Inside The Truth — LiveNation’s new venue in Nashville
A new large-capacity venue in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood is called The Truth, taking inspiration from Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard and his statement that the essence…
Updates: Christa Pike on a ventilator and unconscious, attorneys say
Christa Pike was taken to a medical facility after the state tried and failed to execute her Wednesday night. We're now working to find out the latest with Pike, as well as the…
Tennessee Democrats call on the GOP to fix state executions
Christa Pike’s botched execution has sparked calls to reform the state’s execution protocols. Tennessee Democrats say that Gov. Bill Lee’s pause on executions and call for an…
Trump can’t force election changes by blocking counterterrorism funds to states, judge says
A federal judge is blocking the authority of President Donald Trump's administration to withhold some federal counterterrorism funding from states that don't meet its election…
Christa Pike’s influence from Tennessee’s death row
Three women who've known Christa Pike talked to WPLN News about her impact and influence that extends beyond the walls of Riverbend Maximum Security Prison. Press play to listen.
Tennessee’s execution failures need reform, public defender says
The federal public defender’s office in Middle Tennessee is calling for substantial reforms to Tennessee’s lethal injection process. Kit Thomas, deputy chief for the Capital…
Blackburn calls to ‘bring back electric chair’ after Tennessee’s second failed execution
U.S. Senator and Tennessee governor hopeful Marsha Blackburn is calling for the state to use the electric chair for executions.
Pike’s team says they predicted complications with her execution
Christa Pike's legal team argued this summer that her health conditions could make her execution painful and difficult.
Education and transportation central to Nashville mayor’s new spending plan
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell has filed his $554 million capital spending plan for next year, and it includes large investments in schools and transportation.
Nashville Democrat sues for GOP ‘retaliation’ to redistricting protest
A Nashville state senator is suing the GOP leadership that sanctioned her for protesting redistricting. In May, state lawmakers met for a special session to redraw Tennessee’s…
Nashville Symphony suspending season amid ‘financial emergency’
The Nashville Symphony is suspending the rest of its season and furloughing musicians and staff. The symphony’s board said Monday that the unanimous decision comes amid a…
Before saying yes to the medical test, know the risks and benefits
Direct-to-consumer tests like full-body scans are marketed as a way to catch diseases early and establish a baseline. But there are financial, physical and psychological risks to…
Americans are confused and worried about elections. Will that impact turnout?
New polling shows many voters are concerned about the midterms. But prior elections show no clear link between voter concerns and fewer voters actually casting ballots.
Tennessee unable to carry out the execution by lethal injection of Christa Gail Pike, witnesses say
Tennessee officials were unable to carry out the execution of Christa Gail Pike for a 1995 murder on Wednesday, media witnesses said, after the lethal injection was halted for…
‘It’s humiliating:’ Nashville Symphony members react to furloughs
Symphony musicians in Nashville have been put out of a job this week with almost no notice — and they’re reeling. “It’s infuriating and it’s actually humiliating,” said Joel…
“Does My Vote Even Count?” Panel Discussion with Nashville Public Radio – Oct. 6, 2026
Nobody really teaches you how any of this voting stuff works; things like how your vote gets counted, why Nashville’s district lines changed, and whether a single vote even…
Preschoolers at the Goddard School of Gallatin act as ‘kid journalists’ for World News Day
Preschoolers at the Goddard School of Gallatin celebrated “World News Day” by acting as “junior journalists” – interviewing each other and staff members at the school. September…
After failed execution, health workers say Tennessee’s rules flout medical ethics
As another death row inmate’s execution arrives, doctors and nurses in Tennessee say they want medical professionals removed from the execution process.
Curious Nashville: We found the namesake of Elm Hill Pike
Where is the "Elm Hill" of Elm Hill Pike? Curious Nashville listener Chad Smith works on the pike and notes it is a hilly area. So: Where is the actual elm hill?
A surprising number of Americans use AI for spiritual reasons. Here’s what they told us
The AI users included a conservative Christian in Texas, a witchcraft practitioner in Virginia and a Jewish man from California.
Planning for what matters: Strategies beyond your will – Oct. 9, 2026
Join Nashville Public Radio for a free morning event in recognition of Estate Planning Awareness Month.
