Thursday | 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
The Sidebar
S5E40: Jeff Hulett on his new album and MTV (of course)
Jeff Hulett joined Eric Barnes to talk about his new album, “Little Windows,” performed with his band The Hand Me Downs.
S5E39: Memphis Botanic Garden's leader on greenspace, collaborations and Memphis
MaryLynn Mack, who moved to Memphis in August to take the reins of the Memphis Botanic Garden after many years working for similar organizations in Phoenix, San Diego and elsewhere, joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode.
S5E38: The importance of the 'civic commons'
The "Reimagining the Civic Commons" initiative is embarking on a new round of work on what it means to improve public spaces. George Abbott joined Eric Barnes to discuss on this week’s episode.
S5E37: How music can protect the aquifer
The Acoustic Sunday Live series will hold its sixth event to benefit Protect Our Aquifer, the nonprofit that advocates for protection and monitoring of the aquifer that provides Memphis its drinking water.
S5E36: Batman tattoos, street art and a new lounge from David Yancy
The artist David Yancy joins Eric Barnes to talk about plans for his new lounge on Broad Ave., how graffiti became street art and the value of a Batman tattoo.
S5E35: WYXR on its 4th anniversary and the next Raised By Sound Fest
WYXR’s Jared Boyd and Liv Cohen join Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about the station’s four years since launch and the upcoming Raised By Sound Fest in December.
S5E34: Lora Chilton on writing, violence and her history with the Patawomeck Indian Tribe
Chilton joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about the book, her family’s history, her writing process and the difficult necessity of telling the full story of the incredible violence committed against the Patawomeck.
Surprise! It's Sound Bites: How restaurants price your favorite meals
This week, were flipping the script and sending you an episode of Sound Bites. In this flashback episode from August, Ben Smith, owner of Tsunami in Cooper-Young, said he is worried about the fate of small, independent restaurants. Smith said that one of the biggest issues has been inflation and ingredient costs fluctuating more rapidly than they ever have before.
S5E33: Musician Greg Cartwright on Reigning Sound, the Black Keys and music
Cartwright joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about his life as a musician and even his house, which was once owned by some of the musicians who played with Johnny Cash.
S5E32: How Josh Campbell helps people tell their stories
Campbell joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of “The Sidebar” to talk about the organization’s events, its origin at Crosstown, some of their upcoming events, and how it moves from venue to venue around Memphis.
S5E31: Facing History and Ourselves explores social justice
Listen now: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dmextra/Sidebar_Facing_History_FINAL.mp3?dest-id=1743083
Daniel Kiel, who is co-chair of an upcoming Facing History event, joins Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of “The Sidebar” to talk about how the organization approaches race and social justice.
S5E30:Craig Brewer on his Muhammad Ali series - and the challenges of being a creative
Interview with filmmaker Craig Brewer on his career challenges and new series "Fight Night," on this week's episode of The Daily Memphian's "The Sidebar."
S5E29: How Creative Aging engages seniors across Memphis
Creative Aging’s executive director, Mia Henley, joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about the organization’s work across Memphis.
S5E28: What's in store at the Mighty Roots Music Festival
Listen now: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dmextra/Sidebar_Robert_Stovall_FINAL.mp3?dest-id=1743083
The festival’s organizer, Howard Stovall, joined Eric Barnes to talk about the 4th Mighty Roots Music Festival, which takes place September 13-14 in Stovall, Mississippi, not far from Clarksdale. Bands include Flipturn, Happy Landing, Easy Honey and many more.
S5E27: Willy Bearden on his memoir 'Mississippi Hippie: A life in 49 pieces'
“It’s Mississippi Delta pool hall existentialism,” Willy Bearden says of his new book, adding with a laugh, “I just made that up.”
S5E26: Jennifer Chandler on the state of restaurants in Memphis
Tim Barker and food and dining reporter Jennifer Chandler join Eric Barnes to talk about many complicated issues facing restaurants as they close and others open.
S5E25: The impact of photography at the Brooks
C. Rose Smith joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about the power of photography going back to the 1800s, the intersection of photography and music, and Smith’s own successful career as a photographer, including a recent exhibit of her work in London.
S5E24: How a Bigfoot movie became a "paranormal gateway drug"
Toby Sells joins Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to about his lifelong fascination with - and love of - the paranormal, which he writes about in his first book, Haint Blues: Strange tales from the American South.
S5E23: How The Overton Park Shell reaches an expanding audience
Natalie Wilson, the executive director of The Overton Park Shell, talks about The Shell’s upcoming season, their Backstage Experience and the upcoming 70th anniversary of Elvis appearing on state at The Shell.
