As the year comes to a close, we bring you this special episode of Salvation South, where we take a look back on our most popular commentaries aired by GPB Radio in 2025. (Part 1 of 2)

Salvation South

I'm Chuck Reece, the editor-in-chief of SalvationSouth.com. It's an online magazine that tells Southern stories of every persuasion. We have worked for the last few years with George Public Broadcasting to produce the Salvation South podcast. And on this show, we put a spotlight on all things Southern, the culture, the food, the music, the ways of life. The lesser-known histories of this complicated region we call home. 

For this special two-part episode of the Salvation South Podcast, we'll be playing you a selection of some of our most popular commentaries aired by GPB in the year 2025, starting with this one, which originally aired back in June. 

Since a half century ago Colleges and universities around the South have established centers to study the culture of our region. There's the Center for Appalachian Studies in Kentucky, the Center of the Study of the American South in North Carolina, the center for the study of Southern culture in Mississippi. In this commentary, I share my thoughts about why preserving Southern folklore matters.

LISTEN: Ten Thousand Souths (from June 9th 2025)

You can learn more about Bill Ferris on his episode of Salvation South Deluxe. 

Still from 'Give My Poor Heart Ease'

Still from 'Give My Poor Heart Ease'

Credit: Bill Ferris

 

Next up on our year-end Salvation South commentary retrospective, there's this one from April. The occasion of April Fool's Day got me thinking about an idea that was once put forth by the great Alabama songwriter Jason Isbell. Do Southerners tell better jokes? Now I have tried for a long time to prove that true, and in this commentary, you can hear how that worked out for me. 

LISTEN: A Southerner Tells Better Jokes (from April 2nd 2025)

Roswell, GA born comedian David Cross.

Credit: Roswell, GA born comedian David Cross.

 

This next commentary originally aired on March 4th of 2025, which was Ash Wednesday. That day of course marks the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting and reflection. Ash Wednesday is also, of course, the day after Mardi Gras. In this commentary I'll give a brief history of how the South's celebration of Mardi Gras reach back to ancient times. [00:09:22][29.3]

LISTEN: Mardi Gras: A Southern Celebration (from March 4th 2025)

Mardi Gras

Credit: Adobe Stock

 

This next one is from September. That month is typically known as harvest time for many crops, and in particular for North Georgia's many apple orchards. I happen to grow up in our state's apple capital, Elijay, and, in my opinion, the best apple of all requires waiting until the first two weeks of October. And I'll tell you all about it in this commentary. 

LISTEN: One Apple To Rule Them All (from September 9th 2025)

 

We have only one to go and this one is from all the way back in January. When the great southern chef, television host, and cookbook author Natalie Dupree passed away that month at age 85, I remembered my first discovery of her. When I was in 20s. I was living in New York City. And I felt awful hungry for southern food. 

LISTEN: Setting A Common Table (from January 22nd 2025)

Nathalie Dupree is shown smiling and seated inside a floral and colorful domestic setting.

Celebrated food writer and TV host Nathalie Dupree had many Georgia connections, including the cooking school she founded at Rich’s department store in downtown Atlanta, where she tought thousands of students.

Credit: Nathalie Dupree family via Dignity Memorial

Salvation South editor Chuck Reece comments on Southern culture and values in a weekly segment that airs Fridays at 7:45 a.m. during Morning Edition and 4:44 p.m. during All Things Considered on GPB Radio. Salvation South Deluxe is a series of longer Salvation South episodes which tell deeper stories of the Southern experience through the unique voices that live it. You can also find them here at GPB.org/Salvation-South and wherever you get your podcasts.