Curious Nashville

Nashville Public Radio

4.6 (77)
SOCIETY & CULTURE

In Curious Nashville from Nashville Public radio, we answer your questions about the city and region. Listeners decide which question we should investigate and answer next.

FEB 1

Coming Soon: "Making Noise" — How a Sunday night party changed Nashville

"Making Noise" is a four-part series by Nashville Public Radio about how the music promotion company Lovenoise has changed the music landscape of Nashville. The best way to listen is in the WNXP Podcasts feed. Subscribe now!

2 min
10/20/2023

You might also like: The Kids of Rutherford County

A juvenile court in Rutherford County was illegally jailing and detaining kids for 16 years before a former juvenile delinquent-turned-lawyer came up with a plan to take it on. This four-part narrative podcast builds on a joint investigation by WPLN Nashville Public Radio and ProPublica and is produced by The New York Times and Serial Productions. “The Kids of Rutherford County” reveals how this system came to be, with particular attention to the adults responsible for it and the two juvenile delinquents-turned-lawyers who try to do something about it. The podcast's host is Meribah Knight, a Peabody Award-winning reporter for Nashville Public Radio who co-reported the original investigation. Listeners can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever podcasts are available. The first two episodes will premiere on Thursday, Oct. 26; parts three and four will air the following two Thursdays.

2 min
06/16/2023

For sale: one beach. How did this sandy triangle come to be in downtown Nashville?

Something new has hit Nashville’s hot real estate market: a beach, right smack in the middle of downtown Nashville. But, until it’s sold, Nashvillians driving through the intersection of Lafayette, Division and 4th Avenue may wonder: What is that sandy triangle doing there? One listener directed this question to our Curious Nashville project, so we took a brief “vacation” to SoBro to find the answer. Photos: Visit this story at WPLN.org to see photos of the Little Chill Beach.

4 min
05/20/2023

Who cares for Centennial Park’s bee colony?

On a small island in the middle of Centennial Park’s Lake Watauga stand five towers of beehives. One of our listeners spotted the hard-to-reach hives and inquired about the bees: Who cares for them? What happens to the honey? Do other parks have hives?

4 min
04/04/2023

Searching for the 'space capsule' in rural Hickman County

In 2017, a listener wrote to ask: “On Sulphur Creek Road, in Coble, Tennessee, we saw what appeared to be a ‘space capsule’ with a NASA logo on the end. What is it?” Now, for the first time anywhere, Curious Nashville has the story for the Hickman County space capsule. Credits: Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. Tony Gonzalez is executive producer, and Paula Ramirez reported this story. Paige Pfleger edited this episode. The music is from the Blue Dot Sessions.

23 min
03/14/2023

Reverse Curious Nashville: Can YOU help us answer this question about a Bob Dylan song?

Curious Nashville turns the tables and asks you to help us solve a mystery. It involves Bob Dylan, John Cale, and Edie Sedgwick — and a song that brings them together. This intriguing tale comes to us from Justin Barney, assistant program director for WNXP, the music discovery station that Nashville Public Radio launched in 2020.

5 min
02/24/2023

What’s with these cryptic cement markers around Tennessee?

Alongside some Tennessee roads, you might notice knee-high cement markers — usually quite weathered — that have this inscription: “H’Y R.W.” In learning what those are all about, Curious Nashville also revisits a fascinating saga from local history. To see photos that accompany this podcast, visit www.wpln.org/curious.

5 min
01/21/2023

Burials, lawn pranks and other answers about the Tennessee State Capitol

Lawmakers are back in Nashville for session, and it’s busy again inside the Tennessee State Capitol. But all year round, the historic building draws interest and provides tours — and it has prompted several questions to Curious Nashville that we’re answering in a batch today. You can see photos related to this story, and learn more, at this story on WPLN.org.

6 min

See All (40)

4.6

out of 5

77 Ratings

Love this podcast!

08/06/2023

annabutts

As a young Nashville native, I can’t believe it took me so long to discover this podcast! Tony Gonzalez is such a delightful producer. I loved hearing him speak about how part of this show exists to “pull back the curtain, just a little bit, on the journalistic process” for curious listeners alike. How special to explore our city’s fun, weird history during a time when it is becoming redeveloped beyond recognization. I ❤️ NPR
Love the podcast

01/27/2023

foxsongs

Love
Well done!

09/19/2019

WendyMonday

Interesting, relevant topics well presented. I eagerly await more episodes!
Fun and Informative!

12/29/2016

MPabroad

This is a great idea and it's well executed. I'm a historian who lives in Nashville and I learn something new in every episode. Give it a listen!

In Curious Nashville from Nashville Public radio, we answer your questions about the city and region. Listeners decide which question we should investigate and answer next.