By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — More details have bern released about an upcoming film on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The film will be based on Jonathan Eng’s comprehensive biography “King: A Life,”and released by Universal Pictures. According to various stories, Chris Rock is now in final talks to both produce and direct the film. But that is not yet determined. However details that are set include Steven Spielberg as executive producer, and Amblin partners producing. Kristie Macosko Krieger has also been named as a produce Who will portray King has not yet been named, nor…
Author: Ron Wynn
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Nashville Chef Star Maye is now enjoying not only local acclaim, but national recognition. She was a big winner a few weeks ago on the Food Network’s “Chopped” series, and that’s just the latest recognition Maye has earned through a culinary career that’s now extended over two decades. “When they called me about the show I was really estatic,” Maye told the Tribune during a recent interview. “Winning was something special, but just getting the chance to be on national television, get some recognition for myself and Nashville, the experience was incredible.” For anyone…
After one month, this wild and odd year in college football continues to be extremely unusual and unpredictable. This is the last season for the Pac-12. One contingent of its members are defecting to the Big 10. A second group are going to the Big 12, which is also undergoing major changes as Oklahoma and Texas are going to the SEC. Even minor conferences like the AAC have teams moving in and out, while the Big South and OVC have merged, at least for football purposes. Next season the College Football Playoff is supposed to expand to 12 teams, but…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The next project from the Obamas production company for Netflix stars a powerhouse duo. The trailer for the new thriller “Leave The World Behind” has just been released this week. It shows a couple spending a weekend away in a luxurious Long Island home. The prospect sounds quite idyllic until the apocalyptic doom begins happening around them. “Leave the World Behind” is executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama. The film co-stars Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as a couple who books a weekend getaway with their children. In the middle of the night,…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Few musicians have ever combined artistry and advocacy more effectively than the great jazz drummer Max Roach. His instrumental brilliance as well as his outspoken political views are fully showcased in the new documentary “Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes,” which makes its debut Friday night on PBS as the latest entry in their ongoing American Masters series. Roach expressed his social justice views throughout his lifetime. In a short piece of archival footage that opens the film an interviewer asks Roach if he uses his music as a weapon. “Sometimes the music is…
It’s been nearly a decade since Vanderbilt lost its most successful head football coach. After leading Vanderbilt to three straight bowl games, James Franklin departed for Penn State. Franklin had made history when he arrived at Vandy in 2011. He was the school’s first Black head coach of any sport. Franklin got the Commodores into the Top 25 in 2012 with a 9-4 record. In 2013 they once again had a nine win season, were ranked again, and won the BBVA Compass Bowl. It angered many Commodore fans the way Franklin left, and the ugly scandal with rape allegations against…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Sometimes blowout losses can be disregarded, but the Titans 27-3 wipeout in Cleveland by the Browns Sunday raises troubling questions for the remainder of the schedule. Can the offensive line problems be solved is the first question. Aside from being unable to block wrecking ball Myles Garrett, who had 3 1/2 sacks, five QB hits and a forced fumble, the line also couldn’t open holes for Derrick Henry or Tjaye Spears. Henry was held to 20 yards rushing, his lowest total since 2017, and Spears four yards rushing and four receiving. Second, while the…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Ronnie Milsap has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning five decades. He’s also been the epitome of musical excellence across multiple idioms. A Country Music Hall of Famer, he’s had 40 number one country hits, and been a Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year as well as three-time CMA Male Vocalist of the Year. In addition to winning six Grammys and four Album of the Year awards, Milsap has also enjoyed R&B, soul and pop hits, and wrote the classic tune “I Can’t Make You Love Me” for Bonnie Raitt. Now 80, Milsap will…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Filmmaker Raoul Peck has profiled the great author James Baldwin and also explored other issues and personalities, but his latest focuses on a major economic issue that many across the nation are now examining: Black land ownership. That’s the focus of Peck’s upcoming documentary “Silver Dollar Road.” The trailer is now available online, and it shows the problems being encountered by the Reels, a Black family in North Carolina. They’ve owned their land along the state’s Silver Dollar Road since emancipation. But now they’ve learned a developer was trying to claim the rights to…
Three decades ago Charlie Ward led Florida State to the national title. He became the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner and also won every possible award given at that time to an offensive football player. Ward would go on to a 10-year professional career. But it wasn’t in his favorite sport, football. Instead, he became a pro basketball player after no team in the NFL deemed him good enough to play quarterback for them. Flash forward to this season and there are 14 Blacks starting at QB for NFL teams (although one got hurt Sunday and may be out a…