PODCAST · news
Banner & Company
by Nashville Banner
Banner & Company Productions makes interview and narrative podcasts about Nashville life and the news that affects it.
Episodes
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Staking Our Claim Episode 1: Walking Home
Shawn Dromgoole was afraid to walk in his own neighborhood. Even though he’d grown up in 12South, as a Black man in a rapidly gentrifying part of Nashville, he felt paralyzed by fear. Then, what started as a simple walk with his mother became a national story, and blossomed into something bigger...
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Metro happenings — a DC Blox loss, Sheriff Hall and more
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott sit down to talk about the DC Blox lawsuit, Sheriff Daron Hall’s retirement and this week’s Metro Council meeting. There’s much discussion about a no-longer-endangered salamander. Plus we unveil the podcast’s new official name and honor Andrea’s…
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Staking Our Claim: Trailer
Introducing Staking Our Claim — a new limited podcast series from Banner & Company Productions and the Nashville Banner. Hosted by writer, critic and podcaster Kashif Andrew Graham, Staking Our Claim follows seven Nashville area families who, over the past few years, have found themselves up...
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A nightmare execution in Tennessee
Banner managing editor Andrea Tudhope sits down with reporters Steven Hale and Mikeie Honda Reiland to talk about the nightmare that unfolded at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution this week. Christa Pike was set to be executed Wednesday for the brutal 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer. After an...
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Joe Kennedy III: former U.S. Representative, diplomat and founder of Groundwork Project
Formerly the U.S. special enjoy to Northern Ireland and U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 4th congressional district, Joe Kennedy III has had an impressive public career, befitting a person with his surname. (He swears there is no required skillset that comes with it, though.) It was on a...
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Tamara Saviano: author of Poets and Dreamers: My Life in Americana Music
Tamara Saviano has worked in radio, been a publicist — Kris Kristofferson was a client — served as president of the Americana Music Association (the first woman to do so), and produced albums and award shows at the Ryman Auditorium. All of this has given her an inside view of the Americana scene...
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A new look at Nashville’s migrant population and the extreme loss of services they face under Trump
Banner reporters Steven Hale, Stephen Elliott and Eden Turner sit down to talk about new data on how many refugees have likely ended up in Nashville in recent years and the dwindling resources available to them now due to policy changes and funding cuts under the second Trump administration....
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Smilin' Jay McDowell: writer and former member of BR549
Like many musicians before him, Jay McDowell came to Nashville with a guitar and a dream. And then, as he was trying to help his friends find an upright bass player, with little luck they finally asked him: Why not you? And to his surprise, he said yes. The band was BR549, a group of throwback...
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A top city official’s shady deals
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott go deep into the weeds of an unfolding scandal involving a top official in one of the Metro government’s largest departments. Stephen explains the exclusive reporting he’s done on former Metro Water Services official John Honeysucker, Nashville...
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Mindy Merrell and R.B. Quinn: authors of 'Self-Rising'
Every Southerner knows the importance of a good biscuit. But not everyone knows how deeply important self-rising flour has been to the development of the South. In their new book Self-Rising: The Magic Rise Behind Biscuit and Cornbread Culture, Mindy Merrell and R.B. Quinn look at this...
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Watching Waymos watching us
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Sarah Grace Taylor put on their tinfoil hats and chat about why it feels like somebody or something is watching them. Sarah Grace brings us into her reporting process for her recent story on Waymos idling and recording in residential areas around Nashville. They...
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Brian Hull: Dolly Parton Collaborator, Writer, Singer and Puppeteer
Not too many people can say they got to sing with Dolly Parton. But Brian Hull can. Over the years, he wrote and directed numerous multimedia performances for Dollywood, the late singer and songwriter's eponymous theme park, and in recording sessions would often sing along with Dolly on parts…
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Candice Storey Lee: Vanderbilt University athletic director
Candice Storey Lee was recruited to play basketball for Vanderbilt University, and halfway through the drive from Alabama, she changed her mind. She begged her dad to turn the truck around. But he stayed the course. That was 30 years ago, and since making it to West End, she has not looked back,...
