Downright Mindful

Downright Mindful Media
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Society & Culture
  • Weekly

Downright Mindful Good conversations. Great stories. People worth remembering. Downright Mindful is hosted by Matt Parris and Paul Sausville from East Tennessee. Some weeks, we sit down with educators, coaches, public servants, community leaders, local legends, and everyday people whose stories deserve to be preserved. Other weeks, it’s just Matt and Paul behind the microphones talking about history, culture, education, current events, or whatever has us thinking that week. We don’t pretend to have all the answers. We just believe there’s still value in sitting across the table from someone, asking good questions, laughing a little, disagreeing sometimes, and actually listening. Over 100 episodes in, the mission is becoming clearer: preserve the people, stories, and conversations of our time and place while staying curious about the world beyond it. Think of Downright Mindful as a dusty old box of letters in the attic. Stories from our time and our place, preserved for whoever comes looking someday. New episodes every Sunday at 2 PM. Follow the show and come be part of the conversation.

  1. 6d ago

    Dr. Paul Conn | Lee University | Downright Mindful Ep. 104

    Dr. Paul Conn, former longtime president and current chancellor of Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, joins Matt Parris and Paul Sausville for Episode 104 of Downright Mindful. In this nearly two-hour conversation, Dr. Conn shares stories from a remarkable life, beginning with his childhood in Cleveland, Tennessee, and his years attending Bradley Central High School. He recalls delivering newspapers, bagging groceries, and even creating an opportunity to cover Little League baseball games for the Cleveland Daily Banner. He also shares the story of winning the Magic Chef Scholarship, which allowed him to attend Lee College before it became the accredited university we know today. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Conn reflects on the people who shaped his life, particularly his beloved high school English teacher, Lilly Frank Fitzgerald. Decades later, he still treasures one of her teaching textbooks, which he brought along to share during the interview. Dr. Conn also discusses his postdoctoral studies at Harvard University and one of the most important lessons he carried away from that experience: being available. He explains how the best professors made themselves accessible to students and how that example influenced his own approach to education and leadership at Lee University. An accomplished author of more than 20 books, Dr. Conn also shares stories about his experiences with Johnny Cash and Terry Bradshaw, both of whom he wrote books about. From his early years in Bradley County to decades of leadership at Lee University, this conversation explores the experiences, relationships, and lessons that shaped one of Cleveland, Tennessee's most recognizable community leaders. Topics discussed: Growing up in Cleveland, Tennessee Attending Bradley Central High School Delivering newspapers and bagging groceries Covering Little League baseball for the Cleveland Daily Banner Winning the Magic Chef Scholarship Attending Lee College The influence of Lilly Frank Fitzgerald Postdoctoral studies at Harvard University The importance of being available to students and colleagues His years as president and chancellor of Lee University Writing books and experiences with Johnny Cash and Terry Bradshaw About Downright Mindful Hosted by Matt Parris and Paul Sausville, Downright Mindful features conversations with interesting people about their lives, experiences, perspectives, and the stories worth preserving. New episodes every Sunday at 2 PM Eastern. Watch, listen, and follow: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DownrightMindful Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3sANbCaTFQag9nMCnR01N7 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/downright-mindful/id1776503597 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DownrightMindful Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/downrightmindfulmedia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@downrightmindful #PaulConn #LeeUniversity #ClevelandTN #DownrightMindful #BradleyCounty

  2. Oct 18

    America's Most Famous Prisons | Downright Mindful Ep. 103

    We're back from fall break, and Paul has a few questions for Matt. Mostly about prisons. In Episode 103 of Downright Mindful, Paul brings a conversation from his sociology classroom to the podcast table, putting Matt's criminal justice knowledge to the test. What starts as a little prison trivia turns into a trip through the history of American incarceration. Alcatraz. San Quentin. Sing Sing. Leavenworth. Eastern State Penitentiary. The Indiana Women's Prison. We explore the Pennsylvania and Auburn prison systems, the ideas that shaped early American corrections, and the stories behind some of the country's most recognizable institutions. And you can't talk about famous prisons without talking about some of the people connected to them. Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Sonny Liston, James Earl Ray, Ted Kaczynski, and plenty of other names make their way into the conversation. But eventually, we move beyond the history and into a bigger discussion. What should prison actually accomplish? Matt draws on his experience in corrections to discuss direct supervision, the Scandinavian approach to incarceration, rehabilitation, and the idea that losing your freedom is punishment regardless of how comfortable your surroundings might be. It's a little history, a little trivia, some fascinating stories, and a conversation that goes in directions neither of us probably expected. America's Most Famous Prisons | Downright Mindful Ep. 103 New episodes every Sunday at 2 PM Eastern. WATCH & LISTEN YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DownrightMindful Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3sANbCaTFQag9nMCnR01N7?si=0950bd8497ee47ad Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/downright-mindful/id1776503597 FOLLOW DOWNRIGHT MINDFUL Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DownrightMindful Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/downrightmindfulmedia TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@downrightmindful

