Brandon J. Gibson never sounded like the other kids in class. His unique singing voice is what led him to opera, and he hasn't looked back. Gibson discusses his singing roots and how branching out into other art forms has enabled him to reach goals without ever leaving Knoxville.  

Calvin Mattheis and Ryan Wilusz live like Gatsby as they discuss downtown's Vida restaurant and The Vault cocktail lounge. Plus, water taxis and permit-only street parking are proposed for South Knoxville. 

Tod Sheley's band made it all the way to Bonnaroo ... and then they split. Left with nothing, he turned to photography, despite congenital rubella syndrome causing blindness in one eye and colorblindness in the other. Sheley's life has been filled with difficult challenges, but he's learning each day to face his fears.

Co-hosts Ryan Wilusz and Calvin Mattheis reflect on the revitalization of Market Square and the wasteland before it. Plus, 2020 couldn't be a true "dumpster fire" without the innovative mind of Knoxville's George Dempster. What's the latest on the Jackson Avenue ramps and the AJ Building? This episode has you covered.

Michele Hummel, executive director of the Downtown Knoxville Alliance, reflects on the transformation of Market Square in the early 2000s and provides an update on the Square in its current state, including the effects of COVID-19.

"The Scruffy Stuff" reflects on the historic move by Knoxville City Council approving a resolution to apologize and make amends for decades of urban removal. We tell the history of Lay Packing Co. in downtown Knoxville, share the latest brews news and watch a big urban tree come down.

Attention cool cats and kittens: Carole Baskin is on the show. The "Tiger King" star joins co-hosts Ryan Wilusz and Calvin Mattheis to share her role in a new tiger documentary from Knoxville director Michael Samtesto and Rescue Doc Films. Baskin also talks about her relationship with Joe Exotic, how she has adjusted to fame and what you can do to make a difference when it comes to saving big cats. Ryan and Calvin also take listeners behind the scenes inside the former Lay meat-packing plant site, which could be home to a future Smokies Stadium in Old City. What did we find on our urban exploration? Old equipment, loads of junk and quite a few surprises.

Holidays look different in 2020, but the Miracle on Gay St. bar is one Christmas tradition that will continue this year in downtown Knoxville. Highline Coffee and Jacks of Knoxville are merging to expand next door on Gay Street and add a second location on North Central Street. Plus, Dale Mackey makes masks fashionably relevant with her holiday line.

This Thanksgiving edition of "The Scruffy Stuff" is stuffed with a cornucopia of conversations, as co-hosts Ryan Wilusz and Calvin Mattheis prepare for the holidays. Have you heard about the latest store to open at the mall? It's one people have been asking about for a long time. And speaking of a long time: the pandemic. It's a serious concern as people travel for Turkey Day to spend time with family and friends. We talk about measures being taken by the health board and city government to help stop the spread, including an earlier curfew.

Angela Dennis is the latest reporter to join Knox News, and she has an exciting beat covering issues at the intersection of race and equity through contemporary and historical lenses. Dennis, co-host of "Black in Appalachia" and editor of Black With No Chaser, joins the show to discuss her new role as Knoxville's social justice reporter. Co-host Calvin Mattheis comes back from vacation to some exciting news: Dolly Parton has helped fund a COVID-19 vaccine. He talks with co-host Ryan Wilusz about the vaccine, Thanksgiving safety tips and the city's plans to strip beer permits from businesses that do not comply with curfew.