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Music City Center, police drones and vice mayor, oh my!
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott get together to talk about the Metro Council. First thing’s first, Steven asks Stephen to weigh in on the Titans rebranded raccoon mascot T-Rac. Stephen carefully explains the situation with the Music City Center refinancing and expansion plans.…
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Michael Burcham: Entrepreneur
A connector, mentor and start-up whisperer, Michael Burcham is one of the most influential figures in Nashville's business ecosystem. The founding president and CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, he's a serial entrepreneur himself, starting three successful investor-backed businesses. He...
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The execution of Anthony Darrell Hines
Banner reporter Steven Hale sits down with Steve Cavendish and Mikeie Honda Reiland to talk about Thursday’s execution of Anthony Darrell Hines for the 1985 murder of Catherine Jean Jackson Jenkins. They discuss the details of the case and the recent court fights surrounding it. Steven shares his...
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Bonus: Meet the Women Behind Nashville’s 40+ Double Dutch Subclub
Kimmie Christian has been jumping Double Dutch for as long as she can remember. “It's kind of like a passage, right?” she said. “When you're born, you just, everyone just jumps Double Dutch. My mom jumped Double Dutch. My aunts jumped Double Dutch. My sisters jumped Double Dutch. It's just kind…
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Marsha’s win, Ogles’ defeat and all things primary election
Banner reporter Steven Hale is joined by Steve Cavendish and Sarah Grace Taylor to talk about all of Thursday night’s primary election results, from Marsha Blackburn’s victory to Andy Ogles’ upset defeat. Sarah Grace details her time crisscrossing the state with the Blackburn campaign in a…
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Andrew Leeper and Will Minkoff: Nashville Severe Weather Livestreamers
Middle Tennessee weather can be unpredictable — and dangerous. When things get iffy, a trio of "suburban dads" keeps the information flowing. But once the watches turn to warnings, they really get serious: That's when they start livestreaming on YouTube, tracking storms in real time and letting...
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The school year ahead
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Lillian Avedian sit down to talk about the coming school year in Nashville and how Lillian approaches covering education. They discuss what Lillian learned from her first year on the beat, how she’s keeping up with schools while school is out of session and what…
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Larry Underwood: Horror Movie Host aka Dr. Gangrene
Do you like scary movies? Larry Underwood sure does. He remembers growing up in Nashville watching Frankenstein and Creature From the Black Lagoon movies on television. The way those monster movies were sometimes introduced to the audience, by way of a "horror host" (like Elvira, Mistress of the...
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Willie Steele: Writer, Professor and Aspiring Knuckleball Pitcher
When the other kids wanted to watch Indiana Jones, Willie Steele took a chance on a baseball movie instead. He didn't know it at the time, but watching Field of Dreams by himself in 1989 would alter the trajectory of his life. He would go on to write his master's thesis about Shoeless Joe, the...
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Bonus: 2026 Election Round Up
Banner reporters Steven Hale, Sarah Grace Taylor and Stephen Elliott sit down to talk about primary elections. Steven asks about their formative election-watching memories, and they discuss races for state House, Congress and governor. They also think through the implications of new...
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Lamar Alexander: Former Senator and Tennessee Governor
Lamar Alexander once walked more than 1,000 miles from one end of Tennessee to the other, won election as governor as a Republican when Democrats ruled the statehouse, and served in Congress in a period of relative bipartisanship. Throw in time served as U.S. secretary of education and president…
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Bonus: The Bills and the Beef on Data Centers
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott and intern Anna Blubaugh sit down to discuss — what else? — data centers. Anna and Stephen talk about what they saw and heard at this week’s Metro Council meeting, where hundreds of Nashvillians weighed in on legislation about the controversial...
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Shane Caldwell: Comedian
Shane Caldwell got his start on public access television as "kind of a goof," after watching a comedy show and thinking he and his fellow bartender friends could do much better. What they came up with, The Sylvan Brothers, became an underground sensation. That led to a local sketch comedy show...
