In the latest episode of Off the Record, Riley Green sits down with host Lisa Konicki for a conversation that begins with the reality of fame, including AI-generated stories about his family, before turning to AI in songwriting. Green insists real country music has to come from lived experience, not a machine: "I feel like that's a really lazy way to try to create something." Throughout the show, Green gets to dig into his new album, That's Just Me, touching on the album’s name, its mix of autobiographical and co-written songs, and standout collaborations— including honoring the late Toby Keith on "Think As You Drunk" with a Keith vocal snippet, that Green calls "a perfect little surprise, tip of the cap, and a great little moment in the song." Listeners also get a look at Green’s favorite classic country songs, his family roots, and his current stint on The Voice. The episode is a personal discussion that lives up to its Off the Record name. Let’s go Off the Record with Riley Green. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

In the latest episode of Off the Record, Riley Green sits down with host Lisa Konicki for a conversation that begins with the reality of fame, including AI-generated stories about his family, before turning to AI in songwriting. Green insists real country music has to come from lived experience, not a machine: "I feel like that's a really lazy way to try to create something." Throughout the show, Green gets to dig into his new album, That's Just Me, touching on the album’s name, its mix of autobiographical and co-written songs, and standout collaborations— including honoring the late Toby Keith on "Think As You Drunk" with a Keith vocal snippet, that Green calls "a perfect little surprise, tip of the cap, and a great little moment in the song." Listeners also get a look at Green’s favorite classic country songs, his family roots, and his current stint on The Voice. The episode is a personal discussion that lives up to its Off the Record name. Let’s go Off the Record with Riley Green. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of&nbsp;Off the Record, Riley Green sits down with host Lisa Konicki for a conversation that begins with the reality of fame, including AI-generated stories about his family, before turning to AI in songwriting. Green insists real country music has to come from lived experience, not a machine: "I feel like that's a really lazy way to try to create something." Throughout the show, Green gets to dig into his new album,&nbsp;That's Just Me, touching on the album’s name, its mix of autobiographical and co-written songs, and standout collaborations— including honoring the late Toby Keith on "Think As You Drunk" with a Keith vocal snippet, that Green calls "a perfect little surprise, tip of the cap, and a great little moment in the song." Listeners also get a look at Green’s favorite classic country songs, his family roots, and his current stint on&nbsp;The Voice. The episode is a personal discussion that lives up to its&nbsp;Off the Record&nbsp;name. Let’s go&nbsp;Off the Record&nbsp;with Riley Green. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Riley Green: Fame Rumors, Toby Keith Tribute and That's Just Me

This week on Off the Record, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki sits down with Parker McCollum fresh off the birth of his second son, Rocker, and an ACM Award for Album of the Year win. McCollum opens up about balancing tour life with two young boys and reflects on the win for his self-titled record: "a record that got the most of my heart and soul and effort and time and focus than any body of work ever has." In the episode, listeners will hear the story behind recording in New York City, where McCollum asked his band for total creative commitment. You’ll also get to hear about the origin of "New York Is On Fire," born from watching Central Park's trees "literally on fire" from a plane window. He also breaks down his songwriting process and even improvises a verse live in the studio. The conversation also covers the album’s deluxe tracks, including a duet with Lee Ann Womack, and McCollum’s advice for aspiring songwriters: "There's only one you... lean into that as hard as you can." A funny and personal episode. Let’s go Off the Record with Parker McCollum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

This week on Off the Record, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki sits down with Parker McCollum fresh off the birth of his second son, Rocker, and an ACM Award for Album of the Year win. McCollum opens up about balancing tour life with two young boys and reflects on the win for his self-titled record: "a record that got the most of my heart and soul and effort and time and focus than any body of work ever has." In the episode, listeners will hear the story behind recording in New York City, where McCollum asked his band for total creative commitment. You’ll also get to hear about the origin of "New York Is On Fire," born from watching Central Park's trees "literally on fire" from a plane window. He also breaks down his songwriting process and even improvises a verse live in the studio. The conversation also covers the album’s deluxe tracks, including a duet with Lee Ann Womack, and McCollum’s advice for aspiring songwriters: "There's only one you... lean into that as hard as you can." A funny and personal episode. Let’s go Off the Record with Parker McCollum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on&nbsp;Off the Record, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki sits down with Parker McCollum fresh off the birth of his second son, Rocker, and an ACM Award for Album of the Year win. McCollum opens up about balancing tour life with two young boys and reflects on the win for his self-titled record: "a record that got the most of my heart and soul and effort and time and focus than any body of work ever has." In the episode, listeners will hear the story behind recording in New York City, where McCollum asked his band for total creative commitment. You’ll also get to hear about the origin of "New York Is On Fire," born from watching Central Park's trees "literally on fire" from a plane window. He also breaks down his songwriting process and even improvises a verse live in the studio. The conversation also covers the album’s deluxe tracks, including a duet with Lee Ann Womack, and McCollum’s advice for aspiring songwriters: "There's only one you... lean into that as hard as you can." A funny and personal episode. Let’s go&nbsp;Off the Record&nbsp;with Parker McCollum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Parker McCollum: Fatherhood, Album of the Year, and Finding His Voice in New York

