South of Scruffy with Ben Fields
165 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago -Ben Fields brings in his favorite artists, entertainers, and friends for a to-the-point conversation about what makes them tick. Recorded in his wood-shop-turned-studio, Ben gets straight to business providing his listeners a window into his guests' lives and minds.
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Episodes
#114-Beth MacDonald
March 07, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 46.3 MBYou can't tell the story of the film and television industry in Knoxville without getting Beth MacDonald's name involved at some point. A 40 year veteran in the film business, Beth fills Ben in on the framework that was laid by Ross Bagwell - which planted the seed allowing Knoxville to become the 5th largest T.V. production market in the United States.
#113-Indya Kincannon
February 28, 2022 05:00 - 56 minutes - 38.6 MBCity of Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon stops by the shop to talk through the changes she's implementing to make her city a better place. From pay raises for police officers and fire fighters, to helping fund a sports stadium in the city center, Indya and Ben talk through the highlights and challenges of Mayor Kincannon's first term as the Mayor of Knoxville.
#112-Chris Marshall
February 21, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 70.7 MBChris Marshall did what so many wish they had the courage to do. After spending a couple of decades working unfulfilling jobs, Chris took a chance and pursued a full time career making music...and it worked. Now Chris hosts open mic nights throughout Tennessee, enabling other musicians to find joy, pride, and purpose in making their music; exactly as he has.
#113-Chris Marshall
February 21, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 70.7 MBChris Marshall did what so many wish they had the courage to do. After spending a couple of decades working unfulfilling jobs, Chris took a chance and pursued a full time career making music...and it worked. Now Chris hosts open mic nights throughout Tennessee, enabling other musicians to find joy, pride, and purpose in making their music; exactly as he has.
#111-Sarah Fields
February 14, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBDr. Sarah Fields is a Physical Therapist, Yoga Therapist, Certified Health Coach, and Naturopathic healer. Sarah has devoted her career to healing the human body from the inside out. Sarah and Ben discuss the phenomenon that: When treated as one holistic unit, the mind and the body are uncannily capable of repairing one another.
#110-Shawn Mauer
February 07, 2022 14:45 - 1 hour - 45.6 MBShawn Mauer has devoted his life to leading by example. Using the platform First Tee Tennessee, Shawn's mission is simple: "Empower kids and teens through the game of golf." Shawn and Ben run through Shawn's career in the non-profit space, and why he believes that the way to leave a meaningful mark on the world, is to make a positive impact on someone else's life.
#109-Sam Thomas
February 01, 2022 04:45 - 1 hour - 50.1 MB4 Time Grammy Award Winning record producer Sam Thomas pays another visit to the shop. Sam and Ben catch up on the Standard Knitting Mill Fire and Sam's recording career trajectory since relocating to Knoxville in 2018. https://samiamproductions.weebly.com/ https://open.spotify.com/track/4HWhqsHKli9ujBAFVabKuJ?si=09a1bdbc09ed4916
#108-Ben Meadows and George Constantine
January 24, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBBen Meadows and George Constantine are childhood friends turned filmmaking duo. After a screening of their latest film “Dan’s Pain” in Montana, George, Ben and Ben sit down to discuss their latest filmmaking endeavors. Ben and George impart how they turned their annual international fly fishing trips, into a company that creates content for Costa, Simms, Orvis, Poncho and many more. Check out their work at https://www.instagram.com/dorsaloutdoors/?hl=en and www.flyfilmtour.com
#107-Brandon Fulson
January 17, 2022 10:30 - 1 hour - 42.8 MBSince his dad traded him a guitar for a hunting dog in the early 1990's, Brandon Fulson has been writing songs steeped in pleasure and pain. Coupling his need to be alone with his thoughts, with his upbringing in deep Appalachia, Brandon has penned dozens of woefully evocative songs that make up a prolific music catalogue. You can listen to Brandon's weekly radio show at 8pm on Tuesday nights at realknoxvillemusic.com
#106-Thomas Zachary
January 10, 2022 10:00 - 1 hour - 52.9 MBThomas Zachary is driven by elevating the artists around him. Thomas is the host of the Knoxville Area Artist Network Podcast and a visual artist in his own right. While romping through Thomas' fascinating life story, Thomas and Ben dig into the nuance of visiual art and the tech that enables artists to unlock the ideas that would otherwise stay locked in their brains.