S5E22: The next chapter for Volunteer Odyssey
Caroline Norris joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about Volunteer Odyssey’s mission, how it works to feed volunteers into 70 nonprofits in Memphis, and much more.
S5E21: How music and art can heal the brain
Zak joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar along with Dr. Lynn Dobrunz, Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology at the UTHSC, where the Ozmo Institute is based.
S5E20: Kelly English and IMAKEMADBEATS on the new late night party at Le Bon Appetit
Kelly English, the owner and chef of Restaurant Iris and Second Line, and the musician/producer IMAKEMADBEATS joined Eric Barnes to talk about the new late night party at Le Bon Appetit – a party that will feature performances from IMAKEMADBEATS and other artists from the producer’s company, Unapologetic.
S5E19: More with Grammy Award winner Matt Ross-Spang
The second of a two-part interview with Matt Ross-Spang.
S5E18: Grammy Award winner Matt Ross-Spang on becoming a producer
In this first of a two-part interview on The Sidebar, Matt joined Eric Barnes to talk about how he started working at Sun Studio as a teenager then became a producer of musicians ranging from Jason Isbell to the Mountain Goats to Margo Price and many, many more.
S5E17: A (very short) history of local beer in Memphis
Andy Ashby, one of the co-founders of the oldest local breweries in Memphis, along with Maggie Emerson, co-founder of Maroon Brew Co., one the newest local breweries, joins Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar.
S5E16: How Beale Street influenced La Bohème at Opera Memphis
Ned Canty and Dennis Whitehead Darling joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about the production, the cast and how Darling came to love opera.
S5E15: LifeDoc's journey providing health care in Memphis
Pedro Velasquez joined Eric Barnes to talk about LifeDoc’s mission, his family’s journey from Venezuela to Memphis, and the organization’s evolution nearly 20 years after its founding.
S5E14: Phillip Ashley on branded candy, cocoa shortages and shipping chocolate in the summer
Listen now: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dmextra/sidebar_phillip_ashley_FINAL.mp3?dest-id=1743083
Phillip Ashley, the founder of Phillip Ashely Chocolates, discusses the evolution of his business as he’s shifted to more branded and business-to-business chocolate sales, including partnerships with Cadillac and other big named brands.
S5E13: Vintage901 brings the culinary arts to all of Memphis
At its core, Vintage901 is about good food, good wine and the connections people make through eating and drinking together.
S5E12: Lauren Kennedy goes from urban art to an art gallery
For eight years - until she founded the art gallery Sheet Cake in the Edge District in December of 2023 - Lauren Kennedy was executive director of the UrbanArt Commission, an organization which was essential to the spread of so much public art throughout Memphis.
S5E11: Helping local arts groups collaborate to reach more people
Nykesha Cole joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about her work as the arts and culture liaison for Shelby County Government.
S5E10: The amazing mission - and incredible brownies - of Lucy J's bakery
Josh Burgess, who founded Lucy J’s with his wife, Tracy, joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar. They talked not only about Lucy’s J’s support of families working to get out of homelessness, but the many ways big and small that the bakery supports these families.
S5E9: How the library foundation supports the library's mission
This week, Christine Weinreich, head of the Memphis Library Foundation, joined Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about the foundation’s work in support of Memphis public libraries.
S5E8: Holly Whitfield's 100 Things to Do in Memphis
Holly has written a new book documenting and describing so many cool and interesting places in Memphis: “100 Things to Do in Memphis Before You Die”.
S5E7: How the Boys & Girls Clubs plan to expand its reach
Eric Barnes talked to the organization’s new president and CEO, Metise Moore Sr. this week about his plans to expand the reach of the clubs to more young people in Memphis.
S5E6: The expanding impact of Birdcap's iconic murals in Memphis and beyond
Birdcap, who was born Michael Roy, has an exhibit on display at Crosstown Arts through the end of April, with paintings and mosaics inspired by his interpretation of Homer’s Iliad.
S5E5:The impact of smart urban design in the Medical District
Listen now: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dmextra/Sidebar_02142024_LAST_FINAL.mp3?dest-id=1743083
Rory Thomas, the president of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, join Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S5E4: The importance of public art in Memphis
The path from working in social work to leading the Urban Art Commission might seem an odd one. But talking to Lakeisha Edwards, the connections all become clear very quickly as she talks about the ways public art not only beautifies a street or neighborhood, but how it impacts the people who live there.