This week on Off the Record, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki talks with Alex Warren, calling in from his tour in Australia, about his new album WILDCHILD. Alex discusses his journey from homelessness and a viral internet moment to chart-topping success, and explains why he built this record as, in his words, "a tutorial on how to feel" —each track built around a different stage, from grief to falling in love.
 In this episode, you will hear the stories behind the album cuts, including "Cry Wolf," written the day he set boundaries with toxic people in his life, and "Same Stars," inspired by the aching feeling of loss. Warren also dives into the meaning behind the album's title, a nickname from his late father, and the closing track, which features his dad's voice alongside a guitar solo from John Mayer.
 Off the Record explores Alex's songwriting process, his collaborators, and his hopes for fatherhood—all grounded in his core mission: "I write music that helps people get through the loss of their parents, a breakup, and falling in love." Tune in for a down-to-earth conversation about turning pain into music.
 Let’s go Off the Record with Alex Warren.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

This week on Off the Record, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki talks with Alex Warren, calling in from his tour in Australia, about his new album WILDCHILD. Alex discusses his journey from homelessness and a viral internet moment to chart-topping success, and explains why he built this record as, in his words, "a tutorial on how to feel" —each track built around a different stage, from grief to falling in love. In this episode, you will hear the stories behind the album cuts, including "Cry Wolf," written the day he set boundaries with toxic people in his life, and "Same Stars," inspired by the aching feeling of loss. Warren also dives into the meaning behind the album's title, a nickname from his late father, and the closing track, which features his dad's voice alongside a guitar solo from John Mayer. Off the Record explores Alex's songwriting process, his collaborators, and his hopes for fatherhood—all grounded in his core mission: "I write music that helps people get through the loss of their parents, a breakup, and falling in love." Tune in for a down-to-earth conversation about turning pain into music. Let’s go Off the Record with Alex Warren. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on&nbsp;Off the Record, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki talks with Alex Warren, calling in from his tour in Australia, about his new album&nbsp;WILDCHILD. Alex discusses his journey from homelessness and a viral internet moment to chart-topping success, and explains why he built this record as, in his words, "a tutorial on how to feel" —each track built around a different stage, from grief to falling in love.
 In this episode, you will hear the stories behind the album cuts, including "Cry Wolf," written the day he set boundaries with toxic people in his life, and "Same Stars," inspired by the aching feeling of loss. Warren also dives into the meaning behind the album's title, a nickname from his late father, and the closing track, which features his dad's voice alongside a guitar solo from John Mayer.
 Off the Record&nbsp;explores Alex's songwriting process, his collaborators, and his hopes for fatherhood—all grounded in his core mission: "I write music that helps people get through the loss of their parents, a breakup, and falling in love." Tune in for a down-to-earth conversation about turning pain into music.
 Let’s go&nbsp;Off the Record&nbsp;with Alex Warren.&nbsp; Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Alex Warren: WILDCHILD, Grief and Fatherhood

On this episode of Off the Record, host Lisa Konicki sits down with Little Big Town — Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook — for a wide-ranging conversation that includes personal catch-up and real talk about their music. Listeners get a glimpse into the band's off-stage life: Kimberly's skincare finds, updates on their now-teenage kids, and a fun game of "most likely to" that unveils members' quirks (Sweet, unsurprisingly, wins nearly every category). The heart of the episode is a look at their new album, It's a Dying Art, produced with Gena Johnson. The band walks through the writing and recording process for songs like "Crickets," "Jet Plane," and "Hey There Sunshine," describing a choice to embrace rawness over polish. Fairchild explains that the goal was to preserve something machines can't replicate, saying, "you still can't replace the humanity that happens when harmonies are sung imperfectly." Finally, listeners hear the band's feelings about AI's growing role in music. While they use it for practical things like homework help, they're wary of what it means for songwriting and authenticity — Schlapmam sums it up simply: "It has no soul." The episode closes with a look back at career highlights like "Girl Crush" and Harry Styles' cover, plus advice for aspiring songwriters, with Jimi's takeaway: "just keep writing." Let’s go Off the Record with Little Big Town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

