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Drew Taylor

@mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social
417 followers 240 following 363 posts

Journalist, Husband, Music Lover, Reader, all-things Alabama Looking for my next adventure.

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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Greek Food Festival in Birmingham. Been coming since I was a kid. Bringing back some spanakopita, kourambiethes, dolmathes, and baklava.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Outgoing WBHM Director Will Dahlberg saying that Birmingham’s NPR station will be required to use the term “Gulf of America,” or it could impact the station’s relationship with UAB.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Like a bad fever, this Alabama summer heat wave has finally broke. I could cry for how nice it feels outside right now.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Today is John Coltrane’s 100th birthday. He’s meant so much to me in my life. According to researchers, he used MLK’s cadence from his eulogy for the four girls killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing as musical inspiration for “Alabama.”
youtu.be
John Coltrane - Alabama - Live at Birdland
YouTube video by Carl Borrelli
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Always great talking to the magisterial John T. Edge, whose travel show, “TrueSouth,” will be profiling the Muscle Shoals area in north Alabama in its ninth season debut tonight. From FAME Studios to Trowbridge’s and the Tennessee River, the Shoals has its own magic. For @al.com.
al.com
From FAME Studios to a slawdog at Bunyan's, the latest 'TrueSouth' episode is a love letter to the Shoals
The SEC Network show turns its cameras on the people of the Shoals — not just the food — in its newest episode.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
For the 25th anniversary of 9/11, I’m resharing my profile of Lynn Edwards Angell. It was the first in-depth profile on her life, more than just being the wife of “Frasier” co-creator David Angell.
cbs42.com
25 years after 9/11, Mountain Brook woman’s legacy remains larger than her death
In 1984, Angell was nominated for his first Emmy award for an episode of “Cheers” he had written during the show’s second season. Years of struggling had led up to that night.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
My latest piece for @TrussTribune on Chelsi Banks, a Trussville native and aspiring fashion journalist at Auburn University who was recently profiled in Vogue magazine as one of 50 young people across the country influencing American style today.
trussvilletribune.com
Trussville woman gets major platform in Vogue magazine
By Drew Taylor Growing up in Trussville, Chelsi Banks would pore through every page of the latest Vogue magazine she could get her hands on. Banks had always been into fashion, going back to nights sh
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Full rainbow at Pelham High School. First one I’ve seen in years.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Robertsdale, Alabama native Tim Cook out as CEO of Apple. (via @nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
John Ternus Replaces Tim Cook as Apple CEO
Big technology and management changes are greeting John Ternus, whose long-serving predecessor, Tim Cook, will stay on as executive chair.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Can we please talk about grilled peaches? My wife and I had them at a restaurant not long ago and I’m obsessed. Can’t believe it never occurred to me before.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Momma sewed the rags together Sewin' every piece with love She made my coat of many colors That I was so proud of RIP, Dolly. This one hurts.
youtu.be
Dolly Parton - Coat of many colors
YouTube video by ir0bc
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Today kicks off the 28th annual Sidewalk Film Festival, where over 200 films will be screened throughout the week in Birmingham. Personally, I'm looking forward to is John Wilson's "The History of Concrete," as well as the Alabama doc "Show Me the Line." My piece for @bhamwatch.bsky.social.
birminghamwatch.org
Sidewalk Film Festival kicks off 28th year in downtown Birmingham - BirminghamWatch
More than 200 films will be screened during the weeklong event.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Road to Burma is the latest restaurant to come to Pizitz Food Hall in downtown Birmingham, opened by a couple who were once doctors in Myanmar before a military occupation forced them to leave their home. For @al.com.
al.com
2 doctors fled Myanmar's military coup — now they're feeding Birmingham something it's never tasted
Owners Thiha Lin and Ei Tinzar Hlaing left Myanmar in 2023 after the coup.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Road to Burma is the latest restaurant to come to Pizitz Food Hall in downtown Birmingham, opened by a couple who were once doctors in Myanmar before a military occupation forced them to leave their home. For AL.com.
