Podcast
“Reelfoot Forward: A West Tennessee Podcast” celebrates the culture, spirit, accomplishments and history of West Tennessee and the surrounding region. Hosted by DPA president and CEO, Scott Williams, the podcast features notable guests who are influencers from the worlds of entertainment, history, agriculture, education, politics, tourism, sports, business and law, as well as other areas.
The podcast is available online at Discovery Park’s website, on Soundcloud, Castbox, Apple iTunes, Youtube, Spotify and other popular podcast platforms and apps.
From here, you can find out more about our mission or our history, meet our team or read our blog.
Ep. 72 Ben Parker, Parker’s Outfitting
As a fourth generation hunter from Samburg, Tennessee, Ben Parker created Parker‘s Outfitting to provide hunting and fishing adventures in the region. Recording from his lodge at Reelfoot Lake, Ben talks about his time on the professional fishing circuit and how he developed the idea to provide outdoor excursions in his hometown. This podcast episode is available online on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify and other popular
Ep. 71 Casey Allen, From the Classroom to the Rodeo Arena
It’s not every day you get to hear firsthand what it’s like to ride into a rodeo arena. In this episode, Casey Allen, a graduate student and member of the rodeo team at the University of Tennessee at Martin, shares about the thrill of barrel racing and break-away roping. When she is not in class,
Ep. 70 Charles Choate, 30 Minutes
Charles Choate, the host of “30 Minutes,” a community affairs program from the Thunderbolt Broadcasting Company, turns the tables on “Reelfoot Forward” host, Scott Williams, to find out more about Discovery Park of America’s new exhibit on innovation in agriculture. By 2050, agricultural production must increase dramatically to support an estimated global population of 10
Ep. 69 Jake Bynum, Weakley County Mayor
Jake Bynum describes his job as Weakly County mayor as being a salesman for the county. In this episode, you’ll hear how he transitioned from serving on the city board to running and winning the position of county mayor. Whether he’s looking for ways to increase economic development or make high-speed internet access available in
Ep. 68 Blake Stoker, Northwest Tennessee’s BBQ Expert
By the end of this episode, you will want to hop in your car and head to Martin for some of the tastiest BBQ in Northwest Tennessee. Blake Stoker, the young, enthusiastic owner of Blake’s BBQ, shares how he discovered his love for grilling and how he is turning his food trailer business into a brick
Ep. 67 Blake Brown, Educating West Tennessee and Beyond About Agriculture
As the director of the University of Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, Blake Brown experiences firsthand the innovation that comes as a result of agriculture research. Since opening in 1962, thousands of projects have taken place on crops including corn, cotton, soybeans, grain-sorghum, wheat and more. In this episode, Brown shares a little of what is
Ep. 66 The Weakley County Reconciliation Project
In this episode, three members of the Weakley County Reconciliation Project share the organization’s goal of creating a diverse, nonpartisan group of community members seeking to engage others in an open dialogue on matters of race, racism and social injustice in the region. Guests include Robert Nunley, youth programs worker; Bro. Randy Cooper, minister at
Ep. 65 Achana Jarrett, A Passion for the Arts
From singing in her church choir to playing piano in school recitals, Achana Jarrett’s passion for the arts has played a significant role in her life. That passion is even more evident in her career. As the executive director of the Brownsville-Haywood County Arts Council, Achana continues to cultivate art programs in the community where
Ep. 64 Jeff Kollath, Stax Museum
As the executive director of Stax Museum in Memphis, Tenn., Jeff Kollath is surrounded by the history of American soul music every day. He shares the story of Stax Records and the powerful message of educating young people by using songs from the greats, such as Jimi Hendrix, Creedence and Otis Redding. In this episode,
Ep. 63 Matt Marshall, The Way Forward is Together
Matt Marshall is a passionate advocate for racial reconciliation in West Tennessee. In addition to getting to know this fascinating West Tennessean a little better in this episode, you’ll hear more about some of the work he and others are doing to provide venues for listening, learning and discussing race, diversity, inclusion and equity in
Ep. 62 Lauren Smothers, Light Trap Books
She now calls West Tennessee home, but Lauren Smothers spent much of her childhood in Krasnodar, Russia and the United Kingdom with her missionary parents, and often had her nose in a book or could be found writing in her journal. Today, Lauren owns and operates Light Trap Books in Jackson, Tenn. where she is
Ep. 61 Tennessee Women, Society and Suffrage
In this special episode, we’re commemorating the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment and kicking off Discovery Park of America’s new pop-up exhibits on the women’s suffrage movement. Guests include Dr. Renee LaFleur, associate professor of history and director of the Center for Women and Gender Equality at the University of Tennessee at Martin;