He’s a metal scrapper who moonlights as a political pundit — a hard-working East Nashvillian whose views have become known far beyond the local junkyard.
Carl Hill, perhaps better known as “Carl from Nashville,” has been a regular caller to NPR’s “On Point” political talk show for about a decade.
Hardly a week goes by without Hill appearing on air with something to say, usually deeply researched and strongly opinionated. (Locally, he’s also a mainstay on sports talk shows.)
WPLN recently spent time with Hill as part of a nationwide NPR project, “A Nation Engaged,” which seeks answers to two questions this week: What does it mean to be an American? And, what can the next president do to further that vision?
Hill’s answers combine lessons gleaned from his daily work and his obsessive interest in politics, which began even before he was a teenager, growing up in Chicago.
The 45-year-old starts each morning shuttling two of his five children to school before arriving at the vacant gravel lot that he refers to as his “office.” It’s piled with scrap, broken lawn mowers and old appliances.
On a recent morning, he pried apart an air conditioner that someone had dropped off. He knew the metal coil inside was the most valuable.
“Now this is worth 20 times what that’s worth,” he said, comparing the coil to the rest of the machine.
It’s dirty work under a hot sun.
But Hill takes pride in running his own scrapping operation, which along with his wife’s work, has paid for a mortgage and supported the family.
He preaches patience, hustle and customer service. He credits his time as a restaurant waiter for the wisdom.
“Waiting tables is basically preparing you to be your own entrepreneur, being your own owner. Because you make as much money as you’re willing to work for,” he said.
To read the full story, visit http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/how-nashville-metal-scrapper-became-nationally-known-his-politics#stream/0.