#105-Josh Lowry
January 03, 2022 10:00 - 59 minutes - 41.2 MBJosh Lowry is an editor for reality television shows like the Amazing Race and Biggest Loser. When Josh and Ben moved to Los Angeles together in 2004 they weren't sure why they did it; but 18 years later they have both nestled into their niches in the film and television business. The boys catch up on the state of the Los Angeles television scene while sharing some sordid tales from their past endeavors together on the West coast.
#104-Josh Van Wey
December 27, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBJosh Van Wey and Knoxville found each other at the perfect time. Josh and Ben run over the generational shift of music that is echoing through the live rooms that have sat dormant for 2 years from covid.
#103-Paris Woodhull
December 21, 2021 03:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MBMaking art is in Paris Woodhull's blood. There was a short time when she thought fashion design would be her path; but that was fleeting, and she got back to her original love: drawing. After studying art at the University of Tennessee, (and voluntarily interning wherever someone would have her) Paris turned her pen-in-hand passion into a prolific career as an illustrator.
#102-The Mike McGill Christmas Spectacular
December 13, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 69.4 MBMike McGill makes his annual stop by the shop ahead of his "Christmas Spectacular" concert that benefits Second Harvest Food Bank. Mike and Ben dig into their 2 decade old banter machine and deliver an airing-of-greivances for the ages.
#101-Blake Cass
December 06, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 79.1 MBBlake Cass comes by the shop to chat NFT's, crypto currency, blockchain, and how it affects us all. Blake indulges Ben on how his path through the music recording industry readied him to be a player in the digital marketplaces we all spend an increasing amount of time in.
#100 - "SOS100" A look back at SOS #1-#99
November 29, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 46.6 MBFrom Chris Blue to Curtis Glover...and beyond. SOS100 revisits *some of the most memorable moments from the first 99 episodes of SOS. *Voted on by the Patreon patrons. To commemorate the 100th episode of South of Scruffy, a 1/1 commemorative token has been minted as an NFT and is available at auction: https://opensea.io/assets/0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e/17968686954692534955527507569680484917290356705793810631747563520473268486145/
#99-Nikki Glandon
November 22, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBAuthor Nikki Glandon was flat out born to help others. Being a holistic healer at heart, Nikki recently penned a chidren's book series ,"Pete the Pony", that sets out to teach important life lessons to both children and adult readers. After 13 years in Park City Utah, Nikki came to Knoxville to work on her next set of children's books. Nikki fills Ben in on everything from towing a horse trailer from Utah to Tennessee, to the lessons she's learned as a serial entrepreneur.
#98-Curt Willis
November 15, 2021 10:00 - 59 minutes - 40.6 MBWhen happenstance and baseball brought Curt Willis to East Tennessee, he probably didn't know how impactful he would ultimately be to Knoxville's film production industry. After nearly two decades of writing, producting and acting, Curt now sits as the director of the Knoxville Film Office. Curt believes that Tennessee, and specifically Knoxville, is as good of a place as any to shoot a feature film. Curt's hard work paid off, in a big way, in 2017 when "The Last Movie Star" starring Burt Rey...
#97-Matthew DeBardelaben
November 08, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBInternational man of mystery Matthew DeBardelaben has been making moves for decades. Since operatinging his art gallery in Shanghai, and being the team chaplain for the Chicago Bears, Matthew has laid down roots in East Tennessee. Since then, Matthew has kept himself busy operating Knoxville's Pecha Kucha, and Blühen Botanicals commercial hemp farming program.
