Ellen Skrmetti was born and raised in Ripley, Mississippi, not far from Memphis, in a family that was devoted to the Southern Baptist church. For Ellen, a person of faith but also an aspiring comedian, this turned out to be great source material, as did all the characters in her small Southern town. During the pandemic, she started posting videos that all started with “Hey Jesus, It’s Me,” and then she would launch into gossipy monologues about her neighbors, critiques of a cousin’s potato salad, or—famously—what would have happened if Queen Elizabeth had died in the South. Now she’s got a new book that takes its name from those viral hits and expands it a bit: Hey, Jesus, It's Me: I Have Questions, Comments, and Concerns. Ellen lives in Birmingham now, so we got to do this one in the Southern Living offices, and she was just as charming and funny in person as she is on Instagram. Sid talks to Ellen about why her yeast rolls are controversial, what it’s been like getting back to standup after a fruitful detour through social media, and having what she calls a “true Southern church lady for a mother.” For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chef Tristen Epps, who just won Season 22 of Bravo’s Top Chef, grew up the son of a single mom who was a JAG, a lawyer with the military. That meant he moved about 16 times before the end of high school—from Guam to the Philippines—and was exposed to a wide range of cuisines from a young age. His travel background, along with family roots in Trinidad, led to a deep appreciation for food and cooking, and also a desire to both celebrate and elevate Afro-Caribbean cuisine. Now, on the tail of his high profile Top Chef win, he’s on a path to opening a fine dining restaurant in Houston called Buboy – a tribute to his grandfather’s nickname. And his goals for Buboy are ambitious, as he looks to bring Afro-Caribbean cooking in the United States to the Michelin-star level. We’ll talk about all that, plus the years he spent working at the Greenbriar in West Virginia, how his step-father’s unfortunate passing mid-season affected his time on Top Chef, and how he’s embracing his identity as a Southerner and a Houstonian. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katie Lee Biegel grew up in Milton, West Virginia, descended from a long line of women who really knew how to cook. Her grandparents had a big vegetable garden and canned their own green beans and tomatoes. Her great grandmother won blue ribbons for her angel food cake, her great aunt was a fabulous cook, and all of them instilled in her a love for comfort food and hospitality that she’s carried all her life. After getting a lot of attention in the media for her marriage to Billy Joel at age 23, she started writing cookbooks, landed a gig hosting Top Chef, wrote a novel about surfing, and eventually became a co-host of The Kitchen on the Food Network, which she’s now been doing for 11 seasons. These days, Katie is busier than ever, with a new movie coming out on the Hallmark Channel called Catch of the Day, which she produced and co-wrote, and a 5 year-old daughter who does not love vegetables. Sid talks to Katie about her Appalachian roots, her favorite restaurant ever, her recipe for sweet tea oven fried chicken, and her family’s Christmas tradition in West Virginia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryce Leatherwood is only 25 years old, but three years ago he won Season 22 of The Voice, and he just released a self-titled debut album that’s already gaining a lot of attention. Despite his age, Bryce’s new record sounds like it could have come out a long time ago, and that’s exactly what he was after. Many of the songs were inspired by the simple life of his hometown in Woodstock, Georgia, where he grew up, and Macon, where he spent a lot of time riding horses and dirt bikes on his grandfather’s farm. When we spoke, Bryce had just lost his grandfather to cancer a couple of weeks earlier, and he talked about what an inspiration he was, both in terms of music and as a role model in life. He also shared the story behind a new song called “Job Well Done” that he recently wrote in honor of his grandfather’s memory. Sid talked to Bryce about the best friend he gained from his time on the Voice, what he learned from being a high school wrestler, and why his debut on the Grand Ole Opry was the best night of his life. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode Sid talks to Ashleigh Shanti, who recently won a James Beard Award for her beautiful and thought-provoking cookbook called Our South: Black Food Through My Lens. Ashleigh is the chef and owner of Good Hot Fish, a counter-service spot in Asheville, North Carolina inspired by the spirit of old-school Southern fish camps. Despite her current hometown in the mountains, she’s been connected to the coast from the very beginning. She was born in St. Marys, Georgia, just north of the Florida border, while her parents were at a family wedding—and she grew up on a lake in Virginia, where she developed a reverence for the water and a love for fish fries. But her cooking isn’t just about seafood. Her passion for all the cuisines of the South—and there are many, as she’ll tell you—and her deep interest in Appalachian foodways have shaped the way she cooks, writes, and sees the region.Sid talks to Ashleigh about how a fast-food joint helped her prepare to open a high-volume restaurant, the many women who’ve inspired her journey, and the secret ingredients behind what sounds like an amazing fried fish sandwich. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chef Shuai Wang was the runner-up on the 22nd season of Bravo’s Top Chef and is the force behind two standout restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina—Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ—where he brings together the flavors of his childhood in Beijing and the spirit of the South in some pretty unforgettable ways. He grew up just a short walk from Tiananmen Square, in a tiny home with no electricity or running water, where his grandmother often cooked over charcoal. Later, in Queens, New York, his mom taught herself to cook—her first dishes were a little salty, but they were always made with love. And somewhere along the way, Shuai learned that cooking wasn’t just about food—it was about taking care of people. After years working in New York kitchens, he made his way to Charleston and started building something that feels entirely his own. Today, we’re talking about how all those experiences come together on the plate, the family stories behind his cooking, and what it’s been like to share that journey on national TV. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dylan Scott grew up in Bastrop, Louisiana, a small town in the northeast corner of the state, not far from the home of another Louisiana sensation - Lainey Wilson. His father, Scotty Robinson, also had a career in country music for a while, so clearly the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Scotty taught the young Dylan to play guitar and piano, and he also taught him the value of hard work, whether it was construction, cleaning carburetors, or operating a jackhammer. Now Dylan Scott is working harder than ever, performing for bigger and bigger crowds, and coming out with a highly anticipated new album called Easy Does It. Sid talks to Dylan about the song he wrote about his hometown, his friendship with Morgan Wallen, his grandmother’s squirrel dumplings, and how his wife knows when a song is a keeper – all on this week’s Biscuits & Jam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Baumgartner may be best known to many people, across at least a couple of generations, as Kevin from The Office, but there’s much more to the actor than his famous onscreen persona. Born and raised in Atlanta, Brian has a deep love for the South, a wicked sense of humor, an obsession with sports, and a successful podcast called Off the Beat. He also has a lifelong passion for barbecue – both the style of cooking and the communal gathering that defines it—and now he’s come out with the Seriously Good Barbecue Cookbook: Over 100 of the Best Recipes in the World. Brian has a lot of opinions on the subject, as well as whether Texas is a part of the South, and the absolute best way to cook grilled chicken. He talks with Sid about the new book, the connection he sees between acting and cooking, why he drove hundreds of miles for a meal at Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog Barbecue in Charleston, and the real story behind that infamous “chili scene” from The Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emily Ann Roberts grew up in Karns, Tennessee, just outside of Knoxville, with hardworking parents who had deep roots in both faith and music. She went to the church her great-grandfather founded more than a century ago— the same place where she sang in public for the very first time. Her dad introduced her to the rougher side of music, too, playing a lot of Johnny Cash and David Allan Coe as they drove around backroads in a pickup truck. After performing for years in a Mexican restaurant and then being discovered on YouTube, she went on to become a finalist on The Voice, but she soon discovered there was plenty more work to do. These days, she’s making her mark as a fresh new voice in country music, releasing gritty new songs like “Scratching Out a Living,” and touring with Megan Moroney. Sid talks to Emily about her love of Southern cooking, her alter ego Yeehaw Memaw, and the advice from Blake Shelton that’s guided her every step of the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maggie Rose was born and raised in Potomac, Maryland, where she grew up eating blue crabs, attending Catholic school, and singing solos in front of her church’s congregation. A self-described black sheep of the family, she headed to Clemson University in South Carolina before leaving school early to move to Nashville for a career in music. But it was her family’s support that gave her the courage to make it in a very tough business, and it eventually paid off in a career that’s earned her a Grammy nomination, a loyal fan base, and more than 100 appearances at the Grand Ole Opry. Her podcast, Salute the Songbird, started during the pandemic, and it’s become a powerful vehicle for candid conversations with other female musicians about their experiences and challenges in the music business. Sid talks to Maggie about what it’s like being a new mom, her Grammy-nominated  album, No One Gets Out Alive, what it meant to perform recently in Asheville, North Carolina, and her longtime love for Old Bay Seasoning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duane Nutter spent his first seven years or so in Morgan City, Louisiana, but his mother later moved the family to Seattle in search of schools that could help with his dyslexia. Their new home exposed Duane to a world of international flavors, but his mother never lost her love for Southern food, even going so far as to ship in