Guest: Matthew DeBardelaben, Candidate for Knoxville City Council – District 4

In this week’s episode of Tea Thyme with J.J., we sit down with commercial real estate broker and Knoxville City Council candidate Matthew DeBardelaben for a thoughtful, grounded conversation about what it really means to serve as a fiduciary - not just in business, but in community life.

Matthew shares how his background in commercial real estate shapes his approach to growth, infrastructure, and accountability. And how the same principles of trust, stewardship, and long-term vision can help Knoxville navigate its next chapter.

We talk about the proposed ½-cent special-option sales-tax increase, what responsible development looks like for a city on the rise, and how to keep our neighborhoods safe, supported, and sustainable without losing that unmistakable Knoxville spirit that makes this place home.

💬 Walk the Talk. Civic-minded Responsibility. Knoxville Spirit.

🔗 Learn more at https://www.matthewforknoxville.com

#Knoxville #CommunityGrowth #LocalVoices #TeaThymeWithJJ

In this episode, J.J. sits down with Knoxville musician, Maggie Tharp, to talk about her brand-new EP, 'Love, Maggie' — a musical love letter to her family, friends, and listeners. The record carries themes of driving long distances and the pull of majestic mountainous landscapes, reflecting Maggie’s life across Colorado, North Carolina, and now Tennessee —places where, like J.J., she’s discovered that deep sense of “home” that echoes through her heart and hums beneath every song.

The two explore the creative process, goal-setting and procrastination simultaneously, and what it means to keep showing up for everyone else while learning to show up for yourself.

At the heart of the episode is Maggie’s song, “The Sea,” where she sings:

“I called my own bluff before I even got started;
I kept pushing it off like I was some kind of martyr;
and when the going got rough, I admit that I faltered;
I was made for the sea, and still I fear the water.”

🎶 Episode Flow & Music Credits

🎵 0:00 — Maggie Tharp – “Your Song’s The Same As Mine”
🎵 4:00 — Shayla McDaniel – “Wild Dreamer”
🎵 7:43 — Kelsi Walker – “Shoes”
🎙️ 12:10 — Conversation with Maggie Tharp
🎵 59:00 — Maggie Tharp – “The Sea”
🎵 1:03:36 — Maggie Tharp – “Shed My Tears”
🎵 1:07:41 — Maggie Tharp – “Your Song’s The Same As Mine”
🎵 1:11:40 — Maggie Tharp – “Northern Hwy”
🎙️ 1:16:28 — Conversation with Maggie Tharp
🎵 1:45:45 — Maggie Tharp – “Highway Love”

✨ All Maggie Tharp tracks featured in this episode are from her new e.p. , 'Love, Maggie', now streaming on Spotify .

Music flows before, between, and after the interview segments — so feel free to linger through the closing track for the full journey. Thank you for tuning in to, 'Tea Time with J & J.'

Episode 6 - We sit down with the incomparable Becki Grace Livingston — singer, songwriter, radio host, and licensed professional counselor — for a conversation as raw as it is inspiring.

The episode opens with a song, “Haunted by Tom Petty” by 3 Mile Smile, the band Becki Grace once shared with her late husband, Jeff. The video for the track — filmed at Lost and Found Records in North Knoxville with cameos from some of Knoxville’s favorite local music scenesters — captured a vibrant moment in their shared musical journey. But after Jeff’s tragic passing in 2021, Becki Grace is navigating a life reshaped by grief, resilience, and rediscovery.

Our talk winds through her work as a mental health practitioner, the conversations she even has with her own therapist, and the unvarnished truths of adapting to “life after.” She gifts us a pair of unreleased songs midway through the episode and talks about her own brand of joyful defiance — how memories of Jeff spark lyrics at unexpected times, like in the middle of the night or while driving — and how the muscle memory of making music keeps carrying her forward. Becki Grace will be performing live at Songs By the Brook in Blount County on Thursday, August 21 at 6 pm — don’t miss the chance to experience her artistry in person.