#96-Tommy Smith
November 01, 2021 05:00 - 55 minutes - 38 MBWhen the opportunity arose for Tommy Smith to serve the community in which he grew up, he answered the bell. Tommy shares with Ben his philosophies on public service, Air Jordan's, and tech startup incubators. With a deep passion for improving South Knoxville, and the city at large, Tommy is running to keep his seat as the city counselor serving the first district of the city of Knoxville.
#95-Caroline Farris
October 25, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 46.9 MBCaroline Farris' metalsmithing is all about imparting whimsy. Caroline has become known for many things over the years, but her "Endless Chain" concept has exploded over the last few years. Caroline's niche in the semi permanent jewelry game has gained her much noteriety, but it doesn't stop there. Check out ACF's line at the link: https://www.acfjewelry.com
#94-Shane Hunter
October 18, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 48.4 MBShane Hunter is a gaffer for the film and television industry, as well as a top class mountain biker. If it’s about making/manipulating light for film, or anything about mountain bikes, Shane probably knows it inside and out. Shane and Ben chat in the shop about some of Knoxville's oldest haunts, while digging into what the mountain biking community means to the growth of South Knoxville.
#93-Michael Figlio Jr.
October 11, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 74.7 MBHaving grown up in a family of entertainers, it was no surprise that Michael Figlio Jr. ended up in the film business. After doing nearly every job on a film set in his early days, Michael settled into roles as a 1st Assistant Director and Sound Recordist. Almost 40 years later, he is doing the best work of his career, while taking no credit for his success.
#92-Wayne Bledsoe
October 04, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBIf they've played music in the Southeastern U.S. in the last 40 years, there's a good chance Wayne Bledsoe has interviewed them. Wayne's 35+ year career as a music writer has seen him interviewing the likes of Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, and just about anybody who played Ella Guru's in the 1990's. Wayne also comes clean on his beef with Steve Wildsmith, while giving Ben a sample verse from the rap battle that launched that beef into high gear.
#91-Ryan Dailey
September 27, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 45.2 MBWhen the Tombras Group started an in house video production arm, Ryan Dailey was right under their nose, and ready for deployment. After some trial-by-fire, coupled with top-notch mentorship, Ryan now finds himself lensing commercial spots for some of the Tombras Group's most important clients and brands. Thanks to the Tombras' open pipeline of commercial brands needing video content, Ryan Dailey finds himself one of the busiest commercial cinematographers in the business.
#90-Dr. Jennifer Ward
September 20, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 59.2 MBAfter helping families from war-torn countries resettle in the United States, Dr. Jennifer Ward set her sights on her home: Tennessee. Jennifer operates a program at the University of Tennesessee Extension, that helps solve the problem of food insecurity for the state's neediest families. Jennifer and Ben dig into the issues that face Tennessee's most underserved families, while expounding on how to best serve those same populations on a national scale. Read Black Women: Eloquent Rage: https:...
#89-Ryan Read
September 13, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 51.1 MBDon't call him a late bloomer - It just took persistence, time and chance encounters for Ryan Read to realize his passion as a photographer. Ryan runs Ben through the path that took him from being a church janitor, to crafting images that tell the visual story of some of America's biggest brands. This episode is also available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0IhWbqgC-M0qDsJfo0poyw)
#88-Amy Leigh Hubbard
September 06, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 44 MBAmy Leigh Hubbard has been creating for the stage and screen for as long as she can remember. After starting The Actor's Co-op theatre company, and producing for East Tennessee PBS, Amy's acting chops lead her to the big screen at Sundance Film Festival. After seeing a path forward in the film and television world, Amy then went on to produce and direct feature films and television programming.
