The Common Wealth of Kentucky Project: Recent Episodes
Beth Pride
Join internationally-acclaimed artist Kelly Brewer, writer Beth Pride, and collaborator Jill Johnson as they team up and travel around Kentucky, painting, photographing, learning, and connecting with the beautiful and diverse people who embody this great state. Inspired by contemporary impressionist artist Kelly Brewer's mother, her deep belief in humanity and love for all people, the Common Wealth of Kentucky Project is underway. Kelly and collaborators are building a multi-media experience, art exhibition, book, and podcast illuminating the people of Kentucky, their faces, their stories, their culture, and their connections. The project explores and reveals the richness embodied in this beautiful state and the common connections we, as humans, have with one another. Focused on that which connects us as people--all shapes, colors, sizes, and backgrounds, Kelly paints from life while Beth Pride, writer and multi-media creative, combines portrait and landscape art with oral and narrative storytelling. This Common Wealth Podcast is the storytelling branch of the project tree, filled with compelling history and personal stories from the real people we meet along this feel-good, inspiring journey. Travel with us. Find your own connections to people you might not know and a renewed faith in humanity.
It’s April in Kentucky, which means grass as green as a lime lollipop, blooming trees, and the opening of Keeneland’s Spring race meet, the perfect time to introduce my next People-Inspired Podcast guest, Kim Wickens.
Kim Wickens is the award-winning author of Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America's Legendary Racehorse, a national, bestselling narrative nonfiction book that tells the remarkable story of the 19th-century Thoroughbred stallion whose bloodline shaped modern horse racing. The book won the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award for Excellence in Thoroughbred Racing Literature and has been praised for bringing to life the colorful world of early American racing and the Civil War–era South.
Before turning to writing, Wickens spent two decades as a criminal defense lawyer in New Mexico. She later studied writing at Kenyon College and devoted years to researching Lexington’s story. Her work has appeared in publications such as The Washington Post, Narrative Magazine, The Blood-Horse, and The Paulick Report. She now lives in Lexington, Kentucky, where she rides dressage and continues writing.
Kim and I talked about Lexington, the extraordinary horse that inspired a nation during an unstable and divided Civil War era. She details her research and writing journey, which included copious trips from New Mexico to the Keeneland library, where she sought primary sources to help her understand Lexington's world. Kim talks about the characters from Lexington's story who fascinated and inspired her the most, and a person from her childhood who shaped who she is today.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Kim learning more about Lexington, the horse, and what it’s like to put together a puzzle from the forgotten past. I hope you will enjoy it, too!
Thanks for listening. If this story stayed with you, I’d love for you to share it—and join me next time for another conversation worth holding onto. You can find out more about me at www.bethpride.com.
I'm so pleased to welcome guest Paul Halloran, author of Cody’s Wish: A Boy, A Racehorse, and a Fight for Life, which releases in three months and is available for preorder now. A lifelong storyteller and seasoned journalist, Paul began his career as a sportswriter and editor at The Daily Item in Lynn, Massachusetts, before joining Grant Communications and later founding his own firm, PKH Communications. He’s covered horse racing since the 1980s — from his home track at Suffolk Downs to his current work with The Saratoga Special and Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Magazine.
Paul first came upon the Cody’s Wish story when covering the Forego Stakes at Saratoga in August 2022. He developed an immediate connection with Cody’s parents and approached them with the idea for a book at the beginning of 2023. They quickly agreed, and Paul started researching the book, traveling with the family to races in Kentucky, New York, and California, and seeing first-hand the profound impact of this special boy and special horse.
The Cody’s Wish Story
The Cody’s Wish story is one of the most moving and inspirational tales in modern horse racing — a blend of compassion, courage, and an extraordinary bond between a young man and a champion Thoroughbred.
The Cody’s Wish story is not simply about a winning racehorse. It is a story about the deep connection between humans and animals, and the joy and hope that can come from unexpected places.
Cody’s Wish is an American‑bred Thoroughbred racehorse who became the American Thoroughbred Horse of the Year in 2023 and was the first two‑time winner of the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Bred and raced by Godolphin and trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Cody’s Wish retired with 11 wins in 16 starts and over $3 million in earnings. He now stands at stud at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
The horse was named after the heart of the story, Cody Layne Dorman, a young man from Richmond, Kentucky, born with Wolf‑Hirschhorn syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that left him non‑verbal, unable to walk, and dependent on a wheelchair. Doctors once told Cody’s family he might not live past age two — yet he lived to 17, defying the odds and inspiring all who met him.
In 2018, through the Make‑A‑Wish Foundation’s partnership with Keeneland, Cody visited Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. There, he met a young foal that would become Cody’s Wish. In a moment witnessed by farm staff and Cody’s family, the foal walked up to Cody’s wheelchair and gently rested his head in Cody’s lap — a rare and immediate connection that no one present would ever forget.
