Genuinely Southern
Whether through writing, broadcasting, or word-of-mouth, stories have always forged a connection between people and places. Nowhere else is this truer than in The South.
Southern artist, influencer, speaker, and author Mark Ballard will weave stories of life in Macon, Georgia, and stories of the South. Tails told as only Mark can, will be interwoven with guest interviews and listener questions, and requests.
Latest Episodes
Genuinely Southern, Ep.#7: The Pussy Willow Princess
October 14, 2026
What do chocolate-covered doughnuts, flying English peas, a rainbow-colored piano, and a Pennsylvania pussy willow farm have in common? Mark Ballard's family, naturally.
In this episode, Mark revisits childhood visits to his relatives in Dublin, Georgia, where two very different approaches... Read More
In this episode, Mark revisits childhood visits to his relatives in Dublin, Georgia, where two very different approaches... Read More
Genuinely Southern: Where Stories, Style & the South Collide - Mid-Season
October 7, 2026
Six episodes down, and Mark Ballard is just getting warmed up!
From unforgettable Southern traditions and colorful characters to family memories, unexpected adventures, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments, Genuinely Southern is serving up stories the way only Mark can... Read More
From unforgettable Southern traditions and colorful characters to family memories, unexpected adventures, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments, Genuinely Southern is serving up stories the way only Mark can... Read More
Genuinely Southern, Ep.#6: Funeral Foods
September 23, 2026
In the South, when somebody dies, you don't just send condolences—you send food.
Mark Ballard looks back at the wonderfully Southern tradition of funeral food, when church ladies descended on a grieving household armed with fried chicken, casseroles, homemade cakes and... Read More
Mark Ballard looks back at the wonderfully Southern tradition of funeral food, when church ladies descended on a grieving household armed with fried chicken, casseroles, homemade cakes and... Read More
Genuinely Southern, Ep.#5: Becoming "The Artist"
September 9, 2026
Before the books, television, radio and decorating, Mark Ballard was a South Macon kid who drew on anything he could find. In this episode of Genuinely Southern, Mark tells the story of becoming “The Artist.” It begins with a third-grade teacher who recognized his...
Read More
Genuinely Southern, Ep.#4: How I Met My Wife… When I Was Two
August 26, 2026
How exactly do you explain a love story that begins with a toddler in a diaper, takes a detour through church musicals, the Georgia State Fair and Atlanta disco, and ends with a wedding in one of Macon’s grandest historic homes? Mark Ballard welcomes a particularly special guest to Genuinely...
Read More
