville resident recently…
- This Is Nashville
Examining the local impact of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade
The U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health this morning, overturning Roe v. Wade and ending the constitutional right to…
- This Is Nashville
Exploring the living history of Promise Land, Tennessee
Promise Land was established and settled by formerly enslaved people near Charlotte, Tenn., during Reconstruction. The original settlers included at least five…
- This Is Nashville
Gamer for life
Gaming = community. That’s what this is about. It’s about connecting with people, learning new skills and breaking out of your comfort zone. Throughout the…
- This Is Nashville
Rebroadcast: Preserving Fort Negley’s past while planning for its future
The This Is Nashville team is off for Juneteenth. We are rebroadcasting our episode about Fort Negley, which originally aired on April 4. Nashville is…
- This Is Nashville
Keeping cool during Nashville’s record-breaking heat wave
If you’ve stepped outside in Nashville this week, you know the heat right now is no joke. The fire department has responded to dozens of heat sickness-related…
- This Is Nashville
Tennessee’s 51-year life sentences
In Tennessee, anyone found guilty of first-degree murder is sentenced to a minimum 51-years in prison – even if they were under 18 at the time of the crime. Al…
- This Is Nashville
Let's talk mental health in Middle Tennessee
From political turmoil and police brutality to inflation and an ongoing pandemic, the past few years have been incredibly stressful for many people. But for…
- This Is Nashville
Nashville has a new Black symphony
If you were to buy a ticket to the symphony right now — here in Nashville, or in another city — you likely wouldn’t see many Black performers. That won’t be…
- This Is Nashville
Rebroadcast: Who is Nashville’s nightlife really for?
Note: This episode originally aired on March 4. The honky-tonks on Lower Broadway contribute to Nashville’s economy and its reputation as a destination party…
- This Is Nashville
Exploring Nolensville Pike, then and now
Nolensville Pike is famous in Nashville as a bustling corridor of culture and cuisine from all over the world. As Nashville grows — and becomes more expensive…
- This Is Nashville
The legacy of Nashville hot chicken
Hot chicken is Nashville’s most famous dish. It has a cult following, a mythological backstory and humble beginnings. But it is much more than just a meal — it…
- This Is Nashville
Pets: Adopting and caring for four-legged family members
It’s national Pet Appreciation Week! Our pets are like family — maybe even more so after these last two years — and many of us have recently seen an addition…
- This Is Nashville
What’s next for Nissan Stadium?
When Nissan Stadium, then called the Adelphia Coliseum, opened in 1999 to house the newly-arrived Tennessee Titans, the lease agreement stipulated that…
- This Is Nashville
The state of Nashville’s independent music venues
Nashville’s independent music venues have long been a proving ground for up-and-coming artists. They’re also increasingly under threat as development and…
- This Is Nashville
The Southern Baptist Convention report: What it means for abuse survivors and the faithful
Southern Baptists belong to a denomination that believes in the inerrancy of Biblical scripture, the autonomy of their congregations and complementarity of men…
- This Is Nashville
What does the future of child care in Middle Tennessee look like?
Child care is often expensive, hard-to-find and deeply necessary for working parents and guardians. With schools being out for the summer, many families in…
- This Is Nashville
Talking with students about graduation season in the wake of recent shootings
As the school year draws to a close in Middle Tennessee, we check in with students to see how they’re feeling. The Uvalde, Texas, school shooting is still in…
- This Is Nashville
Rebroadcast: Natural burial and walking toward the end
This Is Nashville is off for Memorial Day. We are rebroadcasting our episode about Larkspur, which originally aired April 14. Death is something that’s sure…
- This Is Nashville
Getting to know The New Respects
The WNXP Artist of the Month for May is The New Respects. The Nashville band released its new single "Don't Worry" on Friday, which marks a new chapter for The…
- This Is Nashville
Bucket lists: The goals we hope to accomplish before the end of life
Goals, vision board, 5-year plan, bucket list, whatever you call it — we have many ways of trying to realize and track our passions and accomplishments. When…
- This Is Nashville
Where can families turn after losing a loved one in a police shooting?
Losing a family member suddenly and unexpectedly is difficult. But that experience can feel magnified if that loved one is killed by the people tasked to…
- This Is Nashville
Free speech or hate speech? The role of rhetoric in violence
A deadly mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket on May 14 sent shockwaves throughout the country, including in Middle Tennessee. In a document…
- This Is Nashville
Rebroadcast: Celebrating Nashville’s LGBTQ+ community, past and present
Note: This episode originally appeared on March 18. Nashville has changed a lot over the past handful of decades — and our city’s LGBTQ+ scene is no exception…
- This Is Nashville
The long road to quality meat
What does it take to get the best cut of local meat? Turns out it’s a lot. From land, to feed, to slaughter, processing, aging and cooking. We talk to farmers…
- This Is Nashville
Exploring North Nashville history through art at Elizabeth Park
After tragedy struck her neighborhood in 2018, artist M. Simone Boyd wanted to do something. Boyd enlisted neighborhood youth to create a mosaic depicting…
- This Is Nashville
The past and present of Centennial Park
This Is Nashville listeners have reached out with questions about changes they've seen at Centennial Park - particularly with the park's pavillion. In this…
- This Is Nashville
Exploring the legacy of Nashville’s Freedom Riders
On May 17, 1961,10 members of the Nashville Student Movement boarded a bus from Nashville to Birmingham, Alabama, as part of the Freedom Rides. The riders were…
- This Is Nashville
Sexism and the role of women in country music
As the 1990s came to a close, country music’s biggest stars were women — Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Chicks ruled the charts. Fast forward to 2021, and…
- This Is Nashville
Hats, history and horses! Get ready for the 81st Iroquois Steeplechase
This Saturday, Percy Warner Park will host the 81st Iroquois Steeplechase. The race, nicknamed Nashville’s “rite of spring,” has taken place every year since…
- This Is Nashville
Dr. Stephen Loyd: On substance abuse, addiction and harm reduction
East Tennessee native Dr. Stephen Loyd once had a 100-pill-a-day addiction and even stole pain pills from his own patients. Years after he first sought help…
- This Is Nashville
Examining abortion access in Tennessee and answering community questions
The future of abortion access in the United States is in question after POLITICO published on May 2 a draft opinion revealing that the Supreme Court is poised…
- This Is Nashville
Meet the people documenting the war in Ukraine and leading local aid efforts
It’s been 10 weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine. More than 5 million people have fled, millions more have been displaced inside the European country and…
- This Is Nashville
Telling stories through comics and graphic novels
Whether it’s superheroes like The Avengers or slice-of-life cartoons in the New Yorker, comics capture our imaginations like no other art form. A few small…
- This Is Nashville
Fresh strawberries and the benefits of seasonal eating in Middle Tennessee
It’s strawberry season in Tennessee! In this episode, we’ll learn more about what this time of year means to local farmers, what eating seasonally looks like…
- This Is Nashville
What's next for cannabis, THC and Delta-8 in Tennessee?