#87-Guy Marshall
August 30, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBSarrenna and Adam McNulty make up the Cowboy Folk duo Guy Marshall. Sarrenna and Adam graced the shop for a chat about their rapid rise to prominence, kitchen tatoos, and how a pop music and hip-hop-loving couple found a home in a country-esque genre. Sarrenna and Adam hung around and played a few songs after the interview. You can find video of this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0IhWbqgC-M0qDsJfo0poyw
#86-Hunter Stensrud
August 23, 2021 08:15 - 1 hour - 47.8 MBIn a world where we are bombarded with information from media outlets, Hunter Stensrud believes that uplifting stories need to be a big part of our daily media diet. That's why he started "Inspire More", a leading internet media company that specializes in spreading and creating content that makes you smile. Hunter stops by the shop to give a rundown on how and why his team has been able to turn Inspire More into a successful media venture and purveyor of positivity.
#85-Tyler Larrabee
August 16, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 65 MBWhen Tyler Larrabee started organizing and promoting music festivals as a high schooler, he didn't quite know what he was getting himself into. With the help of some mentors and people who believed in him, Tyler has become an important player in the concert promotion scene. New Ground Festival takes place Sunday, September 12, 2021.
#84-Jess Maples
August 09, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 54.1 MBJess Maples is an award winning multi-discipline stills photographer based in Tennessee. Jess' bold and timeless verité style has sent her across the globe, camera in hand, for the past decade. Documenting everything from life on the streets of New York City, to humanitarian crises in Africa, Jess' work tells succint human stories, via an aesthetic that is deeply unique to her.
#83-Rusty Odom
August 02, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 57.6 MBRusty comes back to the shop to spill the beans on Blank News' pandemic survival while giving a sneak preview into this year's Second Bell Festival. Rusty also brings some good news about SOS podcast.
#82-Todd Steed
July 26, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 53.5 MBIt would be impossible, nay, irresponsible, to try to tell the history of Knoxville's music scene without mentioning the name Todd Steed. As a Knoxville native, Todd has, at the very least, closely witnessed Knoxville's musical growth over the past 40 years; but he has also been a crucial and active participant in that growth in a big way. Todd and Ben cover some ground on Todd's musical past, while also hitting heavily on the impact of public schools and universities on nurturing students in...
#81-Matt Copenhaver
July 19, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 68.5 MBAfter spending the better part of a decade working for Shell Oil in the Middle East, Matt relocated from Dubai to Montana to start his company Visitor.us. While able to read, speak, and write in Arabic, Matt's problematic experiences traveling abroad in Iraq, India and Europe inspired him to start Visitor.us. Visitor.us helps foreign nationals solve the problems associated with relocating to, and traveling within the United States as non-citizens. This episode was recorded in, and dispatched ...
#80-Ben Hubbard
July 12, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 81.6 MBBen Hubbard has spent his career creating some of the most disruptive and outlandish marketing campaigns for brands all over America. It's no mystery to Mr. Hubbard that the chip on his shoulder that pushes him is not about to go away. Ben Hubbard recounts what it's like to be a teenage parent of interracial children in rural Appalachia, and how the remnant voices of the naysayers still drive his creative output today.
#79-Jonathan Keeney
July 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 66.6 MBAfter founding multiple bands in Tennessee, Jonathan Keeney went on the road as a member of The War and Treaty, The Black Lillies, and Lee Ann Womack's band. Jonathan stopped by the shop to give a window on his past tours and his post Covid music plans.
#78-Kelsi Walker
June 28, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBKelsi Walker's music is a service to it's listener. After starting her career entertaining large crowds of listeners in a faith based environment, Kelsi started writing music for her. It wasn't an easy transition, but Kelsi has found her voice, and created music that invites listeners to get as involved as they want to. Kelsi and Ben dig into the intangible qualities that make her music and performances resonate equally with couch listeners and showgoers alike.
#77-Kristin Majni
June 21, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 42 MBIt was a circuitous, yet methodical journey that molded Kristin Majni into the production prodigy she became. Along with some tough lessons quickly learned, Kristin credits her pragmatic, empathetic approach to production with enabling her to be an effective leader at a relatively young age. Kristin and Ben dig into that journey while sharing their prospectives on their parallel transit through the last decade.