That foal was later named Cody’s Wish in Cody’s honor. Over the next few years, the horse developed into a champion racehorse and captured the hearts of racing fans and his best friend, Cody Dorman.
On November 5, 2023 — the day after attending Cody’s Wish’s final Breeders’ Cup victory at Santa Anita — Cody Dorman suffered a medical emergency and died at age 17 on the flight home. His passing drew widespread attention and an outpouring of love from the racing community and beyond.
Cody’s story continues to inspire:
- A monument titled The Bond: Two Hearts — One Spirit at the Kentucky Horse Park honors the remarkable friendship between Cody and the horse.
- A book, Cody’s Wish: A Boy, a Racehorse, and a Fight for Life, chronicles his life and their bond.
- The story has helped raise awareness and funds for Make‑A‑Wish and continues to encourage compassion, resilience, and hope.
www.bethpride.com
Thanks for listening. If this story stayed with you, I’d love for you to share it—and join me next time for another conversation worth holding onto. You can find out more about me at www.bethpride.com.
My guests are a father and son who, in their own ways, have shaped the lives and communities around them — in Atlanta and far beyond.
Dr. Linton Hopkins is a retired neurologist and professor who spent 45 years seeing patients, teaching medical students, and mentoring young doctors at Emory Medical School and clinic. His approach to medicine was always about more than science, and included listening, empathy, and lifelong learning. Linton’s retirement didn’t slow him down — he’s the author of two excellent books about East Lake golf course and golfer Bobby Jones, titled East Lake—Where Bobby Learned to Play, released in 1996 and 2025.
Chef Linton Hopkins is a James Beard award-winning chef, restaurateur, and co-founder of Hopkins & Company. Known for his thoughtful, ingredient-driven Southern cooking, Chef Hopkins and wife, Gina, have built a restaurant family that celebrates community, craftsmanship, and connection. From Restaurant Eugene to Holeman & Finch to C. Ellet’s, and more, he’s helped define what Southern food means today — not just what’s on the plate, but who’s at the table.
What I love about this conversation is how it reveals the through-line between them — a shared curiosity, a respect for craft, and a genuine love of people and stories. Whether it’s medicine, food, or family, both of these men see life as something to be studied, celebrated, savored, and shared.
Buy the book! EAST LAKE: WHERE BOBBY LEARNED TO PLAY
Eat, drink, and be merry! HOPKINS & COMPANY
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Thanks for listening. If this story stayed with you, I’d love for you to share it—and join me next time for another conversation worth holding onto. You can find out more about me at www.bethpride.com.
Today I’m thrilled to spend a few minutes with the inspiring Sarah Berry, co-founder and co-owner of Copperhill Brewery and Ocoee River Distilling in Ducktown and Copperhill, Tennessee. Sarah and her partners are in a very small club of women distillery owners, but she wasn’t always a business owner or a distiller. She started out, like me, as a teacher. She taught fourth grade for four years and then in outdoor education before finding her way to Copperhill, TN, where in 2021 Sarah and her partner Colleen bought the Copperhill Brewery and later founded Ocoee River Distilling in Ducktown, TN.
Their delicious beer and spirits are fast becoming a favorite in Tennessee and North Georgia, and they are expanding like yeast in warm water, not just in distribution but also physically, thanks to super cool new homegrown location on the banks of the Ocoee River.
I met Sarah for the first time, appropriately, at the Fire and Ice Festival, a fun, mid-winter chili and beer fest in downtown Blue Ridge, GA, where she was hanging out at the Copperhill Brewery beer truck. I had heard about Sarah since publishing my debut novel, Back to Blue Holly (about a young woman who opens a brewery against all odds in a historically dry town) and I could not wait to connect with her and learn about her journey into the beer and distillation business.
Thanks for being here and for listening. If you like this content, please subscribe to my podcast and newsletter.
Thanks for listening. If this story stayed with you, I’d love for you to share it—and join me next time for another conversation worth holding onto. You can find out more about me at www.bethpride.com.
When you think about Georgia athletics, there are a few names that stand out for their impact, longevity, and stories, either lived or written. One of those names is Loran Smith. No one loves the University of Georgia more than Loran Smith.
Loran's journey with the Bulldogs began as a student-athlete, track team captain, and MVP in 1959 — but it didn't end with graduation. Instead, it turned into a lifelong love story. Loran has worn about every Dawg hat you can imagine. He is well-known as the first sideline reporter Georgia's radio broadcast ever had. Over the years, he became an institution, the on-field complement to Larry Munson's legendary play-by-play calls from the radio booth. He was the Assistant Sports Information Director, Business Manager, Executive Director of the Bulldog Club, radio producer, host of the Mark Richt locker room show, producer of several documentaries, and even a tailgate cookbook with his wife, Myrna, the perfect pairing for the pre-game Tailgate Show he continues to host.
