State & Beale: a Tennessee podcast

Cast iron isn’t just cookware in Tennessee — it’s history, culture, and family.In this episode of State & Beale, I sit down with Scott Selliers, one of the people behind a the push to make cast iron the official frontier cookware of Tennessee.From a Rotary meetings to the State Capitol, what started as a simple idea between friends made its way all the way to the governor’s desk.We talk about:How the bill came togetherWhy cast iron matters across all three Grand DivisionsThe culture and stories behind itAnd yes… how to actually take care of cast iron (myths included) State & Beale — Tennessee stories that help communities feel like destinations.

Jackson Morgan Southern Cream makes delicious Tennessee whiskey liqueur. The Fayetteville company has had products on store shelves since around 2014. Its products are now in nearly 40 states from Maine to Florida, and Montana to Texas. Jackson Morgan Southern Cream has flavors for nearly every palette. They have Banana Pudding, Orange Creme, and its Salted Caramel, which has a cult-like following. On this episode, we talk with Morgan Weinstock, whose family created the brand. She works for the company and she is one half of Jackson Morgan's namesake. For more information: www.sipjacksonmorgan.com

White-hot bluegrass band  @EastNashGrass  heads out on tour this summer, promoting their new record, “All God’s Children.” It's due in August. We also have cuts from our spring issue. We have a look at Benton County, the outdoor paradise. And was Merriwether Lewis killed on the Natchez Trace?

This episode showcases:• Hagy's Catfish Hotel, a historic family-run restaurant serving Southern cuisine on the banks of the Tennessee River• The American Eagle Foundation in Kodak, Tennessee. Jessica Hall, the Executive Director of the foundation, talks about their vital work in conserving and protecting American bald eagles, highlighted by appearances of their well-known eagles, Lincoln and Challenger, at national events. • Also, we recommend three great indoor experiences to enjoy in Tennessee during winter — King's Dining and Entertainment in Franklin, The Discovery Center of America in Union City, and Xperian in Sevierville.

Winter Wonderland is a massive group trail ride happening this weekend at Windrock Park near Oak Ridge. Sean Clark is the lead guide for Venture Unknown, the company hosting the event. He calls Windrock Park "off-road Disneyland." Easy to see why .Windrock is the largest privately held off-road park in America. It sits on 73,000 acres and has about 300 miles of trails. I'll also bring you some selections from the Winter Issue of State & Beale, including our gift guide and tell you why the Tennessee State Capitol Building has tombs.

Our first issue is out on stand right now! Head over to stateabdbeale.com to subscribe. In that issue, you'll find my great conversation with Tennessee musician, Drew Holcomb. We talk about his new record, "Strangers No More Vol. 2" and the success of "Strangers No More Vol.1." We also talk about Tennessee state pride and his anthem (and love letter) to the state, a song called "Tennessee."

A visit to the Music City Hot Chicken Festival last week proved one thing true: you will be hot on the inside and the outside! I talked with fest fan Travis Jenkins, East Nashvillians Zach Layne and Andy Moss, both of them members of the Orange Grease Society, and with Austin Smith, founder and owner of Party Fowl, a hot chicken restaurant with several Nashville-area locations.

Nashville's Music City Hot Chicken Festival returns Thursday, July 4 for its 18th year. Gates open at East Park at noon. It is one of the hottest parties on the annual Tennessee To-Do List — hot chicken on one of the hottest days of the year. There'll be music, lots of kids activities, Yazoo beer, plenty of hot chicken (from some of the best in the business), and there'll be plenty to eat that's not hot chicken. This week I spoke to Neil McCormick, a festival organizer, for an overview of the event, a brief history of hot chicken, and even his innovative way of eating Nashville's civic dish.

Ride along as I take you through my experience at Percy Warner Park for the 83rd running of the Iroquois Steeplechase, complete with some sounds and interviews. From the excitement of donning our hats to the exquisite cuisine at the Hunt Club, every moment at Steeplechase was unforgettable. The Southern hospitality and elegance at the event truly made it a day to remember. As the races began, the thrill of watching the horses in action, the bugle calls, and the cheers of the crowd poured on the excitement. Snap Decision's historic win and the truly vibrant atmosphere at the event showcased the essence of Steeplechase. Steeplechase is not just a horse race but a celebration of friendship, elegance, and Southern culture. It's an event that captures the spirit of Tennessee.

This is a very special episode of the show, which means it'll never happen again. That's because this one is about me, Toby Sells and my Tennessee story. They'll never care how much you know if they don't know much you care. So, I just wanted to let y'all know about myself and how I came to create and host a podcast about this great state. Also, I'll tell you about Grand Divisions United. This sounds-like-a-soccer-team concept really gets down to Tennessee pride. No, I ain't talking about the sausage. (But it is dang good sausage.)