S5E3: Cyrena Wages on music, songwriting and her debut album
Cyrena Wages has an album preview party at the Memphis Listening Lab on Feb. 1 at 6:30 pm, including songs from her debut album , a Q&A with the album’s producer, Matt Ross-Spang, and performances of a few of the songs live with Joe Restivo.
S5E2: Remembering Edge Alley
Tim Barker joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S5E1: Lauren Ready on being a storyteller
Lauren joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about her documentaries as well as the other video production work done by she, her husband, Scott Ready, and their team at Forever Ready Productions. She also talked about her time on local TV and more.
S4E41: Keith Cole on the work and his legacy at Wolf River Conservancy
Keith joined Eric Barnes to talk about his work and the people like him who helped make the Wolf River Conservancy - both before he joined and after - what it is today.
S4E40: Continuing the legacy of Tommy Pacello
Tommy’s advocacy for and articulation of what Memphis could be was at once impossibly grand and totally accessible, possible and doable. Today, a remarkable amount of the strategies and tactics and passion he articulated has come to life in this city.
S4E39: An insider's look at Raised By Sound Fest
The WYXR festival and fundraiser is December 2 at Crosstown Concourse.
S4E38: How the Dixon began its 'Black Artists in America' series
The museum's director talks about current and past exhibits, education programs - and irrigation.
S4E37: How The Daily Memphian has evolved as it approaches its sixth year
As part of a series of conversations about our anniversary on September 18 - including interviews with board chair Andy Cates, columnist Dan Conaway and more - Eric Barnes sat down with our editorial director, Mary Cashiola, and our digital director, Holly Whitfield.
S4E36: Mike McCarthy on being the "prime minister of pop culture"
The Memphis filmmaker and artist on his work and the city.
S4E35: Kontji Anthony not only talks about her return to TV, she sings!
The long-time and much-loved TV anchor talks about her new show on WREG, her career in local journalism and how she saved Eric Barnes from catastrophic embarrassment during a recent mayoral debate. Plus she dances. And sings!
S4E34: WYXR Fall Pledge Drive 2023
Eric Barnes, Chris Herrington and Holly Whitfield are live in the WYXR studio for a Sound Bites/The Sidebar "Home and Away".
S4E33: BPACC now and in the future
A look at the Bartlett arts organizations upcoming schedule.
S4E32: Searching for the root causes of litter
Janet Boscarino founded Clean Memphis to deal with litter. Now, some 15 years since its founding, Clean Memphis is evolving. While they still lead big volunteer efforts to clean up neighborhoods, the group is also trying to focus on more of the root causes of litter.
S4E31: A look under the (technological) hood of The Daily Memphian
As part of The Daily Memphian’s ongoing series of stories and interviews marking the 5th anniversary, Eric Barnes interviews the technical team behind the news organization.
S4E30: Andy Cates and Eric Barnes on The Daily Memphian's 5th anniversary - Part 2
No yelling allowed as two of the co-founders discuss the launch and history.
S4E29: Andy Cates and Eric Barnes on The Daily Memphian's 5th anniversary - Part 1
No yelling allowed as two of the co-founders discuss the launch and history.
S4E28: Dan Conaway on The Daily Memphian's 5th anniversary - and yelling. So much yelling.
As The Daily Memphian approaches its fifth anniversary on Sept. 17, Dan joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about the launch, The Daily Memphian, his column and more.
S4E27: Hold Steady guitarist Steve Selvidge on solo projects, photography and COVID
Steve Selvidge joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about the album he recorded with Luther Dickinson and Paul Taylor during COVID.
S4E26: How rural farmers persevere despite ever-growing challenges
Writer Brooks Lamb talks about his new book with Eric Barnes.
S4E25: Carol Coletta on the opening of Tom Lee Park and the future of Memphis in May
The head of Memphis River Parks Partnership joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S4E24: Ben Smith of Tsunami on the changes in the Memphis restaurant scene
The chef and restaurant owner joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S4E23: The Brooks is creating a Memphis College of Art exhibition
Work from MCA artists will be on display along with a history of the school.
S4E22: Geoff Calkins on Jennifer Biggs, James Taylor and his shift away from sports
The Daily Memphian columnist joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S4E21: Why parks matter - and is a plaza a park?
The Tennessee director of the Trust for Public Land joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S4E20: Otis Sanford on a lifetime in journalism
The Daily Memphian columnist and contributor to WKNO and ABC24 News joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about the importance of local journalism.