On this episode of Off the Record, host Lisa Konicki sits down with Little Big Town — Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook — for a wide-ranging conversation that includes personal catch-up and real talk about their music. Listeners get a glimpse into the band's off-stage life: Kimberly's skincare finds, updates on their now-teenage kids, and a fun game of "most likely to" that unveils members' quirks (Sweet, unsurprisingly, wins nearly every category). The heart of the episode is a look at their new album, It's a Dying Art, produced with Gena Johnson. The band walks through the writing and recording process for songs like "Crickets," "Jet Plane," and "Hey There Sunshine," describing a choice to embrace rawness over polish. Fairchild explains that the goal was to preserve something machines can't replicate, saying, "you still can't replace the humanity that happens when harmonies are sung imperfectly." Finally, listeners hear the band's feelings about AI's growing role in music. While they use it for practical things like homework help, they're wary of what it means for songwriting and authenticity — Schlapmam sums it up simply: "It has no soul." The episode closes with a look back at career highlights like "Girl Crush" and Harry Styles' cover, plus advice for aspiring songwriters, with Jimi's takeaway: "just keep writing." Let’s go Off the Record with Little Big Town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of&nbsp;Off the Record, host Lisa Konicki sits down with Little Big Town — Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook — for a wide-ranging conversation that includes personal catch-up and real talk about their music. Listeners get a glimpse into the band's off-stage life: Kimberly's skincare finds, updates on their now-teenage kids, and a fun game of "most likely to" that unveils members' quirks (Sweet, unsurprisingly, wins nearly every category). The heart of the episode is a look at their new album,&nbsp;It's a Dying Art, produced with Gena Johnson. The band walks through the writing and recording process for songs like "Crickets," "Jet Plane," and "Hey There Sunshine," describing a choice to embrace rawness over polish. Fairchild explains that the goal was to preserve something machines can't replicate, saying, "you still can't replace the humanity that happens when harmonies are sung imperfectly." Finally, listeners hear the band's feelings about AI's growing role in music. While they use it for practical things like homework help, they're wary of what it means for songwriting and authenticity — Schlapmam sums it up simply: "It has no soul." The episode closes with a look back at career highlights like "Girl Crush" and Harry Styles' cover, plus advice for aspiring songwriters, with Jimi's takeaway: "just keep writing." Let’s go&nbsp;Off the Record&nbsp;with Little Big Town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Little Big Town: Authenticity, Staying Together and Their Rawest Album Yet

Off the Record its first season with a brand new episode. In the final episode of the season, Episode 11, available now, Host Lisa Konicki sits down with actor/singer/songwriter Luke Grimes. In this episode of Off The Record, Grimes reflects on his growth as both a musician and actor since his debut album, touching on fatherhood, loss, and the persistence of imposter syndrome. Discussing his role in The Marshals, Grimes explains the need to evolve his character beyond a “happy ending,” saying, “If we're going to do another show about him… there had to be some sort of drama. It couldn't just be happy ever after.” Grimes’ new album Red Bird, a deeply personal and autobiographical project, is the central focus of the interview. Grimes emphasizes its emotional honesty, saying, “It’s honestly all over the place… we were trying to take sort of a portrait of a person at a time.” In the podcast, Grimes dives into the stories behind the songs, his collaborative songwriting process, and how fatherhood and grief influenced the record. Grimes will also be discussing, the emotional and creative journey behind Red Bird, the transition from Yellowstone to The Marshals and the parallels between acting and music as forms of storytelling. Let’s go Off the Record with Luke Grimes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Off the Record its first season with a brand new episode. In the final episode of the season, Episode 11, available now, Host Lisa Konicki sits down with actor/singer/songwriter Luke Grimes. In this episode of Off The Record, Grimes reflects on his growth as both a musician and actor since his debut album, touching on fatherhood, loss, and the persistence of imposter syndrome. Discussing his role in The Marshals, Grimes explains the need to evolve his character beyond a “happy ending,” saying, “If we're going to do another show about him… there had to be some sort of drama. It couldn't just be happy ever after.” Grimes’ new album Red Bird, a deeply personal and autobiographical project, is the central focus of the interview. Grimes emphasizes its emotional honesty, saying, “It’s honestly all over the place… we were trying to take sort of a portrait of a person at a time.” In the podcast, Grimes dives into the stories behind the songs, his collaborative songwriting process, and how fatherhood and grief influenced the record. Grimes will also be discussing, the emotional and creative journey behind Red Bird, the transition from Yellowstone to The Marshals and the parallels between acting and music as forms of storytelling. Let’s go Off the Record with Luke Grimes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Off the Record&nbsp;its first season with a brand new episode. In the final episode of the season, Episode 11, available now, Host Lisa Konicki sits down with actor/singer/songwriter Luke Grimes. In this episode of&nbsp;Off The Record, Grimes reflects on his growth as both a musician and actor since his debut album, touching on fatherhood, loss, and the persistence of imposter syndrome. Discussing his role in&nbsp;The Marshals, Grimes explains the need to evolve his character beyond a “happy ending,” saying,&nbsp;“If we're going to do another show about him… there had to be some sort of drama. It couldn't just be happy ever after.” Grimes’ new album&nbsp;Red Bird,&nbsp;a deeply personal and autobiographical project, is the central focus of the interview. Grimes emphasizes its emotional honesty, saying,&nbsp;“It’s honestly all over the place… we were trying to take sort of a portrait of a person at a time.”&nbsp;In the podcast, Grimes dives into the stories behind the songs, his collaborative songwriting process, and how fatherhood and grief influenced the record. Grimes will also be discussing, the emotional and creative journey behind&nbsp;Red Bird, the transition from&nbsp;Yellowstone&nbsp;to&nbsp;The Marshals&nbsp;and the parallels between acting and music as forms of storytelling. Let’s go&nbsp;Off the Record&nbsp;with Luke Grimes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Luke Grimes: Grief, Growth and Red Bird