  3. Oct 4

    Funny How Things Come Full Circle | Ashlynn Maddox | Downright Mindful Ep. 102

    Paul is a little under the weather this week, so Matt called in some backup. Episode 102 introduces you to the newest member of the Downright Mindful team, Ashlynn Maddox, formerly Ashlynn Akiona. And there’s a lot of history here. Ashlynn is the daughter of former Walker Valley High School principal Nat Akiona, who hired both Matt and Paul at Walker Valley. She was also one of Paul’s journalism students and helped create The Hoofprint, a student publication during her time there. A few years, a college graduation, a marriage, and a move to the Atlanta area later, things have come full circle. Ashlynn is now editing Downright Mindful. Matt and Ashlynn catch up on what life has looked like since Walker Valley, how she ended up joining the podcast, and pretty much whatever else comes up along the way. Brushy Mountain, true crime podcasts, The War of Art, journalism, creativity, and the strange ways people from different chapters of your life sometimes find their way back around. No big agenda this week. Just a good conversation with someone you’ll probably be hearing a lot more about around Downright Mindful. Episode 102: Funny How Things Come Full Circle New episodes every Sunday at 2 PM. YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@DownrightMindful Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3sANbCaTFQag9nMCnR01N7?si=0950bd8497ee47ad Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/downright-mindful/id1776503597 Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/DownrightMindful Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/downrightmindfulmedia TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@downrightmindful

  4. Sep 27

    Behind the Walls of Brushy Mountain | Downright Mindful Ep. 101

    Before we take our students to Brushy Mountain, Paul decided Matt needed to be put to the test. For Episode 101, we’re going all in on Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. Paul came prepared with the questions and turned the tables on Matt for a conversation about one of Tennessee’s most fascinating and notorious historic places. We trace the story of Brushy Mountain from its roots in the aftermath of the Coal Creek War through more than a century of Tennessee corrections. We talk about the prison itself, the people who were incarcerated there, the officers who worked behind its walls, escapes, violence, changing approaches to incarceration, and the role Brushy played in Tennessee history before finally closing in 2009. There are stories most people know, and plenty they probably don’t. This episode also has a second purpose. Matt and Paul will be taking Criminal Justice, Mock Trial and Sociology students to Brushy Mountain this week for their annual field trip. So we wanted to make something our students could watch or listen to beforehand that would give them some context for what they’re about to walk into. But this isn’t a lecture. It’s still Downright Mindful. Two teachers, a lot of questions, a remarkable piece of Tennessee history, and a conversation about what happened behind the walls of Brushy Mountain. 🎙️ Behind the Walls of Brushy Mountain | Downright Mindful Ep. 101 New episodes every Sunday at 2:00 PM. WATCH & FOLLOW DOWNRIGHT MINDFUL ▶️ YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@DownrightMindful 🎧 Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/3sANbCaTFQag9nMCnR01N7?si=0950bd8497ee47ad 🎧 Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/downright-mindful/id1776503597 📘 Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DownrightMindful 📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/downrightmindfulmedia 🎵 TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@downrightmindful Subscribe, share the episode, and come learn a little Tennessee history with us.

    Behind the Walls of Brushy Mountain | Downright Mindful Ep. 101

  5. Sep 20

    What Would You Do With 100? | Downright Mindful Ep. 100

    What would you do with $100? How about 100 minutes? 100 people? 100 years? And after making it through 100 episodes of a podcast, what would you do with 100 more? For the 100th episode of Downright Mindful, Paul brings Matt a series of questions built around one number. Along the way, the conversation goes just about everywhere. Recorded on Mexican Independence Day, Matt and Paul talk about the history behind the day before turning closer to home and discussing Project River in Bradley County, the information surrounding it, and the challenge of maintaining credibility when everybody seems to be fighting to control the narrative. But eventually, 100 gives Matt an opportunity to look backward. One hundred episodes means a lot of people have sat across that table. Educators. Coaches. Public servants. Community leaders. Local legends. Friends. People whose stories might otherwise have never been recorded. It also means 100 opportunities to get better. Better questions. Better conversations. Better listening. Better storytelling. Better cameras, microphones, editing and everything else they've learned by simply continuing to hit record. And maybe that's been the biggest surprise of Downright Mindful. The power of a conversation once you decide it's worth preserving. So Episode 100 isn't just a celebration of what we've done. Matt and Paul also look forward and ask what this show could become over the next 100 episodes. Because apparently we're doing this again. 😂 🎙️ What Would You Do With 100? | Downright Mindful Ep. 100 New episodes every Sunday at 2:00 PM. WATCH & FOLLOW DOWNRIGHT MINDFUL ▶️ YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@DownrightMindful 🎧 Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3sANbCaTFQag9nMCnR01N7?si=0950bd8497ee47ad 🎧 Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/downright-mindful/id1776503597 📘 Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/DownrightMindful 📸 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/downrightmindfulmedia 🎵 TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@downrightmindful Subscribe and come along for the next 100.

