Shapes of America: A radio special about shape-note singing

Freddie O’Connell is back for the first “Ask the Mayor” of 2026!Today, along with your questions, we'll ask him about East Bank development, the main Public Library branch, racing at The Fairgrounds and more.Plus, the phone lines will stay open for you to shout out your upcoming community event. Joining us to talk about WPLN's weekly event amplification, What Where Whens-day, is curator and WNXP music director Marquis Munson.Call 615-760-2000 — or pop your question or event into chat — we’re streaming live today at youtube.com/@wpln.Guests Freddie O’Connell, Mayor, Metro Nashville and Davidson County Marquis Munson, What Where When-sday curator and WNXP music director

Shape-note singing is one of the oldest musical traditions in this country. It’s a practice that began in colonial America, and after centuries of ups and downs in popularity, today it’s finding an expanded and surprisingly diverse new following. And some of its singers believe the music can teach democracy a thing or two.Join hosts Laura Atkinson and Justin Hicks as they trace the shape-note tradition from its origins 200 years ago to the largest Sacred Harp singing in living memory. “Shapes of America” is a special from Louisville Public Media and the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom.

Our guest this hour is the frontman of the punk rock trio The RIP Taylors. Their latest album – Negativity Bias – has songs with titles like “I still don’t believe in you,” “I gotta bad attitude,” and “I’m not like…ya know…whatever.” It’s the passion project of Mikey Noechel, who thinks a lot about our state of mind. He’s a Buddhist teacher who guides the Wild Heart Meditation Center on the east side. From ritzy retreat halls to Riverbend Maximum Security Prison, he’s teaching mindfulness wherever he finds himself. And he’s helping us face the new year together. 

Although This Is Nashville broadcasts from our studios in Metrocenter, sometimes we let the producers out in the wild to collect tape.If editors find it compelling enough, producers develop a feature out of what they collected. On today’s best-of edition of This Is Nashville, we take a behind-the-scenes look at what went into producing some of 2025’s feature stories that aired both during the show and on the news side.This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. Guests Tasha A.F. Lemley, This Is Nashville Managing Editor Josh Deepan, This Is Nashville Multimedia Producer Mary Mancini, This Is Nashville Multimedia Producer Featuring Harm reduction in Tennessee: a week of perspectives How the Eviction Right to Counsel Program supports evictees Neither 'Monkeytown' nor Bible thumpers

Every week This is Nashville presents The Roundabout where we bring together a panel of guests spanning the political spectrum to unpack the week’s biggest news and hear directly from listeners across Middle Tennessee. For this special “Best of…” episode we revisit some of the most timely conversations, surprising moments of agreement, and thoughtful opinions.Featuring How will Vanderbilt answer Trump? with Marianna Bacallao, state legislative reporter, WPLN; Rep. Jody Barrett, state house representative; Bruce Barry, Vanderbilt professor;  Tennessee Lookout contributor Vouchers with Maryam Abolfazli, founder of Rise & Shine TN; Shaka Mitchell, Sr. Fellow for the American Federation for Children; Pat Nolan, political analyst and retired journalist The real-world economy with Molly Davis, Reporter, The Tennessean; Kara Smith, PhD, Belmont University Professor of Economics; Mandy Spears, Executive Vice President, The Sycamore Institute Southern Christians and the death penalty with Liam Adams, religion reporter, Tennessean; Russell Moore, Editor at-large of Christianity Today; Dr. Phillis Sheppard, professor of religion and psychology, Vanderbilt University

A songwriter who climbed out of the shadow of her first song, a nonprofit leader who refuses to see his own disability, a restaurateur with a hot take on tourism, a humorist who leaned into her heritage, a forward-thinking physician who rediscovered her mom’s remedies, and the sentimental saint of the Opry. It's the best of our weekly profile interviews, all in one episode. Further listening: Tia Sillers Fred Bailey Tom Morales Andi Marie Tillman Dr. Britt Stone Whisperin' Bill Anderson

Nashville has a long history of celebrating the holidays with musical performances.Nashville has a long history of celebrating the holidays with musical performances. Belmont’s Christmas Eve concert played on their tower’s 42-bell carillon dates back to 1929. Amy and Vince have been gracing the Ryman Stage since 2008. Today we feature holiday music traditions that exist beyond the mainstream, in pockets throughout the city. A Longest Night Solstice Eve gathering and Moon Requiem at St. Augustine's. A sampler of holiday songs released by indie label yk Records. And a holiday shopping anthem by local Post-punk/power-pop legends, Tower Defense.Guests Michael Eades, Owner, YK Records Jereme Frey | Drummer, Tower Defense Mike Shepherd | Guitar, Tower Defense Rev. Scott Owings | Associate Chaplain and Pastoral Leadership, St. Augustine’s Christopher Roberts

If you see a man with three, maybe four cameras hanging around his neck, odds are you've crossed paths with Ray Di Pietro.He's literally taken millions of photos of Nashville, documenting anything from historic moments to flowers on the sidewalk. He follows three mantras in his profession: do the work, show up, and be kind. Now, he shows up in our studio to kindly share what makes him so passionate about his work in Nashville and how a visual rendition of the city’s history adds to the local fabric. This episode was produced by Josh Deepan.Guest: Ray Di Pietro, photojournalist

Mary Elizabeth Vinett died on November 21, 2025, and her family decided her 90 years on the planet deserved more than the average obituary. So they tried to capture her essence starting with the first paragraph. "Beth was loved by all, perhaps because she was so outrageously funny," they wrote. "A storyteller extraordinaire who changed the essence of a room just by entering it. She smoked with a style and elegance that made you wonder why you ever quit."May we all be remembered so colorfully.The end of the year puts us in a reflective mood, so collectively we're remembering those we've lost in Middle Tennessee during 2025. With the help of listeners submitting one-minute memorials or calling in live, we’re celebrating long lives and lives cut short and remembering their contributions to our community, large and small.   Plus, a visit to the East Nashville wind telephone, where calls connect to lost loved ones.Guests: Christal Pennic, therapist and founder of The Grief Center Almeta Slater-Rogers, founder and CEO of UnSaid Memories  Further reading: Jen Alexander Bobby Cain Dot Dobbins Lucille Duke Vincent Martin Marquez Ruel Oquindo Marjorie Pisapia Mary Elizabeth Vinett Ridley Wills II  

A simple aluminum pole. The annual airing of grievances. The legendary feats of strength. It can only mean one thing: It’s Festivus - the holiday for the rest of us. And to kick the Festivus season off right this year,  Mayor Freddie O’Connell will be here to take your questions and comments…and maybe demonstrate a few feats of strength. Now, the very first Festivus may not have included Ask the Mayor…or the Muppets…or 8 french horns…but ours does. It’s Festivus for the Rest of Us!Call 615-760-2000 to ask Freddie — or pop your question into chat — we’re streaming live today at youtube.com/@wpln.Special thanks to Mark Lemley and Daniel Jones.Guests Freddie O’Connell, Mayor, Metro Nashville and Davidson County Nashville Horn Hang Elaine Braun - Conductor  Rich Davis  Leigh-Anne Eftychiou  Walter Everton  Clare Gibson  Julia Hedrick  Tim Mullican  Kent Stewart  Glenn Trew   Kindling Arts Festival takes on The Muppets Christmas Carol Emma Supica (Gonzo)  Cammie York (Rizzo)  Seth Nathan Green (Kermit)