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Jill Biden: Former First Lady and Author, 'View From the East Wing'
Former first lady Jill Biden's new book View From the East Wing looks back at her time in the White House and her relationship with former President Joe Biden — including the infamous debate night where, she says, she thought her husband was having a stroke. Dr. Biden discussed her book with the...
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Matt Wiltshire: Affordable Housing Investor
Even if everyone can't agree on what "affordable housing" means, one thing is for sure: Nashville needs more of it. Matt Wiltshire has been working on this problem for years (it was a big part of his campaign for mayor) and while he may not have all the answers, he has been part of one innovative...
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Lucas L. Johnson II: Author, 'Remembering Roots'
Few Tennesseans have had the cultural impact of Alex Haley, whose landmark 1976 book and subsequent television mini-series Roots: The Saga of an American Family captivated readers and viewers like few other works before or since. Even so, Roots was recently banned by a Knoxville school district…
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Bonus: Nashville Debates Data Centers
reporters Steven Hale and Sarah Grace Taylor sit down to discuss data centers. Sarah Grace talks about her reporting on the data center planned for the Fisk University campus, which preceded the massive backlash to one planned next to the Nashville Zoo. They discuss the health and environmental...
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Macon Kimbrough: Former Warehouse 28 Manager and LGBTQ Activist
A historical marker commemorating the storied dance club Warehouse 28 was unveiled two years ago this month. The Warehouse began as a gay disco but was an inclusive environment that served as a refuge and hangout for Nashville's LGBTQ community starting in 1978 until its doors closed for good in...
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Bonus: A Marathon Metro Council Meeting, Public Hearing on Budget
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott sit down to discuss Tuesday night's marathon Metro Council meeting. Stephen talks about the three-and-a-half-hour public hearing on the budget, some late night drama between councilmembers and difficulty leaving the courthouse parking garage after...
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Margot McCormack: Chef and Restaurateur
When Margot McCormack bought the former gas station that eventually became her restaurant, East Nashville was not considered a culinary destination. More pressingly, there was a gaping hole in the roof. With a lot of elbow grease, Margot set to work building out the space for her concept: a new...
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Freddy Angelico: Musician, Writer and Host of Podcast 'Girl in a Hurry'
As a musician, Freddy Angelico plays many instruments well, but his first love is still his go-to: the guitar. You can hear him play on albums by Lola Kirke and Adeem the Artist. He's backed up the likes of Mickey Guyton and Brandy Clark. He also writes and performs his own music, and writes a...
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Bonus: A 'botched' execution in Tennessee
Banner reporter Steven Hale sits down with editor Steve Cavendish to talk about a day that will go down in history in Tennessee. The day the state intended to execute Tony Carruthers — a Memphis man sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of three people in 1994 — but failed to do so. A...
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Ruth and Lloyd Shular: Nashville Couple Married 75 Years
Every morning at breakfast, Ruth and Lloyd Shular hold hands and, as Lloyd puts it, "associate" — that is, talk about their plans for the day. It's a ritual they've kept going for three quarters of a century: On May 6 they celebrated their 75th anniversary. (They had originally planned to get...
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Bonus: Tennessee Abortion Ban Lawsuit Delay
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Mikeie Honda Reiland sit down to discuss the ongoing litigation over Tennessee's abortion ban. Mikeie shares the stories of women and providers he talked to and the details of the recent legal developments that have delayed a trial in the case. Produced by Andrea...
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Feed Drop: You Might Be Right
This week we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at the You Might Be Right Podcast, the chart-topping politics/government podcast produced by the University of Tennessee’s Baker School of Public Policy & Public Affairs.Recently featured on NPR, and hosted by former Tennessee Governors...