S4E19: One year of reporting on environmental issues
It was exactly a year ago that The Daily Memphian was able to hire a full-time reporter, Keely Brewer, to cover environmental issues. The definition is, intentionally, a very broad one, including everything from the aquifer to park spaces to management of the Mississippi River to the question of who will provide electricity to Memphis.
S4E18: The horror of eating bad potato chips
Of the 19 flavors of Lays we tried, I could only score two of them as pretty good. And a few of them were, for lack of a better word, revolting.
S4E17: MoSH executive director Kevin Thompson joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
Kevin joined Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about how MoSH – which includes The Pink Palace, the Lichterman Nature Center and other facilities – weathered COVID as well as new developments at the museum.
S4E16: How the Sterick's new owners want to transform a neighborhood
Stuart, the founder of the development group that bought the Sterick recently, joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about the group’s vision not just for the building but for the neighborhood around it.
S4E15: Doing the hard work of helping kids, one child at a time
Torey Bates, For the Kingdom’s executive director, and Summerjoy Scott, the director of human development, joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk the evolution of the organization.
S4E14: Tackling the challenge of literacy and illiteracy
The leaders of the Memphis Literacy Conference join Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S4E13: A conversation with Jennifer Biggs about food, drinks and WYXR
The Daily Memphian food editor joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S4E12: The Brooks Museum's director on art, food and the new building
A conversation with Zoe Kahr, the Brooks’ executive director, about new exhibits, live music, how her family led her into the world of art museums and a future exhibit on the legacy of the Memphis College of Art.
S4E11: Giving the homeless a Room in the Inn
Listen now: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dmextra/sidebar_04062023_FINAL_USE.mp3?dest-id=1743083
An upcoming fundraiser for Room in the Inn aims to help support the group’s mission to help the homeless.
S4E10: 'Exodus: Recreation' is a play created by 800 Memphians
“Exodus: Recreation,” which was produced by The InHEIRitance Project and will performed in Memphis Friday, March 31 through April 3, incorporated the input of 800 people and 2 dozen local organizations.
S4E9: Dissecting "a film guide for the disenchanted"
Writer Billups Allen joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S4E8: Tara Stringfellow on her novel, her love of Italy and her book signing at Novel
Tara M. Stringfellow talks about the new paperback edition of her novel, “Memphis,” which she’ll be signing at Novel bookstore Tuesday, March 7 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
S4E7: Ward Archer on the aquifer, local media, and independent music
Ward Archer joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about just some of the projects and companies he’s involved in in Memphis, from Protect Our Aquifer to Archer Records to Contemporary Media.
S4E6: From Dreamgirls to E.R. to Rodney King to the Memphis Black Arts Alliance
The executive director of the Memphis Black Arts Alliance, Lar’Juanette Williams joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about her incredible range of experiences in the arts and beyond.
S4E5: The artist Hamlett Dobbins on painting, teaching and Legos
Hamlett Dobbins, a remarkable painter who lives here in Memphis, joined me on The Sidebar to talk about the work he does.
S4E4: Artist Christopher Reyes on his art, the Coliseum and Live from Memphis
The Memphis artist joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about his art, immersive worlds, the Mid-South Coliseum and how maybe – just maybe – the artists’ collaborative Live From Memphis could return.
S4E3: Kevin Keough on restaurants, bars and his hatred of 'mixology'
One of the original owners of The Beauty Shop and now owner of Bar Keough and Cafe Keough talks about belly dancers, his love of chickens and the sweet, wonderful smell of burnt rosemary.
S4E2: What does it take to write novels and short stories plus spend 30 years as a journalist?
The writer David Williams talks about his second novel, his writing process, and his 30 years as a reporter and editor at The Commercial Appeal on this week’s episode of The Sidebar with Eric Barnes.
S4E1: The Botanic Garden's future expansion plans and its history
Mike Allen, the Botanic Garden’s executive director, joined Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about all the different aspects of the Botanic Garden and the plans for expansion.
S3E97: How Rhodes' top-ranked music business school isn't a music business school
A conversation with John Bass, the director of the Mike Curb Institute of Music at Rhodes College.
S3E96: Candace Echols on writing about herself, her family and her faith
The Daily Memphian's new columnist joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E95: How Kindred Place tries to help parents be better parents
Jennifer Balink, executive director of the nonprofit Kindred Place, which provides support and counseling to parents and families, talks about the dramatically changing attitudes about counseling and mental health over the years – changes that were accelerated during the pandemic.
S3E94: Lil Buck on 'Memphis Jookin'' and the 20th anniversary of Nut Remix
The performer joins New Ballet CEO Katie Smythe and Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E93: What it means to be lifestyle blogger
Caramelized was once just focused on food. But now it has become something much bigger.
