By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Hockey actually has a uch longer and richer connection with Black history than many realize. There was a Black professional hockey league decades before the NHL. This week the Nashville Predators wore a special jersey to honor Black History Month. As explained on the Predators’ website, third year Tennessee State Professor of graphic design Eric Jackson was stunned when he got an email from Nashville Predators Graphic Designer Courtney Gilliam – a former student of Jackson’s from his days at Middle Tennessee State University. Gilliam asked Jackson if he’d be interested in designing a…
Author: Ron Wynn
The Houston Texans have taken a unique approach to the issue of hiring Black head coaches. While many other teams in the NFL have yet to hire their first, the Texans are working on their third one in three years. Last week they announced the signing of former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator and former Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans to a six-year deal as their new head coach. Under Ryans, San Francisco led the NFL in total defense last season, reaching the NFC title game before injuries to both starting quarterbacks derailed any chances they had at making the Super…
NASHVILLE, TN — Barrett Strong, the first major hitmaker and star and the man whose ascension helped launch Motown Records, passed last week at 81. Though known as helping make the Detroit-based label a global sensation, Strong was born in Mississippi. He began recording for Gordy’s label, Tamla Records, in the late 1950s, and in 1960 his recording of Berry Gordy’s “Money (That’s What I Want)” became the first hit for either artist. Though it wasn’t a chart topper, it peaked at number two on the R&B singles chart and No 23 on the Hot 100, It was later recorded…
NASHVILLE, TN — The group of distinguished performers who have achieved EGOT status has a new member. This past weekend Viola Davis joined this select crew. The current star of “The Woman King” won the Grammy for Best Audiobook Narration and Storytelling Recording, for the narration of her book, “Finding Me.” She won two Tony Awards, one for her 2001 role in “King Hedley II” and in 2010 for her role in “Fences”. She reprised the same role for Denzel Washington’s 2016 adaptation of “Fences,” earning her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Davis’ Emmy came in 2015 when she…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Nashville Predators go into the NHL All-Star break with plenty of momentum, as they wrapped their final two home games of the first half with victories. Following a 2-1 win earlier in the week over Winnipeg, they completed a season’s sweep of the New Jersey Devils with a 6-4 victory on Thursday. Matt Duchene had a goaland an assist, while both Colton Sissons and Juuso Parssinen had two assists. The Predators had 11 different players contributing in one way or another in the scoring. They also got 35 saves from Juuse Saros, who…
For every step forward that the NFL takes, it also seems to take two backward. On the general manager front, the recent hiring of Ran Carthon by the Tennessee Titans increased the number of Black general managers in the league to eight, with six of them having been hired within the past year. But just as the league was taking bows for making progress in that area, the Carolina Panthers reminded everyone that when it comes to head coaching jobs, there still remains an unwillingness on the part of ownership to give deserving Black candidates a fair shake. Steve Wilks…
NASHVILLE, TN — Hip-Hop, pop and new Jack Swing stars were recognized last week with the newest set of inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Gloria Estefan, Snoop Dogg, Teddy Riley, Sade Adu, Liz Rose, Glen Ballard and Jeff Lynne will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 15 during the organization’s 52nd annual induction and awards gala in New York City. Hall Chairman Nile Rodgers shared a statement expressing the importance of songwriters and how, without them, there would be no recorded music, concerts or merch.“It all starts with the song and the songwriter,” he…
The Tennessee Titans made history last week, even though no one really wanted to overplay the news. But the hiring of former college and pro football player as well as scout and team executive Ran Carthon was major news. He is the eighth Black GM in the NFL, and the sixth hired over the last two years. It also is a first for the Titans. But rather than race, the word that was emphasized most often during his introductory press conference was collaboration. It was the same word being constantly used in the offseason by both head coach Mike Vrabel…
Part 3 of a 3 Part Series By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — 1. What are you feelings in regards to contemporary country radio and its treatment of your music? Frankie Station: “I was in a re-write class and our teacher, Jason Blume, said in the top 50 songs on Billboard Magazine, two were by women. Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. Now younger women are cutting through like Kelsey Ballerini, Carley Pearce, Ashley McBride. That is why YOUR support is so IMPORTANT. It’s a numbers game, and we are in an emerging market, and every download counts. So when the…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — As the Predators move into the second half othe 2022-23 season, their erratic year contues. After getting off to a strong start on the recent road trip with three victories, they duffered two straight one-goal losses. They returned home to begin a three-game stand, but Saturday’s opener didn’t go as hoped. They fell behind twice, battled back from a two-goal deficit, then faded in the third period as the Buffalo Sabres took a 5-3 victory. In many ways it mirrored what’s happened a lot to the Predators in the first half, They would get…