Wheels Off with Rhett Miller

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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