State & Beale

State & Beale travels Tennessee to uncover the people, places, traditions and stories that make the state unique—celebrating the cultural treasures of Tennessee from State Street in Bristol to Beale Street in Memphis.

State & Beale is a 13-episode, 26-minute documentary series that travels Tennessee in search of the people, places, traditions and stories that make the state unique. Hosted by Tennessee journalist Toby Sells, each episode begins with a question, place, object, legend or surprising piece of history and follows the reporting wherever it leads, allowing viewers to discover the story alongside him. Season One ranges from the birth of rock and roll in Memphis and the secrets of the Tennessee State Capitol to Reelfoot Lake, dairy farming, Tennessee food and drink, folklore, agriculture, military history and performance culture. The series moves through urban and rural communities, across Tennessee’s regions and among people with different histories, cultures and experiences, treating the state as a cultural mosaic whose distinct communities are connected by a shared home. Growing from an independent digital storytelling project that has already built an audience across Tennessee, State & Beale expands that work into deeper reporting and visual storytelling for public television and digital distribution. Its mission is to discover and celebrate the cultural treasures of Tennessee—from State Street in Bristol to Beale Street in Memphis.

Project Website: www.stateandbeale.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stateandbeale

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@StateandBeale

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateandbeale/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stateandbealetn

Director | Toby Sells