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Stories

We Are a Choir

The South’s greatest poets assemble to sing the truths of our region for National Poetry Month.

How to Understand the Folks You Hate

Abe Partridge’s “Alabama Astronauts” adventure taught him a lot about loving his neighbors. It’s got lessons to teach us, too.

Wadada Leo Smith Invites You to Listen

The Mississippi-born trumpeter and composer, now 81, is a musical pioneer whose work stands alongside the achievements of Southerners like Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters and Hank Williams.

A Wadada Leo Smith Music Primer

Listen to more of the Mississippi master’s music.

Music to Ring in 2023

Opening your ears to sounds you’ve never heard is always a good thing.

Blue Blood

A poem about friendship and secrets in a country club locker room.

The Ballad of Sugar and Doo

Sugar worships Loretta Lynn, even named her dog after Loretta’s husband. She dreams of being the next big Nashville singing star. There’s just one problem: Sugar is almost completely deaf.

One Christmas Memory

When we’re kids, Christmas can produce precious memories that will last our entire lives. Chuck shares his favorite.

Leavin’ My Tennessee

A poem about a Southern home — and why you might never leave it. Especially at Christmastime.

So Close and Yet So Far

The Wright brothers made their first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 117 years ago. A man named Ora Jones traveled 500 miles from Asheville to cover the historic moment. He almost got the job done.

Christmas Spaghetti

Some folks can’t cook the traditional Southern Christmas dinner. So one year, one of them tried spaghetti. Everyone loved it, including the cats.

Peak Performance

A Kentucky native poet offers a loving ode to all the shade-tree mechanics out there.

An Ode to the Holiday Popcorn Tin

After you’re full, what will do you with it? Because it’s almost a certainty in this season that someone, somewhere will give you a huge tin bulging with popcorn.