Loran's contributions extend far beyond what happens on Saturdays in the fall. He's been the storyteller of Georgia football, chronicling its history in newspaper columns, game day programs, and dozens of books that Bulldogs fans pass down like family heirlooms — titles like Glory, Glory with Lewis Grizzard, Dooley's Dawgs with Vince Dooley, and The Football Vault, a treasure trove of memories from 1892 through 2007, and How 'Bout Them Dawgs!: The Inside Story of Georgia Football's 2021 National Championship Season with Coach Kirby Smart,
He's also a proud native of Wrightsville, Georgia, home of Herschel Walker, a Georgia Sports Hall of Famer, a devoted husband to Myrna, and a father and grandfather whose love for the Dawgs is rivaled only by his love for his family.
I was fortunate enough to sit down with Loran to hear not just the milestones, but also the moments — the stories from the sidelines, the friendships forged in locker rooms, and the Bulldog traditions he has helped create and preserve. If you love Georgia football or love a great story, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.
Beth Pride
www.bethpride.com
I’m thrilled to spend a few minutes with the inspiring Bill Mott, Hall of Fame, award-winning Thoroughbred trainer. Bill has had a long and successful career training race horses since he was 15 years old in South Dakota. In 1978, he struck out on his own after riding and training for Jack Van Berg, and by the time Bill was 45 years old, he was the youngest trainer ever to be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame. Bill has won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer four times across three decades. And if those stats don’t impress you, on June 20, 2020, Moon Over Miami won at Churchill Downs, giving Bill his five thousandth win. To date, Bill Mott has had over 28,670 starts with 5,513 first places and almost 9,000 2nds and 3rds with gross earnings of roughly $361 million.
Most recent was Bill’s training of 2023 Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish, and to top it all off, he just won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont in 2025 with power duo Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado.
Bill is an inspiration professionally and personally. He’s a reliable and dedicated boss, husband, father, and friend to many. He’s also generally a man of few words, so I am excited to have him here today to hear his story from horse’s mouth as they say.
What we covered:
- Bill's 55-year career training race horses
- Which does he like best, horses or people?
- Hobbies and favorite places
- Cigar
- Cody’s Wish
- Who will play him in the Cody's Wish movie?
- The 2025 Derby/Belmont Double
- Sovereignty
- Who inspired him and how?
You can find Bill in Saratoga this summer doing what he loves best.
You can find me online:
https://www.bethpride.com/
https://www.instagram.com/bprideauthor/
https://www.facebook.com/bprideauthor
Today, I'm excited to spend time with my inspiring friend, Trisha Addicks, whom I knew in an early chapter of my life at the University of Georgia as Trisha Grode, friend and Chi Omega sorority pledge sister. I didn't know then that Trisha would go on to make Greek Life her purpose, but her passion for helping young women all over the country manage the rush process and beyond truly inspires me.
Trisha created the Rush consulting space in 2017 and owns It's All Greek to Me Rush consulting. She's also a weekly podcast host, has a book coming out, The Rush Bible, coming out next spring, and is in feature film development with Elizabeth Banks and Brownstone Productions.
Trisha inspires me for many reasons we discuss in the podcast, but mainly because she is an excellent example of the power of the pivot. Her story turned into a thriving business thirty years later where she helps young women all over the country navigate the now ramped-up universe of sorority rush. Join Trisha and me in a fun conversation about life's pivots and inspiration.
Where you can find Trisha:
https://itsallgreektome.org/
https://www.instagram.com/rushwithconfidence/?hl=en
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mad-rush-with-trisha-addicks/id1754276948
Where you can find Beth:
https://www.bethpride.com/
https://www.instagram.com/bprideauthor/
Back to Blue Holly: A Novel
Join artist Kelly Brewer, storyteller Beth Pride, and advocate Jill Johnson as they travel to Shaker Village where, in a simple living space on the second floor of a shop, they retreated to reflect on the inspiration, the process, and a few takeaways of this year-long passion project about the common wealth of Kentucky. Kelly starts the conversation with her story of inspiration, and Beth and Jill join in for a bounce around. Grab a glass of wine (or bourbon, of course), and help celebrate the inspiration, the organic process, a couple of stories on their 70 new friends, and the beautiful state we all call home.
For more information, visit The Common Wealth of Kentucky Project website.
Mothers connect us. We all have one, and they all influence us in ways that we don't always recognize until something pops up like an expression they used that we just said, a recipe we crave, or in a moment of courage, when we pull from the memory of her showing us how to find it.
In this oral history montage pulled from the interviews with Kentuckians as they sat for artist Kelly Brewer to paint their portraits, you will hear a variety of mom moments that celebrate another universal experience we, as humans, share.
In order of voice:
Betty Spain
Shelby Bale
Kate Harper
Jim Gray
Marcos Valdes
Jon Carloftis
Brian McCarty
Shannon Latham
Bill Samuel, Jr.
Gentille Ntakarutimana
Clayton Mullins