Wheels Off With Rhett Miller

In this episode, award-winning writer/director Jenny Turner Hall joins Rhett from her home in Maplewood, NJ to talk about the creative projects she’s working on, including a scripted series inspired by New York’s infamous Brill Building. Jenny tells Rhett about growing up in a family of storytellers, why she prefers collaboration, and that time she ran an artist’s speakeasy out of her basement. Jenny and Rhett reminisce about being a young creative in New York City and Jenny reads a letter that she wrote to her 21-year old self.  Jenny Turner Hall is a Peabody Award Winner and a Writer/Director at the forefront of multi-platform storytelling. She has projects in film, television, podcasting, immersive theater, and fiction. With her friend Marcy Thompson, Jenny writes and produces for STUDIO B, a home for experimental theater, live performance, and hybrid art.  Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted by Rhett Miller. Produced by Rhett Miller, Kirsten Cluthe, and Nick Ruffini. Production assistance

Singer-songwriter Robert Ellis joins Rhett from his home in Fort Worth, TX. to talk about life in the music business, the struggle of self-promotion, and his recent pivot to producing music. Robert explains why he tells his students to make an audio mood board when writing music, and tells Rhett about moving a piano to the top of a mountain to get the cover shot for his album, Texas Piano Man.  Robert Ellis is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who blends country, pop music and jazz. His most recent album is Texas Piano Man (2019).  Wheels Off is brought to you by Osiris Media. Hosted by Rhett Miller. Produced by Rhett Miller, Kirsten Cluthe, and Nick Ruffini. Editing by Justin Thomas (Revoice Media). Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Katherine Boils. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Lauren Groff joins Rhett from her home in Gainesville, FL. to talk about her creative process, facing her fears through writing, and how she handles the pressure of publishing her work. Lauren explains what she learns from reading poetry, what it means to ‘allow failure’ into your writing, and why index cards are one of her go-to writing tools. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Bestselling author Julia Cameron joins Rhett from her home in Santa Fe to talk about channeling creativity during the pandemic, what it means to ‘step past your inner censor’, and why her book The Artist’s Way caught on. Julia tells Rhett about the critic that’s been with her since she was 18, and what she learned when she decided to become a teacher. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sportswriter Calvin Watkins joins Rhett from his home in Plano, TX. to talk about his career, the lessons he learned as a young writer, and what it’s like to cover major sports activities, like the NFL draft, during COVID. Calvin Watkins covers the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer and comedian Karen Kilgariff joins Rhett this week to talk about why she pivoted from acting to writing, creating her podcast network, Exactly Right, and tells Rhett about the moment she realized she wanted to be in show business. Rhett and Karen talk about the understated brilliance of Elliott Smith and Fiona Apple, the importance of appreciating your uniqueness as an artist, and why you shouldn’t judge your own work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Lucero front man Ben Nichols joins Rhett from his home in Ohio to discuss learning how to create graphic novels, writing music through the pandemic, and the work ethic that is the engine behind his band’s success. Ben describes the band’s early days in Memphis and the pivotal moment when keyboardist Rick Steff joined the band. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norah joins Rhett from her home in New York to talk about her writing process, finding quiet time to be creative, and how she learned how to navigate through the early success of her career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rhett welcomes author David Daley, whose new book "Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy" documents nationwide grassroots efforts to make democracy more inclusive.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy-winning musician Dan Wilson joins Rhett to talk about creating his deck of cards, “Words & Music in 6 Seconds”, learning how to live an artistic life, and what it’s like to write songs with some of his musical heroes. Dan Wilson is a singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and visual artist. He is the leader of the band Semisonic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy-winning musician Jeff Tweedy joins Rhett to talk about his new book and what the process of writing music has been like during the pandemic. The two discuss songwriting as a reaction to stress, how he discerns between imposter syndrome and anxiety, and why the power of observation is a useful writing trick. Jeff explains his above-average music consumption habit and the sense of awe he experiences when discovering a new album. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kathy Valentine, acclaimed musician, songwriter and author, joins Rhett from her home in Austin to discuss her new book, her career with The Go-Gos, and what it means to be a woman in music. Kathy describes the moment when she realized that she wanted to be in a band, what she learned from Joan Jett, and getting through tough times with humor and bravery. The two reflect on the magical moments that only seem to happen in LA, and that time when Kathy’s band became the wedding band to the stars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buck Meek, lead guitarist for Big Thief and accomplished solo artist, joins Rhett from his home in Topanga Canyon, CA. to talk about how he’s been spending his time during the pandemic, including creating new music with Big Thief. Buck tells Rhett about learning guitar from local players while growing up in Texas, and the impact that the Kerrville Folk Festival had on his musical education before he went to Berklee. The two talk about removing the obstacle of self-reflection during the recording process, and the importance of trusting yourself as an artist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, chef Silvia Barban joins Rhett to spread some positive energy and share the story about how she learned to cook the food that would make her a culinary star. Silvia tells Rhett about spending time in the kitchen with her Grandmother in Italy, and the moment when she realized that she wanted to make everyone feel good with her food. The two discuss why creating food is like creating art, Silvia explains her approach of “transporting people” through meals she makes, and why her family called her “Earthquake” when she was a kid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suzanne Santo joins Rhett from her home in Los Angeles to talk about focusing on self-care during the pandemic, the pressure to create, and how the forced downtime for the music industry could result in a new and improved model. The two wax ecstatic about Ohio, discuss live streaming and Zoom performances, and Suzanne recalls the time she sang “River” for Joni Mitchell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Burditt is an American producer and screenwriter who has worked on television shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Frasier, Modern Family, 30 Rock, and The Mindy Project. He joins Rhett from his home in California to talk about getting his start with a spec script for Seinfeld, balancing creative bravery with the need to pay the bills, and how staying away from social media (and television) finally allowed him to finish his novel. He tells Rhett about what he’s learned from writing sitcoms, and the two reminisce about that time he convinced Rhett (and friends) to appear on an episode of 30 Rock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Wolfe joins Rhett from her hometown of Austin to talk about writing music for her next record, why she was drawn to the guitar at a very young age, and where she developed her strong work ethic. The two discuss why the music industry is more challenging now than for previous generations, the enormous power of her live performances, and the unstoppable drive that keeps her going. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, comedian Wyatt Cenac joins Rhett to talk about figuring out his next creative project while adjusting to a new normal, what it feels like to perform online, and recalls the days when he was an intern at SNL. Wyatt tells Rhett about that time he took a test to determine what career path he should take, the unexpected impact of his “Happy Hour Record Club” (Instagram), and what it really means to be persistent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Poet and author Maggie Smith joins Rhett from her home outside of Columbus, OH. to talk about getting naked emotionally and how her new book, Keep Moving, came together through a series of notes she was writing to herself. The two talk about finding silver linings during the pandemic, and Maggie explains why it’s important to bring a sense of wonder to your work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.