S3E92: The founder of Memphis Magazine Part II
For people who’ve been in publishing in Memphis for many years, there are generally two family trees: The people who came through The Commercial Appeal and the people who came through one of Bob Towery’s companies.
S3E91: The founder of Memphis Magazine Part I
For people who’ve been in publishing in Memphis for many years, there are generally two family trees: The people who came through The Commercial Appeal and the people who came through one of Bob Towery’s companies.
S3E90: The Iris Collective moves beyond the Iris Orchestra
The executive director of Iris Collective, Rebecca Arendt, talks about the evolution of Iris, the new season of performances, and her firm belief that “everyone can learn to sing.”
S3E89: River Arts Fest returns to the river – and memories of frogs and the Mona Lisa
The head of the arts festival joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E88: Bennett Foster - songwriter, organizer and more
From The Magic Kids to knocking on doors to get out the vote, Bennett Foster talks about balancing a love of a songwriting and work on social and political issues.
S3E87: What is a Tambourine Bash and other questions about Memphis music
Elizabeth Cawein of Music Export Memphis joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E86: How the Power Pop Festival came to life
The Power Pop Festival takes place Saturday, September 24 at 4 pm at the Overton Park Shell and includes former Posies member Jon Auer, Van Duren, Your Academy, a tribute to Big Star’s Chris Bell, and the Sonny Wilsons.
S3E85: Transforming Madison Avenue a few blocks at a time
Emily Bishop and Karen Lebovitz join Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about how MidtownMemphis.org is working to improve and beautify a section of Madison Avenue.
S3E84: Kerri Mahoney makes TV shows and movies real
The Memphis-based graphic designer joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about props, album covers, toys and more.
S3E83: Steve Selvidge of The Hold Steady and Big Ass Truck talks about life on the road
The Memphis guitarist, who's a member of The Hold Steady, Big Ass Truck, and who plays with many other combinations of musicians inside and outside Memphis, joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E82: The best cheeseburgers ever
An innocent conversation about cheeseburgers with Jennifer Biggs, Chris Herrington and Eric Barnes devolves into culinary distractions, general mockery and outright name-calling.
S3E81: Mighty Roots, River Arts, and Morgan Freeman
Howard Stovall joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about blues music, Americana music and Clarksville, Mississippi.
S3E80: Using sports to raise money for literacy
How Coaching for Literacy is working with sports teams nationwide to raise awareness about the massive challenge of illiteracy.
S3E79: An inside look at how our Taste of Summer food series came together
Jennifer Biggs talks to Eric Barnes about the Taste of Summer food series, plus what she eats for breakfast, what food she has in her refrigerator, and her belief that, apparently, all change is for the better.
S3E78: The Metal Museum's plans for Rust Hall and its campus on the Bluff
Carissa Hussong joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about expansion in the former home of the Memphis College of Art and plans for their campus on the bluff.
S3E77: Efforts to improve literacy for Memphians young and old
The founder of Memphis Teacher Residency and the leader of the Memphis Literacy Conference join Eric Barnes to talk about using science, people and constant effort to help people of all ages learn to read.
S3E76: The long, hard work of advocating for the LGBTQ community
Marvell Terry II joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar to talk about his advocacy for the LGBTQ community, his work to support people with AIDS and HIV, and what it means to be a Black gay man.
S3E75: The value of artists residencies in Crosstown and Memphis
The head of Crosstown Arts’ artist in resident programs, Mary Jo Karimnia, joins Eric Barnes to talk about opportunities for artists, the role of the arts in the Crosstown building and community, and her near 10-year-history with the Crosstown project.
S3E74: How OutMemphis works with and supports the LGBTQ+ community in Memphis
Molly Quinn, executive director of OutMemphis, joins Eric Barnes to talk about the organization’s work with homeless LGBTQ+ young people, the group’s upcoming Queer Prom, and the progress – and steps backwards – in the environment for LGBTQ+ people.
S3E73: Jennifer Biggs talks about COVID, ice cream and her favorite gin and tonics
The food and dining editor joins Eric Barnes on this week's edition of the Sidebar.
S3E72: From the Antenna Club to the Hustle & Flow film score, Scott Bomar talks Memphis music
Scott Bomar – the musician, Emmy-award-winning film composer, record producer and more – joins Eric Barnes on this week’s episode of The Sidebar to talk about how he became a musician, began to produce soundtracks for Craig Brewer’s movies, his studio’s upcoming move to the Sam Phillips Recording Studio, and much more.
