Front Porch Radio - History's Hook Tom Price

Sometimes a connection between two families takes decades to uncover. Join host Tom Price as he brings two families together over one of WWII’s greatest tragedies. This story is 80 years in the making. It has all the elements of a best-selling book…a story first set in the 1930’s in rural Tennessee, that tells of love, war, tragedy, loss, renewal and re-discovery.

Jefferson Street in Nashville was a nexus of African American culture, education, and entrepreneurship. The music that emanated from that space from 1950-1970 forever changed American music. Join Tom and Jo Ann as they speak to the curator of the Jefferson Street Sound Museum, Lorenzo Washington.

Tennessee boasts three presidents. Host Tom Price begins his three part presidential series by interviewing the long-time director of the President James K. Polk Home and Museum, John Holtzapple. Polk is one of the least-known presidents in American history, but as you will hear, deserves to be remembered as one of the most successful. His accomplishments include starting the Naval Academy, the modern postal system, and the Independent Treasury System…none of which were his main goals…which he also accomplished in a promised single term of office.

Episode 20: The Second Great AwakeningOn this episode of History’s Hook, hosts Tom Price and Dr. Barry Gidcomb discuss one of the great transformative movements in 19th century America…the Second Great Awakening. This movement brought about a serious upswing in religious thought in America following the Revolutionary War. From this religious awakening came a dramatic increase in membership to various church denominations as well as the genesis of a number of new denominations. The effects of the Second Great Awakening spanned the North American continent and crossed-over into new social and political reforms that helped shape American society. Tom and Barry are joined by Father Chris Bowhay, rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

Episode 18: Reporting the News in the Volunteer State: The Finney/Kennedy Media FamilyFor four generations, the Finney/Kennedy family have been reporting the news in Tennessee. The editors of both local and state newspapers, they have also been involved in politics and radio reporting. Join History’s Hook host Tom Price as he interviews Delk Kennedy and Elizabeth Blackstone about their family’s ties to media and politics in Tennessee.

Episode 23: Flying General: Lieutenant General Spence Armstrong, Part 2Born and raised in Mt. Pleasant, Spence Armstrong went on to a stellar military career which began at the United States Naval Academy, before transferring to the Air Force to become a pilot. While serving, he became an aerospace engineer and test pilot, flying many different aircraft. By the time the Vietnam War started, Armstrong was a veteran pilot with 11 years flight experience. As a major, he flew 102 combat missions in F-105 Thunderchiefs in Southeast Asia in 1967-1968. Moving up the ranks, his commands took him around the world and across the United States and even to the stars, having served as deputy director of space systems and command, control, and communications at NASA. He retired from the Airforce as a Lieutenant General in 1990. General Armstrong spent eleven more years as a senior executive at NASA leading the agency's human resources efforts and programs with academia. Join History’s Hook host, Tom Price in part 2 of his interview Maury County’s highest ranking military officer.