Quick-Fire Quips
Wednesdays at 7:45 a.m. and 4:44 p.m.
Quick-Fire Quips is an on-air and online interview segment series on Alabama Public Radio. It's centered around people who stand out in Alabama. Host Baillee Majors presents guests with a questionnaire of playful personal questions and questions about the Yellowhammer State. This feel-good series is meant to be a bridge for listeners to feel more connected to guests from different Alabama communities while also hearing about the good that's happening in our cities, towns and state.
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Go behind the scenes of the "coolest government job in the world" with Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella! We’re diving into the Rocket City’s booming music scene just in time for international Make Music Day. From coordinating porch jams to Matt’s secret fear of heights and his mom’s candy rules still spooking him to this day—join APR host Baillee Majors for a fun, fast-paced look at the music heartbeat of Alabama. -
Craft tokens, messy dating shows and angel numbers! Sapphic Craftin' is celebrating two years of bringing queer, sober and creative spaces to Mobile. In this episode of Quick-Fire Quips, co-founders Saige and Audrey talk about building chosen family in the South and what they hope to see for the future of the local LGBTQ+ community. Plus, the best analog hobbies—from felt embroidery to sewing— and a shared love for Black Cat Vegan Bakery pastries. -
With 29 albums under his belt, Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame inductee and recent Alabama Distinguished Artist Award winner Eric Essex isn't slowing down. On this week's episode of Quick-Fire Quips, he sits down with Baillee Majors to tease his upcoming album, Things Above. But it’s not just about the music— also takes us behind his music education work in Alabama schools, reveals his Marvel comic book nerd status and names the three albums he'd give to an alien invasion! -
What happens when you mix forensic engineering with abstract art? Ask Dr. Raymond Thompson. The first-gen college student turned engineering legend has spent more than 60 years looking at the hidden beauty inside metals. On this episode of Quick-Fire Quips, he joins APR's Baillee Majors to talk about the evolution of Alabama tech, his "love letter" to the city that launched his business career—and how he's turning industrial steel into stunning public art at Sloss Furnaces. -
Pull up a chair! The Shoals Storytelling Festival is almost here. Heartfelt history to tall tales to professional lying will be front and center at The Shoals Theatre starting tomorrow! On this Quick-Fire Quips, Director Leslie McCrory shares why Florence is the perfect backdrop for this ancient art form. Plus, the unique power of the one-stage experience and how a shared laugh turns a room full of strangers into a community. -
Today is our one-year anniversary of Quick-Fire Quips! To celebrate, host Baillee Majors sits down with a very special guest: her grandmother, Elaine Carmichael. At 92 years young, she's a retired teacher and principal at Goshen Elementary and former Troy Messenger writer and editor. She shares heartwarming stories of small-town life in Goshen— and offers her timeless wisdom on faith, family and what truly makes a community feel like home. -
Tuscaloosa residents know how to measure time: there’s 'before the tornado' and 'after the tornado'. For Dr. Shane Crawford, that milestone became a mission. After witnessing the 2011 outbreak as a UA student, he didn't just rebuild—he innovated. On this episode of Quick-Fire Quips, we explore the world of disaster resilience—from a lab where 150-mph debris meets next-gen concrete, to how the lessons of our past are fueling the innovations of 2026. -
Justinn Overton isn’t just patrolling the water—she’s advocating for your health! In this episode of Quick-Fire Quips: Dive into the world of Coosa Riverkeeper. Find out why Alabama’s waterways are the ultimate playground, learn the best "right to know" safety tips for your next float and—believe it or not—discover why Justinn is keeping a very close eye out for kangaroos in the Deep South. -
Meet Jun Ebersole, the man who proves Alabama is actually the "Shark Tooth Capital of the Cosmos." As the Director of Collections at the McWane Science Center, Jun spends his days elbow-deep in everything from 37-million-year-old "sea monsters" to... well, 100 pounds of whale brain. In this episode of Quick-Fire Quips, his passion for Alabama's "paleo-biodiversity" is infectious. Catch the full conversation to find out why your backyard might be a scientific goldmine! -
Fannie Etheridge has been quilting for 30 years, but she’ll be the first to tell you that the legacy of Gee’s Bend started long before her. She shared a beautiful insight during our latest Quick-Fire Quips: The women who started the Freedom Quilting Bee didn't have five-year business plans—they had an idea, a community and the drive to build something from nothing. Today, those quilts aren't just blankets, they are world-renowned art.