S3E71: Digital art – and the work of Maurice Sendak – are headed to the Brooks Museum
The Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Brooks Museum joins Eric Barnes for a discussion about upcoming exhibits, the future of NFTs in digital art, Maurice Sendak, the Tommy Kha controversy and more.
S3E70: Grizzlies megafans Molly Morrison and EJ Wilcox
Along with countless other fans on Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok, they’re building new communities where the league’s most knowledgeable, passionate, and funny fans can connect to each other and the team they love.
S3E69: Project-based learning and designing solutions at Crosstown High
The emphasis on creative thinking, collaboration, problem solving, and engaging with the real world is one of the things that differentiates XTH from other high schools throughout Shelby County and around the country.
S3E68: How Humanities Tennessee tries to support Memphis arts and culture
Two leaders of the organization join Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E67: Willy Bearden talks film, storytelling and limousines
The filmmaker, writer and producer joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E66: The many changes at the Overton Park Shell
The Shell's executive director joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E65: How more Black-owned businesses can thrive
Ernest Strickland of the Black Business Association joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E64: The thrill, the realities and the heartbreak of life as a musician
Cyrena Wages joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E63: How the power of play can change kids' lives
The head of the Children's Museum of Memphis joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E62: The history of lynching sites in Memphis
Two leaders of the Memphis Lynching Sites Project join Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E61: How Memphis Quarantine was brought to life by Jamie Harmon
The photographer joins Eric Barnes on this week's Sidebar.
S3E60: The difference between volunteering and being 'voluntold'
The founder of Volunteer Odyssey joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E59: Kerry Hayes still talking – and talking – about how cities can thrive
S3E58: How Memphis has – and has not – changed over the last 15 years
Kerry Hayes joins Eric Barnes this week on The Sidebar.
S3E57: How Choose901 came to be
Nearly 10 years after founding Choose901, John Carroll joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E56: Kate Teague on WYXR, the life of a musician and Thacker Mountain Radio
The singer, songwriter and WYXR staffer joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E55: The impact of Memphis Slim on music and performers in Memphis
Tonya Dyson joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E54: How Jeff Cohran went from church drummer to music producer
Music producer, DJ and instructor Jeff Cohran joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E53: The new head of the Memphis Association of Black Journalists
Elle Perry of The Daily Memphian joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E52: Bishop Phoebe Roaf on our divisions and connections
The leader of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E51: What inspires people to take on lost causes
The host of the Champions of the Lost Causes podcast joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E50: Joe Royer on the evolution of Memphis and its outdoor spaces
The Outdoors Inc. co-founder joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E49: How teachers can change students lives
The head of Teach for America in Memphis joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E48: How music can help people heal
The host of Music & Medicine joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E47: An insider's preview of The Bigfoot Festival in Memphis
Toby Sells joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E46: Jennifer Biggs, Chris Herrington and Eric Barnes eat KitKats for Halloween
It's a Kit Kat Chit Chat Fever Dream on this week's episode of The Sidebar.
S3E45: How scooters can change people's lives in Memphis
Andy Nix of MyCityRides joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E44: WYXR's first anniversary
Listen to Robby Grant and Jared Boyd talk about WYXR's first anniversary on this week's episode of the Sidebar with Eric Barnes.
S3E43: Listen to Victoria Jones on the importance of dedicated spaces for Black creatives
The leader of Tone talks to Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E42: Listen to Goner Records co-founder Zac Ives talk about Gonerfest and indie music
Zac Ives joins Eric Barnes on this week's episode of The Sidebar podcast
S3E41:Listen to photographer Mark Seliger on building trust with his subjects
The photographer from Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and more joins Eric Barnes on the Sidebar
S3E40: Listen to the story of how Memphis Current defined itself
Eric Barnes talks to Sam Prager about the arts and culture quarterly he founded.
S3E39: Listen to JD Reager on how music - and podcasting - changed his life
Eric Barnes interviews JD Reager on this week's episode of The Sidebar
S3E38: Listen to how Memphis Centric and Storyboard will tell the stories of Memphis
Eric Barnes interviews Octavia Young and Mark Fleischer on The Sidebar.
S3E37: Listen to how Creative Works brings creative people to Memphis
Listen now: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dmextra/sidebar_08112021_FINAL_FINAL.mp3?dest-id=1743083
Eric Barnes talks to Josh Horton on this week's episode of The Sidebar.
S3E36: A brief history of Crosstown's many phases
Listen to author Bill Haltom and Crosstown President Todd Richardson.