Paramount makes concessions to salvage $111 billion Warner Bros. Discovery deal
Paramount's owners have made concessions to 12 Democratic state attorneys general to settle a lawsuit that endangered the media company's bid for its larger Hollywood rival,…
Abortion backers notch court win — and point to brawl with AG over documents
A federal appeals court has struck down part of a Tennessee anti-abortion law. Meanwhile, two nonprofits made moves this week to avoid cooperating with requests from the state’s…
Fired for not moving LGBTQ books, a former Tennessee librarian sues
Former library director Luanne James is suing the Rutherford County Library System six months after she was fired for refusing to relocate LGBTQ-related books. Luanne James filed…
Ode to Joy (Oladokun), whose new album is no light affair
Joy Oladokun’s new album is called “Hope is a Heavy Thing.” And to my ears, it’s a culminating work. She’s decisively and vividly laying out her ethic, outlook and identity as an…
Across the country, youth prisons are closing. Tennessee is building more.
State officials say they need more high-security facilities for kids who commit crimes. Experts say this approach flies in the face of crime data and research that shows youth…
High demand is straining Nashville’s water system. Metro asks you to limit sprinklers
Water demand in the Nashville area has been high lately — so high, in fact, that Metro Water Services set a new record for hourly demand earlier this month. Now, officials are…
How an unlikely duo is helping those in jail find sobriety in Dickson County
Nearly 200 people have moved out of Dickson County’s jail with a plan in hand for addiction treatment or sober living. That’s part of the track record of Freeman Recovery Center,…
Dolly Parton’s estate granted temporary restraining order against singer’s nephew
A Tennessee judge has granted Dolly Parton's estate a temporary restraining order against the late singer's nephew Bryan Seaver and his private security company. She's Alive, the…
How Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ became the longest-running No. 1 hit of all time
Ella Langley's song "Choosin' Texas" is officially the longest-running No. 1 single in the U.S., spending 23 weeks at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also 2026's…
Report finds 14 ‘forgotten children’ buried at former youth corrections facility in Tennessee
Georgetown University's Forgotten Children Initiative has released a map documenting more than 1,000 deaths at 40 youth corrections facilities across the country.
Tennessee Dem calls for independent to drop out of governor’s race over Andrew Jackson video
Memphis lawyer and City Councilmember Jerri Green went public with her call Wednesday after privately asking the progressive-leaning candidate, Lauren Pinkston, to end her…
As Tennessee AG seeks abortion records, a nonprofit pushes back in court
A Tennessee nonprofit that gives information on out-of-state abortions and abortion pills says it’s “under attack” and is seeking protection in court. Earlier this month,…
Nashville Film Festival opening night captures Peter Frampton’s perserverance
The opening night film of the Nashville Film Festival is always of great importance, and this year's opener is "Frampton," a documentary about musician Peter Frampton’s battle…
Nashvillager Podcast: The Nashville Symphony’s new financial crisis
Can Music City’s orchestra afford to stay afloat? Plus, the local news for September 28, 2026.
Nashvillager Podcast: A mess of an election
What lessons can we take today from a contentious Reconstruction-era election in Nashville? Plus, the local news for September 29, 2026
Gov. Lee halts execution, orders third-party review following Pike’s failed lethal injection
Tennessee's governor is ordering a comprehensive review of Tennessee's second botched execution this year.
Nashvillager Podcast: Telling 2276 what our era of Tennessee is about
What will future generations understand about us from the items we buried this summer in time capsules? Plus, the local news for September 23, 2026.
Nashvillager Podcast: 9 to 5 Day
How will the world honor Dolly Parton today? Plus, the local news for September 25, 2026.
Nashvillager Podcast: Finger lickin’ franchises
How did a Nashville businessman make KFC famous? Plus, the local news for September 24, 2026.
How Nashville celebrated “9 to 5” Day
What started as a local fundraiser for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become a nationwide holiday with cities across the country celebrating Sept. 25 as “9 to 5” Day. In…
What Where When-sday: International Black Film Festival
As the Nashville Film Festival wraps up, there's another film fest for movie buffs. The International Black Film Festival runs Sep 30 through Oct 4 at venues across town.
Nashvillager Podcast: The state of the station
How is Nashville Public Radio doing these days? Plus, the local news for September 30, 2026
Nashvillager Podcast: Fighting over Lower Broad (and Pigeon Forge)
Should the city or state have the say in how Tennessee’s busiest tourist neighborhoods are managed? Plus, the local news for October 1, 2026
Nashvillager Podcast: Independent football
Is Tennessee’s high school sports league losing its grip on private school football? Plus, the local news for October 2, 2026