In this intimate conversation with host Lisa Konicki, Colbie Caillat reflects on her musical journey —from why she wanted to reimagine her hit songs to being turned down by American Idol.
“I was nervous, and I just didn't have the look,” Caillat says. “I didn't have any of the things. And so, 10 seconds in, they were like, ‘Next!’"
Caillat also opens up about the moment she and a young Taylor Swift wrote “Breathe,” a collaboration that would earn them a GRAMMY. “She was so sweet,” Caillat says. “She brought me a gift. I was just so impressed at her confidence and her talent and her wisdom in general, but especially at that age. I was blown away.”
The episode dives into Caillat’s experience recording This Time Around with friends Maren Morris, Walker Hayes, Gavin DeGraw, and Hillary Scott of Lady A, and how the Malibu, California native found herself in Nashville, Tennessee, and was drawn to country music. She also shares the one thing fans might be surprised to learn about her, giving listeners a glimpse into the woman behind the music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

In this intimate conversation with host Lisa Konicki, Colbie Caillat reflects on her musical journey —from why she wanted to reimagine her hit songs to being turned down by American Idol. “I was nervous, and I just didn't have the look,” Caillat says. “I didn't have any of the things. And so, 10 seconds in, they were like, ‘Next!’" Caillat also opens up about the moment she and a young Taylor Swift wrote “Breathe,” a collaboration that would earn them a GRAMMY. “She was so sweet,” Caillat says. “She brought me a gift. I was just so impressed at her confidence and her talent and her wisdom in general, but especially at that age. I was blown away.” The episode dives into Caillat’s experience recording This Time Around with friends Maren Morris, Walker Hayes, Gavin DeGraw, and Hillary Scott of Lady A, and how the Malibu, California native found herself in Nashville, Tennessee, and was drawn to country music. She also shares the one thing fans might be surprised to learn about her, giving listeners a glimpse into the woman behind the music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this intimate conversation with host Lisa Konicki, Colbie Caillat reflects on her musical journey —from why she wanted to reimagine her hit songs to being turned down by&nbsp;American Idol.
“I was nervous, and I just didn't have the look,” Caillat says. “I didn't have any of the things. And so, 10 seconds in, they were like, ‘Next!’"
Caillat also opens up about the moment she and a young Taylor Swift wrote “Breathe,” a collaboration that would earn them a GRAMMY. “She was so sweet,” Caillat says. “She brought me a gift. I was just so impressed at her confidence and her talent and her wisdom in general, but especially at that age. I was blown away.”
The episode dives into Caillat’s experience recording&nbsp;This Time Around&nbsp;with friends Maren Morris, Walker Hayes, Gavin DeGraw, and Hillary Scott of Lady A, and how the Malibu, California native found herself in Nashville, Tennessee, and was drawn to country music. She also shares the one thing fans might be surprised to learn about her, giving listeners a glimpse into the woman behind the music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Colbie Caillat: Reimagining Hits, Redefining Herself (Episode 1)

American Songwriter is relaunching its acclaimed interview series 'Off the Record,' available as a podcast. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki, 'Off the Record' features in-depth conversations with top music artists, exploring their musical journeys, the craft of songwriting, and personal stories behind the music. Episodes will be released every two weeks and will be available on all major podcast platforms.

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