#76-Justin Cipriani
June 14, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 51.9 MBGrowing up, there was no question what career Justin Cipriani wanted to pursue. He wanted to be behind a camera, and nothing was going to stop him. Justin has spent the last decade lensing stunning commercial work while also amassing a long list of DP credits at some of the US's largest music festivals.
#75-Maggie Sharbel
June 07, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 54.7 MBMaggie Sharbel always wanted to tell stories - and the darker the better. Sprung from a love for documentary film making, and secret love of horror films, Maggie launched a successful career producing true-crime cable television shows like Killer Couples, and Snapped.
#74-Six Pack with Zack #3 - Cam Molidor
May 31, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 69.4 MBZack Roskop brings his producer Cam Molidor by the shop to talk film making and craft beer. You can find their show Knox Brew Radio on Channel Z radio nad Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCirfd_CGzLJeexAcgHhTllQ https://www.knoxbrewstories.com/radio
#73-Ty Murray
May 24, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBTy Murray from Temp Job came by the shop to recount parts of her journey through the music industry. A self-described introverted extrovert, Ty has spent meaningful time on both sides of the microphone; booking bands for national tours with half of her time, and fronting the new-age funk outfit "Temp Job" with the other half. This episode is also available on Youtube.
#72-Jade Adams/Brandon Bruce
May 17, 2021 07:00 - 2 hours - 95.2 MBIn the first ever SOS doubleheader, Jade Adams and Brandon Bruce darken the door of the shop (separately), to give the current state of their entrepreneurship journeys. Brandon Bruce parlayed a law degree, a passion for disruption, and a penchant to serve - into the innovative tech product, Cirrus Insight. Now Brandon spends many of his days giving his time and resources to 501c3 non-profits and mentorship programs for Knoxville's youth. Jade Adams took her niche passion for indoor house plan...
#71-Will Bolduc
May 10, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBWill and Ben dig into the Will's career as an MMA fighter, bar owner, and touring musician. Will and Ben discuss a theory on the great population migration from west coast cities, and what it means for Nashville and Knoxville.
#70-Adeem The Artist
May 03, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 50.5 MBAdeem the Artist talks Ben through the trials and triumphs of identifying as a non-binary person in the country music industry. Adeem's new album "Cast Iron PanSexual" is now available on Spotify. DL4CaMxOg6hmLae5VEFj
#69-John Phillips
April 26, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBBladesmith to the stars John Phillips brought a load of his handcrafted knives to the shop. John talks Ben through how he turned a passion for working with metals, into a career of hand crafting knives and edge tools for some of the best chefs in the world. After becoming a champion on History Channel's show "Forged in Fire", and having his knives featured in a NYT best selling cook book, John's knives have come to be coveted by collectors and celebrity chefs worldwide. John also drops an ane...
#68-The Witch and the Warden
April 19, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 51.4 MBThe creators of the T.V. series "The Witch and the Warden" graced the shop for a rundown on their new genre bending T.V. series. After Kristian Nairn's involvement (Hodor, Game of Thrones) was speedbumped by Covid, the life-cycle of the series took some perfectly unexpected turns. (Zachary Starnes-EP; Teague Quillen-Creator/Writer; Josh Holley-Male Lead)
#67-Andy Feliu
April 12, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 65.2 MBNearing the 10th birthday of his company, Loch and Key Productions, Andy came by the shop to give Ben a status update on pandemic era video production. From humble, bootstrap beginnings, to creating large packages of video content for music festivals like Bonnaroo, Andy recounts the steps he and his partner took to make Loch and Key one of the most prolific production companies in the southeast.
#66-Mitchell Connell
April 05, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 50.2 MBWhile spending his life as a serial outdoor adventurer (both by foot and by wheel), Mitchell Connell has devoted his life to getting more people on bicycles. Mitchell's new non-profit "Two Bikes", does that twice every time they sell a bicycle. For every bicycle they sell, they donate one to a non-profit or person in need. But there's lots more to it...Check out www.twobikes.org to get the scoop.