al.com
https://www.al.com/life/2026/08/the-incredible-story-behind-birminghams-new-burmese-restaurant-opened-by-refugees-from-myanmar.html
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
The one where I talked to longtime Center Point Fire Battalion Chief Chris Horn for @trussvilletribune.bsky.social about the moment he knew he wanted to be a firefighter.
trussvilletribune.com
Chris Horn looks back on 38 years at Center Point Fire District
By Drew Taylor Chris Horn still remembers the day he knew he wanted to be a firefighter. He was 15 and had already been volunteering at the Center Point Fire District for a little over a year. He admi
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
More Paul Theroux, less doomscrolling. For @nytimes.com, the famed travel writer walked 30 miles along the King Charles III England Coast Path.
nytimes.com
Walking the King Charles III England Coast Path, Now Open to All
Paul Theroux traced the British coastline in 1982 for his book “The Kingdom by the Sea.” This year he walked parts of the new King Charles III England Coast Path, a continuous route along the country’...
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Me and the illustrious Solomon Crenshaw Jr. covered the 6th Congressional district primary last night for @bhamwatch.bsky.social, which will pit former Pelham city councilman Maurice Mercer against longtime incumbent Gary Palmer come November.
birminghamwatch.org
Palmer, Mercer and Akin Win Nominations to Run for Congress - BirminghamWatch
Gary Palmer and Maurice Mercer will face off in the Nov. 3 election; Ammie Akin to vie against Terri Sewell.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
I can only imagine that people nationwide watching Steve Kornacki calling precincts on election night is as close as the country will ever get to knowing how people in central Alabama feel watching James Spann do wall-to-wall coverage during a tornado.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
For Village Living: Students at Mountain Brook Schools will notice a lot of changes when they come back to the classroom this week due to many capital improvement projects completed over the summer.
villagelivingonline.com
Mountain Brook Schools on track to complete summer renovation projects
Mountain Brook Schools is completing more than $2 million in summer facility upgrades across five campuses, including roofing, flooring, lighting, painting and bathroom renovations.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
I’ve been a fan of Red Pearl for years, back when it was a well-kept secret between both restaurateurs and the gastronomically adventurous. Now, it’s almost a right of passage for the Alabama foodie. My piece for @al.com.
al.com
Red Pearl remains a culinary experience for foodie explorers in Birmingham
Unlike the fiery, flash-pan style cooking seen in its back kitchen, Red Pearl came onto the Birmingham food scene almost like a whisper.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Once a stalwart of Birmingham’s culinary community, Nick Pihakis has filed for bankruptcy, citing $44 million in debt following the collapse of his food empire, Pihakis Restaurant Group. (via @billineastala.bsky.social)
al.com
Pihakis files for bankruptcy, claims $44 million debt in Birmingham restaurant empire collapse
It is a stunning turn of events for a legendary figure in Birmingham’s culinary scene going back four decades.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
For @al.com, I wrote a profile on JJ’s Sandwich Shop, a kosher food truck in Birmingham run by Knesseth Israel Congregation, the oldest Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Alabama.
al.com
Story of a kosher food truck run by the oldest Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Alabama
JJ’s Sandwich Shop, a kosher food truck run by the 137-year-old synagogue, serves deli favorites from New York-style pastrami sandwiches to schnitzel, burgers and hot dogs.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
My piece for @al.com on Green Acres, a family-run soul food joint whose chicken wings and fried green tomatoes have been a staple of downtown Birmingham for nearly 70 years.
al.com
This beloved Birmingham soul food restaurant survived a bombing, relocations, and 70 years of change with one simple menu
From its chicken wings to its famous fried green tomatoes, the menu at Green Acres has pretty much stayed the same since Greg’s father, Charles Gratton, started it in 1958.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The end of the Birmingham Stallions, as reported by @roysj.bsky.social, brings to mind my 2021 piece where I spoke with members of the original Stallions team from the 80s about their memories, as well as their hopes for that revived dream.