Iroquois Steeplechase is a Nashville tradition and rite of spring. Nearly 25,000 gather at Percy Warner Park to dress up, enjoy good food and drink, and watch world-class horse racing. This year's event is coming up in about two weeks on May 11. There are tickets available to suit any kind of Steeplechase you could want. Steeplechase is a premier event among the slate of races on the National Steeplechase Association circuit. It has one of the largest purses in the circuit and attracts the world's top riders, trainers, and horses. But it's also a huge party. There are contests for fashion and the best tailgate. There's a stick horse race for kids and a huge kids area with inflatables, balloons, and more. Steeplechase is also a fundraiser. Since 1981, the event has raised more than $11 million for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. If you can't make Steeplechase this year, get dressed up, grab a cocktail, and join in on the fun with the official livestream on YouTube. Music this week is "Prairie Land," by Jack Settle. He won the Tennessee Songwriters Association showcase at Portland earlier this year. Check him out on all his online channels here. Good luck, Jack!

Something big has happened on the east of the Mississippi River. Tom Lee Park has long been an important place for Memphis. It has undergone a spectacular, $61 million renovation and is now a world-class location, completely transforming the city's riverfront. Get there next month for two big festivals: Riverbeat music festival and Smokeslam, a huge barbecue contest. We spoke with Carol Coletta, president and CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership, the group that led the renovation and oversees Tom Lee Park and many other Memphis river parks. Music credit: Ned Abernathy, "Between Me and Tennessee" IG: nedabernathy_music

A new exhibit at the Tennessee State Museum chronicles the history of music in this very musical state. And it ain't all Waylon and WIllie and the boys. Tennessee Playlist goes all the way back to musical traditions of the Cherokee and Choctaw and all the present with emerging sound of mariachi and Kurdish music here. Miranda Fraley-Rhodes, PhD. was central to putting together the Tennessee PLaylist exhibit. She the Assistant Chief Curator of the Tennessee State Museum. She was kind enough to give me some time to talk Tennessee music. The exhibit runs through 2028. But if you can't get to Nashville, there's a wonderful online exhibit called 95 Counties of Sound. Click on a county (your county, for example) and you'll find some Tennessee music history that happened in your own backyard. Finally, there's a Spotify playlist for the exhibit. You can find that right here. Special shoutout this week to Cleburn County Towing. If you wonder why, you gotta listen. Thanks, Jeff and all y'all!

Chad Hunt is a master distiller working a family distillery with his mom and dad in Gainesboro, Tennessee. That's on the Upper Cumberland Plateau just north of Cookeville. Their Roaring River Distillery has won a ton of national medals for their old-fashioned moonshine. Chad took second place in 2022 on the Discovery Channel show called Master Distiller. Music on this week's show is brand new stuff from a Nashville project called Life in Grooveland. The song is called "Be Thou My Vision" and it does that magic thing of sounding fresh and traditional (and uplifting) at the same time. Check out the new record, The Hymnal, on Soundcloud. Thanks to my buddy Justin Amaral for the music and best of luck on the new record!

You can now follow a brand new trail to see the beautiful, starry night skies across Northeast Tennessee. The Tennessee Night Sky Trail gets you to nine places in Kingsport, Bristol, and more where you can unplug, sit a spell and get lost in the wonder of the heavens above. The area is also gearing up for festival season, Copperhead Road gets a historical marker, Dwight Yoakam comes to town, and new trail takes you along Tennessee's historical moonshine (and moonshine runnin' history). Check out the events calendar for more. Music this week is from Memphis singer, songwriter, troubadour, and all-around good guy, Jeff Hulett. He has a new album coming in April and a big show at The Green Room at Crosstown Concourse to go with it.

Hot slaw — the civic dish of Cleveland — is having a moment. It's well on its way to becoming a state food. Thanks to this action in the legislature, word has gotten out about hot slaw. (No, it's not warmed up cole slaw.) Cleveland will celebrate the dish next month with its annual Hot Slaw and Art Y'all! Festival. Melissa Woody, an organizer of the festival, talks hot slaw, the festival, and more. Music for this episode is the new single, History, from Natalie Murphy. She's a Middle Tennessee-based singer, songwriter, fiddle player, and all-around good buckaroo. Natalie's music is found anywhere you stream music. Check her out.

State & Beale is ready for spring already! Memphis Botanic Garden is getting ready to welcome to season with its annual Cherry Blossom Picnic and the gorgeous, pink blossoms for which the event is named. The picnic commences on March 23rd at the Gardens in Memphis. Put this one on your Tennessee to-do list. More information on it here. Also, if you have any Tennessee music you could share with the show, I'd sure love it. Send links to music to [email protected]. Thank you!

CORRECTION: Garrett Boys competed in last year's Tennessee Songwriter Week. They appear this year as special guests. It's Tennessee Songwriters Week across a state that reveres songwriters. Stephen Garrett and his band, Garrett Boys, have advanced to a final round of the competition. The band is brothers Stephen and Russell Garrett and Stephen's son, Carter. Stepehen talks about the band, the competition, home, family, and playing the world-famous Bluebird Cafe .