Hemp and CBD are legal in Tennessee but marijuana (medical and recreationional) is not. So where does this leave Delta-8? A Tennessee lawmaker proposed a bill…
- This Is Nashville
What's going on in Tennessee's youth detention centers?
Parents and juvenile justice advocates want Tennessee to improve the conditions in youth detention facilities after a report claims that teens held at the…
- This Is Nashville
How rising housing costs are pushing Nashville's immigrant communities further away
Housing is on a lot of people’s minds in Nashville: how expensive it is, how hard to find it is, how many tall-and-skinnies are popping up across town, etc. In…
- This Is Nashville
Kicking off the Nashville SC season with mega fans and Soccer Moses
Then a few ultimate fans join us fresh from the stands. Chants and drumming are a big part of the stadium energy as is Soccer Moses, the Nashville SC's…
- This Is Nashville
Observing Ramadan and celebrating Eid al-Fitr in Middle Tennessee
Ramadan Mubarak! Sunday marks the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday the celebrates the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar…
- This Is Nashville
Conexión Américas: 20 years of serving Nashville's Latino community
Conexión Américas is 20 years old! In this show we talk with founder Renata Soto about what Nashville's Latino community looked like two decades ago and how…
- This Is Nashville
Checking in with Middle Tennesseans about the COVID-19 pandemic
The pandemic has been going on for more than two years so how are Middle Tennesseans now approaching pandemic safety? Last week, a judge in Florida struck down…
- This Is Nashville
Emerald ash borers, privet and stink bugs… oh my!
Let’s talk invasive species! Whether lazy or tender-hearted, if you’re someone who won’t kill a beetle in your house or pull a vine in your yard, it might be…
- This Is Nashville
Making a living as a musician in Nashville
Nashville is known as Music City, but as the cost of living continues to rise in Nashville, it's putting pressure on those trying to get by. What is it like to…
- This Is Nashville
Exploring the future of green space in Nashville on Earth Day
Happy Earth Day! Today, we’re talking about green space. First, why is it important? Second, who has access to it? And finally, how can we make green space in…
- This Is Nashville
After two-year pause, Tennessee resumes executions
Executions in the state of Tennessee ground to a halt as the pandemic set in back in March 2020. But, the state plans to resume today by executing Oscar Smith…
- This Is Nashville
Welcoming Afghan refugees to Middle Tennessee
In August, U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan as the Taliban took over the country. Millions of Afghans were forcibly displaced, and hundreds of thousands…
- This Is Nashville
'What We Wish Were True': Tallu Schuyler Quinn's thoughts on life and death
Tallu Schuyler Quinn was an icon in Nashville. She’s the founder and director of The Nashville Food Project. She died of brain cancer in February 17 at the age…
- This Is Nashville
Looking at the changing face of country music as the Black Opry marks its one year anniversary
In a time of racial reckoning, the Black Opry has resurfaced and re-centered a longstanding conversation about diversity — or lack thereof — in country music…
- This Is Nashville
Nashville murals: Appreciating the art beyond the Instagram photo op
Murals have become an iconic part of Nashville’s visual identity, especially on social media (Taylor Swift’s famous wings photo, anyone?). Muralists have been…
- This Is Nashville
'It's how we used to do it' — natural burial and walking toward the end
Death is something that’s sure. It’s also something many of us avoid. Certain people, though, have made facing death part of their everyday life. In an opening…
- This Is Nashville
Davidson County district attorney candidates answer community questions
Wednesday is the first day of early voting for the Davidson County primary elections. To help listeners prepare to cast their ballot, This Is Nashville hosted…
- This Is Nashville
The past and present of poetry in Nashville
Grab a blanket and snuggle up with a cuppa on this rainy spring day. We've got some poetry for you. We bring you words from poets of Nashville's past…
- This Is Nashville
Reactions and resources: Domestic violence in Middle Tennessee
In April 2021, Nashville resident Marie Varsos tried to get protection from her husband after he strangled and threatened to kill her. She did everything she…
- This Is Nashville
Rounding the bases on baseball in Middle Tennessee
If you’re a baseball fan, it’s an exciting time because the MLB season started Thursday and the Nashville Sounds' season is already underway. This a packed and…
- This Is Nashville
Exploring Middle Tennessee’s native roots and what it means to be indigenous
Nashville has a rich indigenous history that dates back to the last ice age, as well as a small but vibrant Native American community that is working to gain…