Billy Ballenger’s story is one of redemption, restoration, and the unmistakable goodness of God.

A Christian recording artist, speaker, Winter Jam Tour alum, and co-founder of Break the Grey, Billy has shared his music and testimony with audiences across North America and beyond. But before the stages and songs, Billy walked through bullying, addiction, crime, prison, and the heartbreak of losing custody of his infant daughter.

In this powerful conversation, Billy shares how grace met him in the middle of the mess, restored his family, and turned his testimony into a ministry of hope. We talk about childhood dreams, the long road in music, Winter Jam, why faith requires action, songwriting, family, fashion opinions, sherbet, and yes — his very firm stance against bread.

This episode is for anyone who needs to remember that your story is not over, your past does not get the final word, and the dream in your heart may be more God-given than you realize.

Follow Billy:
Website: billyballenger.com
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok: Billy Ballenger Music

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Steve Camp’s music was part of the soundtrack of my growing-up years, so this conversation felt a little surreal—in the very best way.

In this episode of The Heather Petero Show, Steve joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about the life behind the music: the early years, the hard work nobody sees, the musicians and mentors who shaped him, the convictions that have carried him, and the lessons that only come from staying at something for decades.

We talk about his 107 Theses, his years in pastoral ministry, and the long creative road that has shaped both his music and his life. We also make room for the fun stuff: The Beatles, great coffee, great cologne, dessert-first philosophy, and what still makes a song truly great. And yes—Steve drops some great industry wisdom along the way.

You’ll also hear Steve’s song, “Ain’t All About ’Cha.”

This is a conversation about music, faith, longevity, courage, craft, and what remains when the applause gets quiet.

Instagram: @therealstevecamp

Facebook: DrSjCamp

X / Twitter: @PastorSJCamp

YouTube: @realstevecamp

Website: realstevecamp.com

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This week on The Heather Petero Show, Heather welcomes the dazzling, wildly talented, and joyfully unforgettable Gunhild Carling — Sweden’s Queen of Swing and one of the most exciting jazz entertainers in the world.

Gunhild is a singer, dancer, bandleader, composer, and multi-instrumentalist known for bringing vintage jazz, swing, and vaudeville roaring into the present. She plays trumpet, trombone, bagpipes, banjo, piano, harmonica, harp, recorder, ukulele, theremin, and more — and yes, she is also famous for playing three trumpets at once.

In this conversation, Heather and Gunhild talk about growing up in a musical family, learning without formal lessons, carrying forward the legacy of her father Hans Carling, making jazz feel alive for modern audiences, moving from Sweden to California, livestreaming backyard concerts during the pandemic, performing with family, her unforgettable stage style, and why jazz is not just music for her — it is a lifestyle.

This episode is full of music, laughter, legacy, glamour, grit, and the kind of joy that reminds you art is very much alive.

https://www.gunhildcarling.net/

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History is more than dates, battles, and famous names. It is made up of ordinary people facing extraordinary moments—and the stories we tell determine what we remember.

In this episode of The Heather Petero Show, Heather sits down with author, screenwriter, and storyteller David Jones III to talk about his historical novel, The Unlikely Life of Oliver Atkinson, and the lifetime of experience, research, setbacks, and creative persistence behind it.

David shares how he brings America’s founding era to life through the eyes of a young orphan, why historical fiction can sometimes reveal truths that textbooks cannot, and what it takes to balance imagination with historical accuracy. He and Heather also explore his complicated years in Hollywood, the difference between creating for approval and creating from conviction, and why not every meaningful story has to become a bestseller to matter.

Of course, no conversation with David would be complete without stand-up comedy, pizza, sports loyalties, his unapologetic love for the Backstreet Boys, and his backup plan to form a boy band made entirely of older gentlemen.

This is a thoughtful, funny, and deeply human conversation about history, storytelling, creativity, purpose, and the things that last long after the applause fades.

Learn more about David and The Unlikely Life of Oliver Atkinson at davidjones3.com.

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What does it really mean to be present — not just busy, polished, productive, or professionally “fine”?