S3E35: Listen to Jennifer Biggs shame Eric Barnes and Chris Herrington
Jennifer and Chris join Eric Barnes on The Sidebar podcast.
S3E34: The joy - and science - of live audiences at The Orpheum
The head of The Orpheum joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E33: The Brooks and the impact of African American art
Heather Nickels from The Brooks joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E32: Taking opera out of the opera house
Ned Canty of Opera Memphis joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E31: The Dixon in a post-pandemic world
Kevin Sharp of the Dixon joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E30: Rewriting the narrative about Frayser
Porsche Stevens of Frayser Connect joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E29: How the library system thrived in the pandemic
Library Director Keenon McCloy joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S3E28: The Shell's new normal following the pandemic
The executive director of The Shell joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
S3E27: As the pandemic eases, arts organizations in Memphis attempt to recover
Elizabeth Rouse of ArtsMemphis joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
S3E26: Elliot Perry on the power of mentoring
Elliot joins Eric Barnes on this week's episode of The Sidebar
S3E25: Talking restaurants, COVID and WYXR with Jennifer Biggs
Jennifer Biggs joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
S3E24:What cities can do to recover from COVID's economic impact
Eric Robertson of Community LIFT joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
S3E23: Finding a new path to mentoring and engaging youths
Ty Cobb joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
S3E22: Measuring the outcomes of the fight against poverty in Memphi
A look at Slingshot Memphis on this week's episode of The Sidebar with Eric Barnes
S2E21: How nonprofits and community organizations are weathering the pandemic
Kevin Dean joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
S2E20: From suburban sprawl to Greenprint to Memphis 3.0
John Zeanah talks about the evolution of regional planning on this week's episode of The Sidebar
S2E19: Shelby Farms during a pandemic
"Life changing" visits and Buffalo vaccinations: Jen Andrews joins Eric Barnes on this week's episode of The Sidebar.
S2E18: The Wolf River's connections to places and people throughout Memphis
A look at the work of the Wolf River Conservancy on this week's episode of The Sidebar with Eric Barnes.
S2E17: Robert Gordon on where Memphis has been and where it is going
The writer and documentarian joins Eric Barnes and Chris Herrington on The Sidebar.
S2E16: Robert Gordon on the re-release of "It Came From Memphis"
The author and filmmaker joins Chris Herrington and Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E15: Overton Park during the pandemic and beyond
Tina Sullivan joins Eric Barnes to talk about the new golf course, Rust Hall and more.
S2E14: Transforming the University District through streetscapes and walkability
Cody Fletcher joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E13: The projects in Raleigh, Midtown and The Pinch that are remaking Memphis
Mary Claire Borys from Housing Community & Development joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E12: Carol Coletta on why greenspaces are so important to a city
The CEO of Memphis River Parks joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E11: Why neighborhoods matter
Steve Barlow of Neighborhood Preservation Inc. joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E10: The U of M's Anne Hogan on WYXR, ballet and how she learned to drive
Anne Hogan joins Eric Barnes on this week's episode of The Sidebar.
S2E9: How Crosstown joined the U of M and The Daily Memphian to create WYXR
Todd Richardson joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E8: COVID misinformation, public affairs conversations, and the first time seeing the Jackson 5
Chip Washington, host of Real Talk, joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E7: From jazz to politics to the county commission, Kudzukian highlights local voices
Kudzukian founder Larry Robinson joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar
S2E6: Bigfoot, medical marijuana and the Radio Flyer
Toby, the news editor for The Flyer, joined Eric Barnes this week on The Sidebar to talk about how we got started on topical marijuana mentions, plus Bigfoot (and the Bigfoot festival he’s organized for a few years), alt weeklies and, maybe most importantly, the Radio Flyer show he’s now hosting on WYXR each Friday at noon.
S2E5: Music, the Grizzlies, food, art and politics - how Chris Herrington writes about it all
The Daily Memphian columnist joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E4: That day during COVID when Jennifer Biggs and I had a drink at noon
The Daily Memphian's food and dining editor joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E3: DJ, radio host, program manager or all of the above?
The program manager at the newly launched WYXR, Jared Boyd was a reporter at The Daily Memphian when the station started to look for a program manager before launching. Take a listen to this week’s episode and hear how his knowledge of and passion for music is already shaping the station.
S2E2: Pat Mitchell-Worley on Memphis music, how music can empower youths and a band called Saliva
Pat Mitchell-Worley, the executive director of Stax Music Academy and host of Beale Street Caravan, joins Eric Barnes on The Sidebar.