certain spices and ingredients like andouille sausage at a time when that wasn’t easy to do. As a result, Duane developed a taste for cooking that straddled different worlds. After some stints in a few Seattle restaurants, he eventually moved to Atlanta to work with the legendary Chef Darryl Evans at the Four Seasons Hotel, and he then accepted a position as Executive Chef at One Flew South, an oasis of quality dining for travelers passing through the Atlanta Airport. His latest restaurant, Southern National, was recognized by Yelp! in 2024 as one of the best new restaurants in the South, and now he’s got a new cookbook called Cutting Up in the Kitchen. Sid talks to Duane about his double life as a comedian, what it was like serving Maya Angelou, and why it took so long to get his citrus pound cake just exactly right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wyatt Flores is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Stillwater, Oklahoma, who’s making a name for himself in the Red Dirt music scene, building on the musical legacy of his home state. He grew up on a ranch in a working-class family where he was surrounded by musicians, often hearing them play cowboy songs around a campfire. His father, a drummer, built him a stage in the backyard when he recognized his talent, and his Uncle Bobby taught him how to play guitar. Now Wyatt is playing in front of thousands of fans, singing at the Grand Ole Opry, and writing songs that are winning audiences with their honesty, heart, and vulnerability. His debut album, Welcome to the Plains, explores the rough—and sometimes violent—side of growing up in rural Oklahoma, but it also shows a talent for storytelling and a wry sense of humor. Sid talks to Wyatt about why he’s so happy to be back in Stillwater after a couple of years in Nashville, the mental health struggles he’s openly shared with his fans, the family member he wants to have on his podcast, and why his favorite food is a breakfast burrito. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode Description: Jessica B. Harris may have been born and raised in New York City, but she has Tennessee roots through her father and has spent much of her life split between homes in the Northeast and the South – specifically New Orleans. For more than fifty years, she has been a college professor, a writer, and a lecturer, and her many books have earned her a reputation as an authority on food of the African Diaspora, as well as a lifetime achievement award from the James Beard Foundation. A few years back, Netflix adapted her book, High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America, into a 4 part docuseries. And I’m very proud to say that she’s a longtime contributor to Southern Living with a regular column called The Welcome Table. This episode was recorded in the Southern Living Birmingham studios, and Sid and Jessica talked about her mother’s signature mac and cheese, the cast-iron skillet she’d be sure to save if ever her house were on fire, and her dear friend, the late New Orleans chef Leah Chase.  For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maddie Font and Taylor Kerr, better known as Maddie & Tae, are really in the thick of it these days as they balance their ever-growing music careers with their ever-growing families. Both of them now have young kids, even as they find themselves touring, recording, and playing to bigger and bigger crowds. Their new album, Love and Light, not only touches on the current season of their life and the depths of their friendship, but it also expands their sound into new territory. As they said on this show in 2022, they’ve been performing together since they were 15, and they’ve never been afraid to take a risk or challenge the establishment. Sid talks to the dynamic duo about the new song that caused Taylor to cry on the Grand Ole Opry stage, which one of them is the better cook, and why they had so much fun writing about “Drunk Girls in Bathrooms.” For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Valerie June was raised in Humboldt, Tennessee, just north of Jackson, and though she now spends a good deal of time in New York, she still has a place in Humboldt that’s been passed down through her family. In 2018, Valerie was inducted into the Humboldt Hall of Fame, which she calls one of her greatest honors, and she often returns there to write music and reconnect with family. In 2021, the last time she was on Biscuits & Jam, Valerie was nominated for a Grammy for “Call Me a Fool,” which she recorded with the legendary Memphis singer Carla Thomas, and since then she’s published a children’s book called Somebody to Love and an interactive journal called Light Beams. She’s toured with artists such as Dave Matthews and Tyler Childers, appeared at all sorts of festivals, and now she’s got a fantastic new album out called Owls, Omens and Oracles, the title of which was inspired by a trip back home. Sid talks to Valerie about her experience with homelessness as a teenager, what it was like to meet and work with Mavis Staples, and her connection to her great-grandmother Bessie. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah Lee McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America, Robin Roberts is an icon in morning news. She’s also a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, a Peabody Award winner, an author of several books, a breast cancer survivor, and a Southerner. Robin was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, a daughter of one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen who fought in World War II and put that town on the map. Over the years, her family moved where her father’s career took them, but once he retired, they settled in Pass Christian, Mississippi, which she considers her hometown. I caught up with Robin as she was headed to Western North Carolina for a special report on the lasting effects of Hurricane Helene, as well as the resilience of that community. We also talked about other disasters she’s covered, including the very personal experience of reporting on Hurricane Katrina nearly 20 years ago. If you watch Robin on Good Morning America, you know she’s a person who has a way of always looking on the bright side, even in the darkest of times. She talked with Sid about the way her faith helped her through a very public illness, the hymns her mother loved to play on the piano, and why she’s always wanted to get her pilot’s license. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grace Potter was raised in rural Vermont by parents who were seeking a different way of life, one with an emphasis on the arts and a connection to the land. Thanks to her parents’ extensive record collection, Grace grew up listening to a lot of soul and gospel by artists like the Staple Singers and Mahalia Jackson. You can still hear those influences in her music now, even as she’s created her own distinctive bluesy sound. Often compared to Bonnie Raitt or Janis Joplin, Grace has a powerful voice and the stage presence to match. And now she has a new album called Medicine that’s actually not new at all. It was produced with T Bone Burnett 17 years ago before her record label decided to shelve it in favor of a different direction. And even though it was recorded when she was just 24, it sounds as fresh and timely as if she cut it yesterday. Sid talks to Grace about the vision issues that shaped the way she sees the world, the impact of motherhood on her songwriting, and how she’s preparing to sing the national anthem at the 2025 Kentucky Derby. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After more than 40 years as one of the most popular and recognizable voices in country music, during which he earned a pile of Grammys and a rightful place in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Randy Travis is a household name who has inspired legions of fans. A few weeks ago I was fortunate to sit down with Randy and his wife, Mary, at their home in Nashville and to hear their incredible—and incredibly difficult—story. After a near-fatal stroke impaired his ability to speak and stole his singing voice in 2013, Randy had to overcome serious odds to rebuild his life and career. Now, thanks to his longtime producer, Kyle Lehning, and the advances of AI technology, Randy Travis has gotten his voice back. The bond he and Mary share is a big part of what’s made his comeback possible, and it also helped us to have this conversation about their life together. Sid talks to Randy and Mary about his new song, “Horses in Heaven,” the new biopic based on his life, Forever and Ever. Amen, and how he’s reaching the next generation of fans. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Isaac Nuun - Live Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode Description: Since 1985, Emily Sailers and Amy Ray have been known as the Indigo Girls, and they’ve never once stopped making music or sharing their message of acceptance. The two met when they were kids in Decatur, Georgia,, and once they started playing together in high school, it didn’t take long for their unique sound to find an audience—first regionally, then nationally, and eventually worldwide. Last summer, when their hit song “Closer to Fine” was featured prominently in the movie Barbie, they seemed to catch fire with a whole new generation, and now they’re back with a slew of new projects. A documentary called It’s Only Life After All delves into their lives, their struggles, and their activism; a rom-com called Glitter & Doom is set to their music; and of course there’s some new songs. Sid also asks about Emily’s longtime passion for food and cooking, the bar in Atlanta where they got their start, and what it’s been like to endure as openly gay artists in the South and the music industry. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Craig Morgan is that rare country artist who actually grew up around Nashville, but he also breaks the mold in a lot of other ways. After finishing high school in Kingston Springs, just west of downtown Nashville, Craig joined the Army for what would become a long, intense, and distinctive military career. As a member of the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions, he parachuted into the jungles of Panama and fought sex traffickers in Thailand, among other dangerous assignments. But despite his commitment to the armed services, he always had a yearning to play music. Craig found himself writing songs based on his experiences, and thanks to the encouragement of a Colonel who thought he had an extraordinary talent, he made the leap to the music business. Now, he has a successful career, a dedicated fan base, and a body of work largely defined by his commitment to God, Family, and Country—which happens to be the name of his memoir. Sid talks to Craig about how much he loves his mom’s biscuits and gravy, his new EP called American Soundtrack, and the way a family tragedy led him to write a song that’s touched so many people. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices