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. 89 Bill Carey, TN History for Kids!
The volunteer state has a rich history filled with fascinating men and women whose accomplishments need to be remembered. In this episode, Bill Carey, the founder and executive director of Tennessee History for Kids!, shares his love for history and how he created a way for students to connect with the past. Carey hosts regular
Ep. 88 Gwendolyn Hopkins: Big Laughs in a Small Town
Dresden, Tenn. native Gwendolyn Hopkins has been making people laugh for as long as she can remember. In this episode, Hopkins shares her journey on becoming a professional comedian, while maintaining a career in human resources. Hopkins tells the story of how her friends, family and faith have shaped her comedy and who she is
Ep. 87 Dan Knowles: Renaissance Man
Spend a little time with Dan Knowles, and you’ll quickly find yourself inspired by this award-winning writer, artist and musician. In this episode, he shares the arts journey that took him from his childhood in California to the stage of the Grand Old Opry to riverboats on the Mississippi to his current home in Paris,
Ep. 86 Samuel Goldberg and ‘Silo’ the Film
Film, television, theatre and live events producer Samuel Goldberg recently contributed to the work of the Discovery Park of America team on the safety portion of the new exhibit on innovation in agriculture. His latest movie, “Silo,” has now been released in theaters around the country. It’s an incredible story based on real-life events about how
Ep. 85 Dr. Timothy Smith and The History Channel’s ‘Grant’
This special episode with Dr. Timothy Smith was recorded during Discovery Park’s Military History and Armed Forces Symposium. Dr. Smith was one of the featured historians on “Grant,” a three-night mini-series from The History Channel. The live audience learned more about the life and career of Ulysses S. Grant and the Civil War and discovered how
Ep. 84 Kirstan Blachard, Social Media Influencer
Kirstan Blanchard took advantage of her time in quarantine to launch a successful lifestyle blog. Today, she shares her passion for beauty, affordable fashion and mental health for mothers with thousands of followers from around the world. In this episode, she shares her journey and provides tips and tricks to creating a personal brand, gaining
Ep. 83 Dr. Debbie Reynolds, Small Town Veterinarian with a Big Heart
From legal assistant to veterinarian, Dr. Debbie Reynolds shares her story of chasing her dream in this episode of “Reefoot Forward.” After graduating high school in Sharon, Tennessee, Debbie went to work as a legal assistant in Weakley County, but she soon discovered her true passion was caring for animals. Listen along as she gives
Ep. 82 Ed Sargent, Grammy-Nominated Producer
From an early age, Ed Sargent was surrounded by music. Whether he was playing in the high school band in Bolivar, Tennessee, or studying with music instructors at the University of Tennessee at Martin, Ed always knew his love and appreciation for music would be a big part of his life. In this episode, he shares how he became
Ep. 81 Paige Espey, Discovering Art Through Tragedy
In this episode, local artist Paige Espey shares how through the tragedy of her brother’s death she was inspired to pick up a paint brush and “turn something negative into a positive.” Tune in to hear the story behind her popular rainbow paintings that have brought healing and support to many over the past few
Ep. 80 Jim Emison, The Story of Elbert Williams
In this episode, retired West Tennessee lawyer Jim Emison discusses his quest for justice for the brutal murder of Elbert Williams, a founding member of the NAACP in Haywood County. In June 1940, two officers from the Brownsville, Tennessee Police Department took Elbert Williams to jail for questioning. His body was later found floating in
Ep. 79 Henri Giles, Telling Stories through Film
As an Emmy award-winning writer and producer, Henri Giles has many fascinating stories she now shares with her students at the University of Tennessee at Martin. After earning her bachelor’s degree in communications, she worked in a variety of positions in broadcast and cable television. In this episode, she shares details about her unique life
Ep. 78 April Lieberman, Service Above Self
April Lieberman, West and Middle Tennessee Rotary district governor, returned home to Gleason, Tennessee after successful careers that included time as a model, federal judicial law clerk and appellate attorney. A graduate of Yale Law School and Vanderbilt University, she now dedicates herself to serving throughout West Tennessee and encouraging those she encounters to “be