accessAtlanta: Things to do in Atlanta

Latest Episodes:

Atlanta’s Musical Landmarks Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

This week, we’ll take a look at ways to explore Atlanta’s musical history.

They’re a little different than the Fountain of Rings at Centennial Olympic Park or the Big Chicken in Marietta, but musical landmarks around the city — and state —maintain their own charm. The continued growth of the music industry in the city and region, coupled with its peerless history, means plenty of opportunities to swing by iconic spots, both new and old.

On this week’s podcast, the AJC’s music writer Melissa Ruggieri will talk about some of the places that celebrate Atlanta’s musical legacy.

2021 Spring Break Ideas for Georgians Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

This week, we’ll take a look at some options for spring break.

This year will mark a second spring break during the pandemic, so things are still far from normal. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy that time off.

Freelance writer Nina Reeder talked with a few Georgians to find out how they’re spending their break, whether at home or away. She’ll tell us what she learned on this week’s podcast.

Touching base with John Driskell Hopkins Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

This week, we revisit the subject of our very first podcast.

Back in 2018, we launched the accessAtlanta podcast with an interview with the Zac Brown Band’s John Driskell Hopkins. The AJC’s Melissa Ruggieri spoke with him about his work, which included an upcoming solo album. And now, 160-something episodes later, we hear from Hopkins again as that album is finally available to the public.

Georgia hopefuls at 2021 Grammys Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

This week we’re talking about the Grammy Awards.

The Grammys will look very different this year. Like most other awards shows, the ceremony will be virtual. It’s also coming a bit later than usual, having been moved from its original late January date.

Join us as Melissa Ruggieri and Shane Harrison discuss the nominees, the scheduled performances and the Georgia hopefuls.

Interview: William Bell, an architect of Memphis soul Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

This week we’ll hear from one of the architects of Memphis soul.

While many of the Stax Records originators are gone, William Bell is still here. And the soulful, horn-driven Stax music and the Memphis sound are still here, too. Now Bell, 81 and an Atlanta resident, is being honored as a creator of the soul that put Memphis in the pantheon of American music. Bell is one of nine artists and craftspeople who have been named as National Heritage Fellows, recipients of the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

The AJC’s Bo Emerson recently spoke with the R&B legend and, on this week’s podcast, we’ll bring you that conversation.

Keris Salmon’s new exhibition 'To Have and To Hold' Feb 25, 2021

Show notes

Like all forms of art and culture, the visual arts have had to find new ways to do things. This week, we’ll hear from one artist who has a new show that is going the virtual route.

Photographer Keris Salmon’s new exhibition “To Have and To Hold” is part of her series exploring the legacy of slavery through landscapes, architecture and text. This exhibit focuses on the homes of U.S. presidents who held enslaved people. The AJC’s Rosalind Bentley spoke with Salmon about her work and she’s brought us that conversation for this week’s podcast.

Decluttering expert Matt Paxton Feb 18, 2021

Show notes

This week, we’ll hear from a decluttering expert and TV host who now lives in Georgia. Matt Paxton, formerly of the A&E show “Hoarders,” now hosts a show on PBS called “Legacy List With Matt Paxton.” The Suwanee resident rummages through collectibles and heirlooms found in attics, cellars and closets, helping baby boomers pare down their stuff as they downsize and focus on what is truly valuable to them.

On this week’s podcast, Paxton talks about his own personal experience with downsizing to move in with his fiancée in Georgia and tells Rodney Ho what led him to his line of work.

Love songs for Valentine’s Day Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

This week, we’ll talk about love songs as we approach Valentine’s Day.

Whether it’s a day of celebration, an occasion for cynicism or sadness or simply a day you like to ignore, we’ve got a song to fit your mood. Melissa Ruggieri joins us on this week’s podcast to talk about sweet songs of love, and the songs of heartbreak that sometimes go along with it.

Safe, outdoor winter activities in Atlanta Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

This week, we offer up a few ideas for wintertime fun.

Winter is often the time when we cherish quiet weekends inside, cuddled up in our favorite blankets, binge-watching movies and comforted with take-out and wine. But, if you’re looking for ways to get out of the house in these colder months, freelance writer Nina Hemphill Reeder will bring us a few fun and fulfilling things to accent your winter on this week’s podcast.

Atlanta's monument of the late Henry ‘Hank’ Aaron Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

This week, we hear from the artist who created one of the city’s finest monuments to the late Henry ‘Hank’ Aaron.

Jan. 22 was a sad day for sports fans, for Atlanta and for the world. One of baseball’s all-time greats, Henry “Hank” Aaron, died at age 86. The homer hero has been honored in many ways, for his work both on the field and off, and one of those honors involves a statue that now resides at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.

Last week, the AJC’s Bo Emerson spoke with Ross Rossin, the man responsible for that monument, and he’ll bring us that conversation on this week’s podcast.