Now You're Talking with Marshall Ramsey

A Vicksburg native and Ole Miss graduate, today’s guest uses incredible storytelling skills only the south can provide. Ellis Nassour has a background in Journalism and has been writing books about the history of Broadway musicals for decades. He is back home this week to sign copies and inform his statesmen of his newest book, Jesus Christ Superstar: Behind the Scenes of the Worldwide Musical Phenomenon. In this book Nassour shares little-known stories about the production of the record and show, a controversial re-telling of the biblical story of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus of Nazareth.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. 

Today’s guests were recently recognized by the New York Times as some of the best pizza-makers in the United States. Leña (which translates to firewood) makes dough from scratch and brings it to life with traditional proofing practices. Located in the rural Mississippi Delta, this Cleveland staple provides pizza and bagels unlike anywhere else in the region. Today we’re talking to the masterminds behind the award-winning joint- Marisol Doyle was born and raised in Mexico and studied her art in Italy, and her husband Rory is an independent photojournalist who is capturing the complexities of the deep south when he’s not photographing bagels.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. 

If you’ve worked in television in the state of Mississippi in any capacity, today’s guests are no stranger to you. Emmy award-winning television legends Walt Grayson and his daughter Keri Grayson Horne are joining us in the studio today to talk about what they know best- how storytelling and educational media can truly shape an entire state. Walt has spent over five decades working in the media industry and is currently with WJTV. He hosts and produces Mississippi Roads at MPB, where Keri has worked and served for over twenty years.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. 

Our guests today know all about the importance of keeping it in the family. Connie Hollins and her son DeSanto Rollins will be the the guests of honor in a soon-to-come episode of Family Owned: A Legacy Leadership podcast, produced in partnership with Ole Miss and MPB. The owners of Rollins Funeral Home in Woodville, this entire family has been dedicated to serving grieving families in the state for several years. They join me today to tell the story of their family’s legacy and tell some inside baseball on what its like to run a business with your loved ones.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. 

Our guest today wants to talk to you about the importance of giving life. Christopher Swafford is the President and CEO of Mississippi Blood Services (MBS) based in Flowood, MS. MBS is a community based blood center that serves hospitals throughout the state of Mississippi and was established 45 years ago. Christopher is the 3rd CEO of the organization and has been at MBS since June of 2023. His background is in healthcare leadership and most recently he served as the chief operating officer at Blood Assurance headquartered in Chattanooga, TN.  Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. 

We have two guests this week with one mission. Big House Books is an organization that provides literature to the incarcerated, making sure those in the prison system still have access to reading materials and the right to read. The team recently won a 2024 Governor's Initiative for Volunteer Excellence or GIVE Award. Here to discuss the success and mission of their initiative is Holly Smith, who serves as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Big House Books and Miranda Vaughn, a program assistant for Big House Books.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. 

Our first guest in the month of June is a local activist determined to save lives. Christina Dent is the Founder & President of End It For Good, a Mississippi-based nonprofit advocating for approaches to drugs that prioritize life and the opportunity to thrive. Christina supported a criminal justice approach to drugs until her experience as a foster parent sparked her curiosity about drug policy. What she learned changed her mind about the best ways to reduce drug-related harm, and in 2019 she gave a TEDx Talk and launched End It For Good to invite others to consider a different approach.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award. 

Happy Memorial Day! We are out of the office so in lieu of a new episode, here's an instant classic from earlier this year.We are honored to welcome an iconic Mississippian from an iconic family to the show today. Reena Evers-Everette is the daughter of civil-rights activists Medgar Evers and Myrlie Evers-Williams. Born in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, she studied business merchandising at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. She is now executive director of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute in Jackson, Miss., the same city where he saw her father assassinated at their home in 1963. In addition to the Institute, Reena serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Mississippi Free Press and is currently a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network fellow.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award.

Marshall welcomes director Ann Ford and long-time producer Perez Hodge to discuss the new documentary on film on the now-defunct WZZQ radio station.For a brief shining moment (the 70’s!), this free form, counterculture, FM radio station in Jackson, Mississippi rocked the mid-South. With no playlists, no rules, and very few inhibitions, the legendary WZZQ represented a way of life for its young listeners.Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award.