S2E1: Robby Grant of WYXR on his life as a musician
Robby joins Eric Barnes on this first edition of The Sidebar radio show and podcast.
S1E48: Geoff Calkins talks about unwelcome opinions during a pandemic
Geoff Calkins talks about the challenges of writing columns in a time of such political polarization.
S1E47: How Choose 901 was born - and the future of 901 Day
In this week’s edition of The Extra Podcast, John Carroll talks with Eric Barnes about how he set about trying to find ways to talk to people about all the good things in Memphis.
S1E46: What ArtsMemphis is doing to support Memphis artists and institutions
Elizabeth Rouse, President & CEO of ArtsMemphis, joined Eric Barnes on The Extra Podcast this week to talk about the myriad number of ways that artists are trying to connect with people during the shutdown.
S1E45: How Memphis musicians are dealing with the coronavirus shutdown
Elizabeth Cawein of Music Export Memphis joins Eric Barnes on The Extra Podcast.
S1E44: The future of radio on WYXR
A deeper look at the content and mission of the re-branded WUMR with Executive Director Robby Grant and Program Manager Jared Boyd.
S1E43: How the Brooks Museum is adapting to life under coronavirus
Emily Ballew Neff, the director of the Brooks Museum, joins Eric Barnes to discuss how The Brooks Museum is on a "soft pause" as it adapts to the new realities of restrictions on public spaces and an economic downturn.
S1E42: The impact of the $40 million gift to LeMoyne-Owen College
President Carol Johnson-Dean talks about how the gift came to be on this week’s edition of The Extra Podcast, as well as the critical role LeMoyne plays for students who most often are first generation college students.
S1E41: The challenge of reopening schools
The issues facing schools as they look to reopen with some semblance of normalcy is almost overwhelming. A bit scary. And in some ways heartbreaking.
S1E40: How the Federal Reserve works to support Memphis
The head of the Memphis branch of the Fed – technically the Memphis branch of the St. Louis Federal Reserve, which is part of the overall Fed system – is Douglas Scarboro, Senior Vice President and Regional Executive.
Douglas joins the Extra Podcast to talk about the Memphis branch, but also to give his views on the economic losses associated with systemic racism.
S1E39: News coverage in the time of COVID, protests and bubble sports
Executive Editor Ronnie Ramos talks about how The Daily Memphian has approached coverage of so many different stories at once on this week’s Extra Podcast with Eric Barnes.
S1E38: How the Memphis Medical District is coping during the shutdown
MMDC’s President Tommy Pacello on the group’s effort to support small businesses, residents in need, and future development.
S1E37: How Stax Museum will reopen
Jeff Kollath, the head of the Stax Museum talks about plans for reopening – and contemplates when live music and events will happen again.
S1E36: What’s next for billions of dollars in downtown development?
Jennifer Oswalt of the Downtown Memphis Commission gives a status update on the billions of dollars in downtown development in the wake of the Coronavirus shutdown.
S1E35: How coronavirus shines a light on inequality
The National Civil Rights Museum’s Terri Freeman talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted inequality, as well as the financial impact the shutdown has had on the museum.
S1E34: How Rhodes College is dealing with COVID-19
Rhodes President Marjorie Hass tells Eric Barnes about the contingencies the college is planning for as it finishes the year and plans for an opening in the fall.
S1E33: How Memphis restaurants will reopen
Ernie Mellor, president of the Memphis Restaurant Association joins Eric Barnes to talk about the heavy economic toll COVID-19 has had on local restaurants – and the difficulties restaurants face in reopening.
S1E32: Shantelle Leatherwood with Christ Community
Shantelle Leatherwood on how Christ Community Health Services is expanding COVID-19 testing into some of the hardest hit communities and people in Memphis.
S1E31: Dr. Scott Morris with Church Health
Dr. Scott Morris describes how Church Health has responded to the coronavirus crisis.
S1E30: Inside the ICU
Inside the ICU: What Chris Herrington saw and learned in his exclusive tour of Baptist’s COVID fighting efforts.
S1E29: Dr. Stephen Threlkeld on the impact of the Coronavirus on the Memphis area
Recording of a live Q&A with Dr. Stephen Threlkeld, infectious disease expert at Baptist Memorial Health Care, on the impact of Coronavirus on the Memphis area hosted by Eric Barnes.
S1E28: How the Community Foundation’s fund is impacting Memphians in need
From supporting laid off restaurant workers to providing translation services to refugees, the Community Foundation is trying to target money to the people who need it most.