Over 31 years ago, an ad ran in the Tennessean newspaper seeking an archivist for the Metro Government. At the time, Ken Fieth was working at the Tennessee State Library & Archives but noticed the ad and saw a potential future for himself. He applied, and history was made!

When Ken started as Metro Archivist, the institution consisted of just one building (the old Mt. Zeno school on Elm Hill Pike) and, as far as he remembers, only one staff member. But Ken quickly got to work, growing the repository from that one building to now occupying space in three. Today, we're a staff of five full-time employees and one part-time audiovisual archivist.

Throughout his tenure, Ken not only led the physical growth of the Archives but also spearheaded the creation of many important projects, such as the establishment of the Audiovisual Heritage Center for our A/V collections and the development of the Nashville Enslaved and Free People of Color Database. He also played a key role in coordinating and planning to receive the highly valuable Nashville Banner Negatives Collection, now owned by the Nashville Public Library.

After more than three decades of dedicated service, Ken retired as Metro Archivist, leaving behind an incredible legacy of growth, innovation, and preservation.

Beyond these milestones, the staff will always remember Ken as the highly intelligent, witty, and joke-ready boss who made every day at the Archives a memorable treat.

In this podcast, Sarah and Darnetha sit down with Ken to learn how he became the man, the myth, the legend that he is, and to hear some of his favorite memories from his many years with Metro Archives.