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Bonus: Tennessee Congressional Redistricting Recap
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Sarah Grace Taylor sit down to discuss the state legislature's special session and rapid redrawing of Tennessee's congressional maps. They talk about what led to the whirlwind week, how the new maps divide and dilute Memphis' Black population and the legal…
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Audrey Shulman: Screenwriter, 'Sitting in Bars With Cake'
"That's not how your movie is supposed to end," Audrey Shulman remembers a director telling her. It was surprising to hear, since the movie was based on her own life. But in the end, it was the right choice. The movie in question, Sitting in Bars With Cake (which includes a cameo by Bette Midler)...
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Bonus: 2026 State of Metro Analysis and Yes, He's Running
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott sit down to talk about the 2026 State of Metro. They discuss the speeches they've attended in the past with memorable musical guests before getting into the details of Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s speech. Among them: affordability, transit, the East...
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Michael Shane Neal: President Biden Portrait Artist
Michael Shane Neal knew from an early age he wanted to be an artist. But there were no artists in his family, so he wasn't sure how he'd turn that into a career. After taking classes in the basement of a dormitory at Lipscomb University, he had a chance meeting with someone who knew the famed...
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Bonus: 2026 Legislative Session Recap
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Sarah Grace Taylor sit down to discuss the state legislative session, which came to a whirlwind end on Thursday night. Sarah Grace talks about some of the main themes of the session, including state intervention in local governments, immigration, and anti-LGBTQ+...
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Jordan Ritter Conn: Writer and Author, 'American Men'
In his new book, writer Jordan Ritter Conn delves into the lives of four men, from very different backgrounds, living in disparate parts of the country. All of them are reckoning, in their own ways, with how their lives — and their sense of self-worth — have been shaped by ideas around…
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Adam Dread: Attorney, Comedian and Former Metro Councilmember
Adam Dread didn't mean to become an attorney. For a time, he tried his hand at stand-up comedy, touring the country one club at a time. But he studied law, he says, to become a better politician — understanding laws in order to write them. That's what he did for a time as a Metro Councilmember.…
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Bonus: The Latest From Metro Council and the East Bank, Plus Shadow Politics
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott sit down to talk about Tuesday's Metro Council meeting. Stephen explains the council's debates about nominees to boards and commissions, a proposed water bill credit and the East Bank. Steven asks him about why he loves the Mamma Mia franchise and...
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Morgxn: 'Make It Out Alive' Singer, Songwriter and Advocate
Back in his hometown after stints in New York and Los Angeles, Morgxn has a new album, Heartland, and will be performing at Freely Fest — a celebration of the First Amendment featuring The Killers, Janelle Monae and more — on April 8. He's honored to use his music to stand up for free speech.…
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Bonus: Cooperative Housing and Community at Drakes Creek
Banner reporters Steven Hale and Eden Turner sit down to talk about Eden's reporting on the Cottages at Drakes Creek, Nashville's first publicly funded housing co-op. They discuss what makes a housing cooperative unique as a response to the affordable housing crisis and the tight community that…
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Robert Churchwell Jr.: Son of 'The Jackie Robinson of Journalism'
Robert Churchwell Sr. made history when he joined the original Nashville Banner as the city's first African American reporter. The paper's owner at the time, James Stahlman, opposed integration, but Churchwell made a name for himself anyway — even if he didn't have a desk in the newsroom at…
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Dr. Sekou Franklin: Executive Director, John Lewis Center for Social Justice
When he took over as executive director Fisk University's John Lewis Center for Social Justice last year, Dr. Sekou Franklin knew he was stepping into a big role, and one steeped in history. "He has demonstrated a deep commitment to social justice, education and community — values deeply…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Banner & Company Productions makes interview and narrative podcasts about Nashville life and the news that affects it.
HOSTED BY
Nashville Banner
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Banner & Company have?
Banner & Company currently has 163 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Banner & Company about?
Banner & Company Productions makes interview and narrative podcasts about Nashville life and the news that affects it.
How often does Banner & Company release new episodes?
Banner & Company publishes regularly with 163 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Banner & Company?
You can listen to Banner & Company on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Banner & Company?
Banner & Company is created and hosted by Nashville Banner.
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