Authenticity and craftsmanship shine through every moment of our conversation with Daniel "Stubbs" Lucus, whose remarkable journey from rural poverty to HGTV recognition captivates from start to finish.

Stubbs (only his mamma calls him Daniel) takes us back to his childhood, where, at just 10 years old, he started his first business—growing and selling peas with help from his grandfather's mule.

His entrepreneurial spirit defined his unconventional path through life. When traditional education wasn't working, he convinced school officials to let him attend vocational training as an eighth-grader by threatening to quit.

Despite being told that "left-handed men aren't good at nothing [sic]," he discovered his talent for woodworking and began mastering the skills that would define his career.

The storytelling here is masterful as Stubbs recounts his evolution into one of the region's most respected cabinet makers, eventually landing him regular appearances on HGTV's "Hometown" show based in Laurel, Mississippi. Between tales of hunting adventures that led to hosting "Real South Hunting" for a decade and the hilarious accidental marriage proposal to his wife of 28 years ("The only thing I'd change about you would be your address"), we witness the authentic character of a man who built success through determination and skilled hands.

What resonates most is how Stubbs frames each challenge as an opportunity—whether paying for his children's births with watermelon farming proceeds or working 16-hour days to support five kids in his blended family. His story showcases the power of practical wisdom, an unwavering work ethic, and staying true to your roots.

Want to hear more? We do too; we've invited Stubbs back for part two in September. In the meantime, share and rate Stories from Cold Springs to help us delight even more folks with Mississippi's most authentic storytelling podcast.

*Check out Stubbs's craftsmanship on HGTV's Hometown or find his Real South Hunting channel on YouTube.

Garfield Moore didn’t set out to become a cellist. But sometimes the right moment finds you—and for him, it happened in a school assembly, when a beloved guitar teacher revealed she was, in fact, a cellist. That quiet surprise would tune the rest of his life.

In this moving episode of Stories from Cold Springs, Moore shares a remarkable musical journey—one shaped by legacy, resilience, and joy. Born into a family of groundbreaking Black professionals—his grandfather the first African American OB-GYN professor in Chicago, his father the first Black ER director in Berkeley—Garfield grew up surrounded by excellence. But perhaps no influence was greater than his mother.

When his parents separated in the 1950s, Garfield watched his mother—once a devoted housewife—build a career from the ground up in a world that offered few opportunities to women of color. She rose to become a professor at one of California’s largest state universities, and today, a full scholarship bears her name. “Her achievement is utterly superb,” Garfield says. “That’s something she did without help.” Her determination, alongside the examples of Dr. King, Leontyne Price, and his father, instilled in him a profound sense of responsibility and purpose.

From a 1979 Carnegie Hall debut with jazz legend Sarah Vaughan (“one of the greatest music lessons I’ve ever had”) to backstage encounters with Dean Martin, Lucille Ball, and Liza Minnelli, Moore’s career is a kaleidoscope of American cultural history. Yet his story is not defined by fame, but by perseverance.

He speaks with reverence about Leontyne Price, whose performance once gave him strength during a personal collapse. “When I left that theater,” he recalls, “I decided—if she can do this, I can do something.” That connection to Mississippi would become even more meaningful years later, when Garfield and his husband moved to the tiny town of Bassfield. What some might’ve seen as a step back became a return to purpose.

Now preparing concerts that span from Bach to Rock, Moore continues to teach, practice, and dream—including his goal of becoming the first American cellist to perform all six Bach Suites in Portugal.

Whether you're here for the music, the memories, or the legacy of those who paved the way, Garfield Moore’s story reminds us that inspiration doesn’t just come from the stage—it’s passed down, lived out, and kept alive through the act of telling it.

🎧 New episodes each month, right here in Cold Springs—where stories don’t just live, they resonate.

Every storyteller starts somewhere. For J. Stephen Beam, it began in the red clay hills of northeast Mississippi, where stories were passed around like heirloom recipes—spoken with reverence, humor, and heart. In this premiere episode of Stories from Cold Springs, Stephen steps out from behind the narrator’s chair and into the spotlight to share his own story—one rooted in family, hard work, and a lifelong yearning to create.

Interviewed by his wife, Dawn Beam—an accomplished judge and podcast host herself—Stephen opens up with gentle candor about his winding path from a 60-acre family farm, to the classroom, to a decades-long career as a physician. But even as he was healing others, a quieter voice inside was always asking, When do we tell our own stories?

That answer arrived later in life, sparked by an act both simple and profound: digging a grave for a beloved dog. That moment would become the emotional first scene in The Death Letter, Stephen’s debut novel set in the fictional town of Cold Springs—a place not unlike the one where he grew up.

What follows is a conversation full of laughter, memory, and meaning. Stephen reflects on the power of imagination, the detours we take, and the truth that creativity doesn't come with a deadline. His second novel, The Bondage of Innocents, tackles the subject of human trafficking with both urgency and empathy, and two more novels are already in the works.

More than just a personal history, this episode is a quiet call to anyone who’s ever felt a story stirring inside. Whether your medium is music, woodworking, painting, or pie crusts—Stephen reminds us that the creative spark never truly fades. It waits. And when the time is right, it lights up everything.

After you give this episode a listen, you will understand the episode's title!

J Stephen Beam introduces listeners to his new podcast and explains his WHY! This teaser will make you want to grab a cup of sweet tea and settle into a wooden swing on a farmhouse porch in Mississippi.

You'll never think about storytelling and creativity the same way.