cbs42.com
Revival of the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions brings back memories for those who played the first time around
Revival of the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions brings back memories for those who played the first time around
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Very sad to learn that Charles Gaines, a Birmingham native and prolific writer who helped bring Arnold Schwarzenegger to the public consciousness with "Pumping Iron, "recently died. I've long admired his work and was lucky to spend a little time with him.
nytimes.com
Charles Gaines, Whose ‘Pumping Iron’ Sparked Schwarzenegger’s Career, Dies at 84
An author and sportsman, he helped create the game of paintball and wrote the book and movie that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a household name.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Late last year, the River Fish Market closed its doors for good after nearly 90 years in Birmingham's Collegeville neighborhood. By April, it had been torn down. There was no announcement, no celebration. It was a quiet death for one of the oldest restaurants in the city. My piece for @al.com.
al.com
The quiet death of the River Fish Market, one of the oldest restaurants in Birmingham
It was a fish market and restaurant for nearly 90 years.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
My piece for @TrussTribune on Chog Media, a local media production company based in Trussville, and the sitcom pilot they shot in and around the Birmingham area.
trussvilletribune.com
Pilot episode of show shot in Birmingham area premiering Sunday in Trussville
Drew Taylor A pilot for a new “sitcom” that was filmed in and around the Birmingham area, will premiere this weekend in Trussville. The show, “A Work in Progress,” will debut Sunday, July 26, at Ferus
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Big changes happening in local TV news as CBS 42, my former shop that has been the sole carrier of CBS content in Birmingham since 1970, will become a CW station while NBC affiliate WVTM will carry CBS on its digital substation. (via @billineastala.bsky.social)
al.com
Big changes are coming to two Birmingham television stations
The changes are expected to take effect Aug. 1.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Have a story coming out this weekend. Stay tuned…
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
A little update: I'm still on the job hunt, but wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has been so kind and encouraging to me and my family this last month.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Bill Greason, the last living member of the Negro Leagues who played for the Birmingham Black Barons and was pastor of Bethel Baptist Church for decades, has lived through over 40% of American history.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
My story for the @trussvilletribune.bsky.social on a special little travel club in town that visited the Great American State Fair in Washington, as well as different Revolutionary War sites, leading up to the Fourth of July. www.trussvilletribune.com/2026/07/03/t...
trussvilletribune.com
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
My piece for AL.com on George Sarris and the enduring legacy of The Fish Market, one of the crown jewels of Birmingham's Southside.
al.com
George Sarris built one of Birmingham's most enduring restaurants from scratch — here's the inspiring story behind it
George Sarris has owned The Fish Market for 43 years and says he'll work until 'the good Lord calls me home.'
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
My story for @trussvilletribune.bsky.social on Amerex, a fire extinguisher company that has been headquartered in the city of Trussville for 55 years. www.trussvilletribune.com/2026/06/19/a...
trussvilletribune.com
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Gutted to find out that longtime New Yorker writer Mark Singer has died. I have several of his collections, but his David Milch profile on the final chapter for the “Deadwood” creator” ranks among my favorites.
newyorker.com
David Milch’s Third Act
Despite what dementia has stolen from the cerebral creator of “Deadwood,” it has given his work a new sense of urgency.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
My story for @al.com on Pop’s Neighborhood Grill, a small hole-in-the-wall diner that has become a staple of Birmingham’s Southside over the last 16 years.
al.com
The remarkable family legacy behind this Birmingham restaurant spans generations
Pop's Neighborhood Grill is the last business standing in the Shepherd-Sloss Building, surviving fires, closures and neighborhood transformation over 16 years.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
For BirminghamWatch: Former Midfield judge Everett Wess wins Democratic runoff to challenge Barry Moore for Alabama Senate seat.
