WBIR has introduced you to many people over the years born and raised in East Tennessee. Now, through a new series called Home Grown, Beth Haynes is giving you the chance to get to know them even better. This area has shaped many familiar faces from Kenny Chesney and Chad Pennington to Scottie Mayfield. Tuesdays at Five, we're going to take you down memory lane and share the unique journeys of Tennessee's favorite sons and daughters.
10:48 PM, Feb 21, 2012
With dozens of television series and films to his credit, David Keith has enjoyed 35 years in show business. The homegrown actor is also an activist, musician, composer, director and even a cattle rancher. And, he's glad to be back in Knoxville.
11:30 PM, Feb 14, 2012
Known as half restaurant and half store, the Cracker Barrel has been greeting customers with it's front porch and down home cooking for four decades. And, it's not just a Southern tradition. The HomeGrown business is serving up the nostalgic taste all across America.
12:18 PM, Feb 10, 2012
Dale Dickey plays extreme, edgy roles on the big and small screen. She's no doubt living her childhood dream. However, after 25 years in New York and Hollywood, the HomeGrown actress still craves East Tennessee.
7:51 PM, Jan 20, 2012
If you follow Tennessee basketball, you most likely know the exclamation, "Money!" Bert Bertelkamp is to thank. The color commentator is not only HomeGrown, he was quite the player himself... a High School All American at Bearden High and a starter at Tennessee.
4:47 PM, Jan 3, 2012
Wilma Maples was a Gatlinburg icon. If you don't know her name, there's a good chance you've seen her hotel, famous for "Rocky Top," or ridden the chair lift that sits on her property.
2:37 PM, Dec 28, 2011
Carol Mayo Jenkins left Knoxville for the bright lights of Broadway and found fame on a hit TV show. Now this HomeGrown actress is helping future actors make their mark at the University of Tennessee.
7:58 PM, Dec 14, 2011
With a flexible device, Dr. Gene Overholt revolutionized the detection and treatment of Colon Cancer. Not only is he Homegrown, with ground breaking research, he's introduced the medical community to East Tennessee.
6:04 PM, Nov 23, 2011
The military's highest ranking, 4 Star General Carl Stiner is a true patriot and an East Tennessee hero. His HomeGrown story begins in Campbell County. Today, a portion of the main highway there is named in his honor.
9:32 PM, Nov 15, 2011
Diana Warner designs wearable art from her fashion empire in New York. And, it is the jewelry of choice for many Hollywood starlets. While she loves the Big Apple, the HomeGrown designer is always glad to come back home to Knoxville.
7:21 PM, Nov 8, 2011
You may not know his name, but you know his elite status, Blue Angel. Major Brent Stevens flies left wing with the famed flight demonstration squadron. It's a reality he first began dreaming of at age six in East Tennessee.
9:03 PM, Nov 1, 2011
A national radio personality, best selling author, Christian counselor and money management expert- Dave Ramsey is all of these. He's also Homegrown- born in Maryville and raised in Antioch, Tennessee. Surprisingly though, Dave Ramsey hasn't always known financial peace.
8:14 PM, Oct 18, 2011
If you're a fan of sausage, the name Wampler immediately comes to mind and rightly so. The farm sausage is HomeGrown in Lenoir City, Tennessee. After nearly 75 years, the patties and links continue to be a favorite on the breakfast table.
9:51 PM, Oct 4, 2011
The late Archie Campbell was a household name, a comedic fixture of the television show Hee Haw. However, the Bulls Gap native was also a golfer, a poet and an artist. His son Phil, who followed in his showbiz footsteps, shares Archie's HomeGrown story.
6:21 PM, Sep 21, 2011
From the Lawrence Welk Show and Billboard Charts to the Grand Ole Opry, music has been good to Ava Barber. The country singer is not only HomeGrown, she got her start on the WNOX stage.
8:40 PM, Sep 6, 2011
Recently, the Chop House was ranked the 9th fastest growing restaurant chain in America. And, it all started in Knoxville, Tennessee. The franchise and its owner are both HomeGrown successes.