In this episode of The Heather Petero Show, Heather sits down with Reverend James Williams, Senior Pastor of Grace Resurrection Methodist Church and author of The Present Pastor: Step Off the Stage and Learn to Lead Like Jesus.

They talk about presence over performance, servant leadership, church culture, burnout, and why people need more than polished programs — they need relationship. They also get into koi ponds, 70s TV commercials, Captain and Tennille, and James’s bold claim that no good music happened after 1989. Heather has questions.

This episode is for pastors, leaders, teachers, parents, creatives, and anyone who needs the reminder that the people in front of us are not interruptions to the mission.

Very often, they are the mission.

Connect with James Williams:
Facebook & Instagram: @rev.jamesiv
Book: The Present Pastor
Church: Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

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What happens when a seriously stressed-out high school English teacher burns out and ends up building an extraordinary life teaching guitar?

In this episode, Heather talks with Rob Hampton — teacher, entrepreneur, and all-around delight — about how he went from burnout to building something truly special in music education. Rob has taught everyone from four-year-olds to Fortune 500 CEOs, helped over 29 million guitarists, and built a career rooted in joy, grit, and real intention. 

They talk about building something amazing, helping everyday people have extraordinary experiences making music, student breakthroughs, AI, chronic pain, creativity, and one very specific grammatical hill Rob is fully prepared to die on. 

It’s smart, funny, thoughtful, and full of heart.

We would love to hear from you!

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What do you do when life changes in a second? In this episode, Heather sits down with Carter Viss — marine biologist, founder of the Carter Viss Foundation, co-author of Found in the Wake, and one-handed pianist — for a conversation about survival, recovery, advocacy, music, and meaning. They talk about the accident that changed his life, the people who helped save him, the work he’s doing to make waters safer, and the creativity and purpose that kept unfolding after everything changed. 

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What happens when people choose to show up in places most of the world would rather avoid?

In this episode, Heather talks with Walter Straham and Rosa Fossett-Gilbert of Kairos Prison Ministry about prison ministry, Kairos Outside, and the quiet weight carried by families and loved ones on the outside. This conversation goes beyond labels and assumptions into something much more human: dignity, compassion, second chances, and the power of simply being there.

Walter shares how one phrase — adding value — shaped his path into ministry with incarcerated men and youth. Rosa opens up about attending a Kairos Outside weekend as a guest before returning to serve women whose lives have been impacted by incarceration.

This is a conversation about grace in hard places, hope for people who feel forgotten, and why no one should have to carry pain alone.

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In this rich and personal conversation, Heather sits down with award-winning artist, songwriter, author, speaker, and mentor Babbie Mason to talk about calling, staying power, and the songs that live far beyond the moment they were written.

From her early years as a preacher’s kid and teacher, to writing songs the church still sings, Babbie shares what it means to stay rooted while the world keeps changing the packaging. Heather and Babbie talk about legacy, songwriting, grief, hospitality, mentoring, public ministry, private faith, and the kind of life that is built over time—with truth, faithfulness, and an open door.

Heather also shares a deeply personal connection: how a songwriting class with Babbie became part of her own grieving journey after the loss of her mother.

This is a conversation about more than music.
 It’s about healing.
 It’s about calling.
 It’s about creating from a place that reaches people.
 And it’s about what happens when a life of faith becomes a life of fruit.

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Born into one of America’s most recognizable legacy families, Lisa Popeil went on to build an extraordinary career all her own — as a singer, performer, researcher, author, and highly respected celebrity vocal coach.

This week on The Heather Petero Show, Heather welcomes Lisa Popeil, creator of the Voiceworks Method, for a rich conversation about voice, artistry, legacy, and impact. They explore Lisa’s unique family background, her years working at a high level in the music world, including time with Frank Zappa and “Weird Al” Yankovic, and the teaching philosophy that has shaped singers for decades.

It’s a thoughtful and engaging episode about excellence, expression, personal growth, and the ripple effect of a life poured into helping others find their voice.

Don’t miss this conversation with a woman whose influence reaches far beyond the spotlight.

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