birminghamwatch.org
Wess Clenches Democratic Runoff for U.S. Senate Seat, More Statewide Results - BirminghamWatch
Democrats look to catch a “blue wave” this year; nominees decided in statewide GOP races.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
My piece for @alabamareflector.com on Greene County, which has some of the highest voter turnout in Alabama. It’s a tradition steeped in its history, especially 1969, when it elected the nation’s first majority-Black local government since Reconstruction.
alabamareflector.com
A sense of history: Why this Black Belt county has Alabama's highest voter turnout | Alabama Reflector
Greene County is Alabama's smallest by population. But it usually posts high voter turnout. Memories of disenfranchisement play a big role.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Reporting trip
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Was not gone from CBS 42 for 24 hours when I was asked by Birmingham Watch to follow Alabama Rep. Juadalynn Givan’s lawsuit involving Alicia Escott Lumpkin, who beat her in the House District 60 Democratic primary.
birminghamwatch.org
Givan Challenges Primary Winner’s Eligibility in Alabama House Race - BirminghamWatch
The four-term legislator contends challenger Lumpkin still worked for the mayor while running for office, which would be barred by law.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
The good people at the Trussville Tribune were kind enough to let me profile Hewitt-Trussville athletic director Lance Walker.
trussvilletribune.com
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
-30-
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Being laid off is not my idea of a good time, but it is what it is. Myself and several others at CBS 42 are spending our last day here today.
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Reposted by Drew Taylor
Ann Powers @annkpowers.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
It was his time, but this is a profound loss to jazz and to America: Sonny Rollins, colossus of the saxophone, has died at 95 www.npr.org/2026/05/25/5...
npr.org
Sonny Rollins, colossus of the saxophone, has died at 95
The legendary jazz saxophonist, who revolutionized the art of improvisation, died Monday at his home in Woodstock, N.Y.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Clarence B. Jones, an attorney and speechwriter for Martin Luther King, Jr. who helped draft his "I Have a Dream" speech, as well as played a role in getting "Letter from Birmingham Jail" out into the world, has died. He was 95.
cbs42.com
Clarence B. Jones, MLK speechwriter who snuck out notes that would become ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail,’ dies
Clarence B. Jones, an attorney and speechwriter for Martin Luther King, Jr. who was with the late minister and civil rights activist for most of his public life, including helping to draft his famo…
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Happy to see my friend and CW brother Corey Craft living his best life at the Cannes Film Festival.
cbs42.com
Alabama movie buff crosses Cannes Film Festival off his bucket list
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Right before our interview, Corey Craft had just finished some pistachio gelato. That, as well as a couple of slices of pizza and some wine at La Pizza Cresci, are only th…
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Happy Sun Ra Day to you all. Here’s one of my more recent favorites, “Twin Stars of Thence,” from “Lanquidity,” on of the Birmingham icon’s more accessible albums.
youtu.be
Twin Stars of Thence (Remastered)
YouTube video by Sun Ra - Topic
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Nana Funk’s, the place where countless people have made countless bad decisions the last 20 years, will be closing this weekend in downtown Birmingham. I wonder what will happen to the old Crown Royal throne?
cbs42.com
Nana Funk’s closing after 20 years in downtown Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Nana Funk’s, a popular bar and nightclub in Birmingham’s Lakeview neighborhood, will be closing for good this weekend. The bar, which first opened in 2006, has…
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
My last day at CBS 42 will be June 1.
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Drew Taylor @mrdrewtaylor.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
I've always enjoyed reading Margaret Renkl (@margaretrenkl.bsky.social) and the touches of humanity and empathy she brought to her New York Times opinion pieces. It goes to show that you can find an audience without being a partisan or pugilist.
cbs42.com
Margaret Renkl, Alabama-born writer who covered the South in all its natural beauty, ends New York Times column
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — For years, Margaret Renkl has written about some of the things closest to her heart–family, nature, the South– many of them featured in her long-running column…
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