  6. Sep 13

    Moving the Jail | Allan Walsh & Tony Moore | Downright Mindful Ep. 99

    In 2004, Bradley County made the enormous move from the old jail on Johnson Boulevard to the new 408 bed direct supervision facility on Blythe Avenue. But long before moving day, there was a whole lot of work to be done. For Episode 99, Allan Walsh returns for Part 2, and Matt has a surprise waiting for him. His longtime friend and colleague, Tony Moore. Allan served as Captain and Tony as Senior Lieutenant in the Corrections Division of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office. Along with Gwen Beavers and a team of others, they spent years preparing for a new era of corrections in Bradley County. Allan and Tony give us their perspective on that transition. They talk about developing policies and procedures, preparing employees for a completely different facility and correctional model, and finally making the move from Johnson Boulevard to Blythe Avenue in 2004. There’s some personal history here too. Tony was one of the people who interviewed a 20 year old Matt Parris in late 2004 and ultimately gave him his first opportunity in law enforcement. Then things get goofy. Allan turns the lights off on Tony in a Nashville hotel bathroom. Tony knocks Allan off the track racing go karts. And Allan tells the story of accidentally using the women’s restroom at a Chinese buffet and not realizing his mistake until he walked out of the stall. 😂 There’s history in this one, but there’s also something even better. Two longtime friends sitting around a table remembering what it was like to be there. 🎙️ Moving the Jail | Allan Walsh & Tony Moore | Downright Mindful Ep. 99 New episodes every Sunday at 2:00 PM. Subscribe, follow, and share this episode with somebody who remembers the old Bradley County Jail.

  7. Sep 6

    Should 16-Year-Olds Be Allowed to Vote? | Downright Mindful Ep. 98

    What started as one of those wandering Matt-and-Paul conversations turned into one of the liveliest debates they've had in a while. It starts innocently enough. Books. Reading. Mapp v. Ohio. Constitutional amendments. And then Paul drops an idea: Maybe 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote. Matt's immediate response? “That's the craziest thing I've ever heard.” And they were off. As a U.S. History teacher, Paul makes the case that many of the students sitting in his classroom are more informed about American government and history than a significant portion of the voting population. If they're informed, engaged and directly affected by the decisions government makes, why shouldn't they have a voice? Matt isn't buying it. Knowing information and having the maturity to process that information when making consequential decisions aren't necessarily the same thing. There's a reason society draws age lines in other areas—and Matt argues that brain development, maturity and life experience matter when we're talking about the ballot box. What follows isn't a formal debate. It's two friends who genuinely disagree, pushing each other's arguments, laughing, getting a little fired up and seeing whether either one can move the other. And somewhere along the way, a conversation that started with books becomes: Should 16-year-olds be allowed to vote? You decide who won. 🎙️ Downright Mindful — Episode 98Hosted by Matt Parris & Paul Sausville

  8. Aug 30

    Everybody Loves Dolly | Remembering Dolly Parton | Downright Mindful Ep. 97

    Everybody loves Dolly. But why? Following the death of Dolly Parton at 80 years old, Matt Parris and Paul Sausville sit down to reflect on the life and legacy of one of the most beloved people Tennessee has ever produced. And, well…two dudes end up talking Dolly for about 50 minutes. They talk about the music, the songwriting, the unmistakable personality, her Appalachian roots, faith, humor, generosity, business success, and the remarkable journey that took a girl from the mountains of East Tennessee to becoming one of the most recognizable people in the world. But eventually the conversation turns to something bigger. Matt asks a question that isn't easy to answer: Who else have we had—or do we have today—who people with dramatically different beliefs would almost fight over the right to claim as one of their own? Dolly seemed to belong to everybody. People from different generations, backgrounds, political beliefs, religions, lifestyles and parts of the country could see something in Dolly they loved. She managed to become larger than life without completely losing the authenticity of where she came from. So this isn't a biography of Dolly Parton. It isn't a music documentary. And Matt and Paul certainly aren't Dolly experts. It's a conversation about why she mattered. Why Tennessee loved her.Why America loved her.Why people who agreed on very little could agree on Dolly. And why, even after her passing, it still feels right to say: Everybody Loves Dolly. 🎙️ Downright Mindful — Episode 97Hosted by Matt Parris & Paul Sausville

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5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Downright Mindful Good conversations. Great stories. People worth remembering. Downright Mindful is hosted by Matt Parris and Paul Sausville from East Tennessee. Some weeks, we sit down with educators, coaches, public servants, community leaders, local legends, and everyday people whose stories deserve to be preserved. Other weeks, it’s just Matt and Paul behind the microphones talking about history, culture, education, current events, or whatever has us thinking that week. We don’t pretend to have all the answers. We just believe there’s still value in sitting across the table from someone, asking good questions, laughing a little, disagreeing sometimes, and actually listening. Over 100 episodes in, the mission is becoming clearer: preserve the people, stories, and conversations of our time and place while staying curious about the world beyond it. Think of Downright Mindful as a dusty old box of letters in the attic. Stories from our time and our place, preserved for whoever comes looking someday. New episodes every Sunday at 2 PM. Follow the show and come be part of the conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Downright Mindful Media
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Downright Mindful Media
  • Show Website
    Downright Mindful

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