If you haven’t listened to Cornelia Rowe’s Once Upon a Time in Nashville yet, you’re missing out — particularly if you’re a true crime fan. Or a Nashville native. Or a Nashville transplant.
Nashville may be synonymous with country music and neon lights, but there are a few darker corners of the city, too. Just ask Cornelia. A Harpeth Hall graduate, she’s both a Nashville native and a sideline observer of one of the city’s most sordid cases. From divulging untold details of a mysterious death that hit local headlines in 2016 to reminiscing about “Old Nashville,” her podcast is poignant and intriguing, with a colorful cast of characters. Get to know this multifaceted FACE of Nashville!
Tell us about growing up in Nashville (and coming back).
I was born and raised in Nashville. It was a lovely place to grow up — just a small Southern town where we all knew each other. It felt like everyone was connected by only one or two degrees of separation. It wasn’t as slick and glossy as it is now; it was a little more untamed and eccentric. I have wonderful memories of things like dance recitals at TPAC, field trips to the Cumberland Science Museum, and summer at Opryland Amusement Park.
Harpeth Hall is where I first met Leigh Terry, the main character in the story we tell in Once Upon a Time in Nashville. She was a few grades above me. Harpeth Hall is also where I really got into writing and journalism. After I graduated, I went to NYU and majored in journalism, then stayed in New York for a while after college and worked at CNN and FOX. I moved out to Los Angeles after that.
I came back to Nashville in 2018 after my mom was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor and passed away. I was already over L.A. and wanted to be with my dad, family, and community here.
What drew you to Leigh’s story and inspired you to turn it into a podcast?
The story itself was so shocking and intriguing. I didn’t know Leigh that well at Harpeth Hall — she was always this cool, enigmatic figure. When I got back to Nashville and started talking to people about her strange suicide that had occurred a couple of years before, I kept learning more and more details about her death. In putting everything together, I had a lot of questions as well as a clear sense that this was an extremely compelling story that people would hopefully want to hear.
It had all the basic elements: a juicy plot, wild characters, a dynamic setting and location, and a true crime component. And everything had this Nashville-specific flavor that made the story feel very entertaining and unique.
I don’t think the podcast would have the same spark if it were set anywhere else. And I liked that the story showed a side of the city beyond Lower Broadway and country music, even though they come into the narrative at times. It was about the secrets of this town and the kind of silent power players and dealmakers who have shaped things and been around for a long time. I liked that telling their story created an opportunity to thread in some of the city’s wild history. Nashville has a very colorful, interesting past that’s gotten a little lost amidst all of the recent growth.
Can you give a brief synopsis for those who haven’t yet heard Once Upon a Time in Nashville?
In the spring of 2016, 34-year-old Leigh Terry was found dead in a downtown Nashville apartment building from what police concluded was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. But almost immediately, her friends and family questioned the circumstances surrounding what happened to her. And so did I, so I began looking into things …
Leigh was a gorgeous but troubled Southern belle — a former debutante from one of the city’s oldest and wealthiest communities, who had gotten herself entangled with a group of powerful men marred by a history of scandals and cronyism. It soon came out that several of them were connected to Leigh’s death, setting in motion a series of crazy events involving sex, drugs, illicit Gulf Coast beach trips, an FBI investigation, and a local judge who ended up in federal prison.
It also uncovered how a group of Nashville’s “good ol’ boys” had gotten away with decades of corruption involving women, politics, crime, and abuse of power. My investigation became more than just looking into Leigh’s strange suicide. It turned into a look at how Nashville — a once-small, rough-and-tumble town on the Cumberland River — is growing, changing, and evolving … but still struggling with the legacy and influence of its old guard.
The podcast often juxtaposes “Old Nashville” and “New Nashville.” What do you miss most about Old Nashville, and what do you love most about New Nashville?
I miss “Old Nashville” places like Rotier’s, Vandyland, and Davis-Kidd bookstore. And I miss how there was a lot of space and openness; it feels now like we’re just cramming as much as possible everywhere. Old Nashville felt a little more authentic and unique, too. But honestly, I think a lot of that comes from the fact that it wasn’t the current social media era where everything has become one big (same) Instagram aesthetic.
As for “New Nashville,” I love the variety of dining/shopping/entertainment options. I never thought some of my favorite places in New York would be opening outposts here! Gentrification and development are tricky issues, but it’s interesting to see how different neighborhoods, with their own vibes and characteristics, have emerged. I always tell people that pre-boom, Nashville was just four or five areas that were spread out; people would choose one to live in and become part of that community.
I’ll crack jokes about transplants, but I’ve also made a lot of wonderful friends who are newer to town and bring a lot of passion and good things to the city. I think as long as you don’t swoop in and act like you own the place or become a know-it-all after living here for six months, you’re a welcome addition.
What has the general reaction to the podcast been like so far?
Surprising, supportive, enthusiastic! I’ve been amazed at how many old friends and acquaintances have reached out to say they’re enjoying it. It’s funny because there are a lot of people in town who I thought would be mad about the podcast for various reasons, and they love it.
A lot of people were shocked by the information we found out and revealed in the final episode. Many weren’t familiar with the story, even though it happened fairly recently, and didn’t realize things like this were happening in Nashville.
But many have also listened to the series and knew some of the main characters or had their own interactions and dealings with them. Their feedback is always interesting.
We have to ask: Any chance you’ll reveal the identity of the “Julia Sugarbaker” from the podcast? She’s definitely a standout character.
If she’s up for it! I can ask — I owe her a phone call to catch up. That could be a fun bonus episode. I tell people she’s like the chorus in an ancient Greek tragedy: someone who comes in and out of the story, commenting and explaining things. A Greek chorus member who loves justice, gossip, dirty jokes, and Louis Vuitton purses.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Three things you can’t live without? 1. Dogs 2. European crime shows — “Nordic Noir” stuff like this Danish-Swedish series called The Bridge (I stay connected to my Scandinavian roots!) 3. Roberto’s Citrus Mint Tea Punch from FoodCo in Green Hills
Favorite hidden gem in Nashville? Spread Market & Larder in Germantown
Most memorable recent local meal? Last weekend, I had dinner with a high school friend at Xiao Bao on the east side. We did it right: crab rice, bao buns, okonomiyaki … martinis.
Best advice you’ve ever received? “Say it, forget it. Write it, regret it.” (Basically, conversations won’t haunt you like texts/emails/digital receipts!)
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Nashville women are nothing short of inspiring. Meet more of them over at our FACES archives!
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