Wheels Off with Rhett Miller

Writer David Fleming joins Rhett to dig into craft, career pivots, and the true story behind A Big Mess in Texas—the wild rise-and-fall of the 1952 Dallas Texans (owned by Rhett’s grandfather). Fleming talks about finding meaning in real life, learning to “disappear” as a writer, managing deadlines without losing your mind, and why the work (not the label) is what matters. It’s a candid, funny, and generous conversation about storytelling, identity, and doing your best work—whether you call it sports writing or just great writing.

David Fleming is a Peabody-nominated correspondent for Meadowlark Media, longtime ESPN senior writer, author of Who's Your Founding Father?; Breaker Boys; Noah's Rainbow; and, A BIG MESS IN TEXAS - The Miraculous, Disastrous 1952 Dallas Texans and The Craziest Untold Story in NFL History.

Out now! Listen to Rhett’s new album “A lifetime of riding by night” https://rhettmiller.com/

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Listen to previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, Stewart Copeland, Lucinda Williams, and many more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bangles’ lead guitarist talks about making a new record with John Cowsill, why she’s a “serial band member,” the magic of songwriting, imposter syndrome, and running your art like a business.

Vicki Peterson—lead guitarist and occasional lead singer of The Bangles—joins Rhett to unpack Long After the Fire, the new record with her husband John Cowsill, and a lifetime spent in bands. She talks writing alone vs. collaborating, owning covers you love, combating self-doubt, and why musicians should treat creativity like a job (with a 10 a.m. start time). She also shares what she unexpectedly learned from Paul McCartney.

Out now! Listen to Rhett’s new album “A lifetime of riding by night” https://rhettmiller.com/

Follow Vicki Peterson @vickiandjohnmusic

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Produced by Kirsten Cluthe, Studio Kairos. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rhett sits down with Philip Lupton and Truett Heintzelman, the two young Texans behind Briscoe, a harmony-rich Americana duo making waves with their sophomore album, Heat of July.

Recorded in Nashville during AmericanaFest, the conversation covers the band’s early days at UT Austin, their musical roots, and their thoughtful approach to songwriting and performance. Rhett and Briscoe discuss the realities of being a young band in a fast-moving industry—balancing ambition with patience, dealing with imposter syndrome, and staying true to their craft.

Out now! Listen to Rhett’s new album “A lifetime of riding by night” https://rhettmiller.com/

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rhett sits down with his longtime bandmate and creative partner, Murry Hammond for a conversation about their 35+ years of making music together—from early songwriting days in Dallas to their latest solo and collaborative albums.

Hammond opens up about the evolution of his creative process, the emotional weight that shapes his songwriting, and how depression, humor, and stubborn dedication all feed his art. It's an episode that captures the rare intimacy of two lifelong friends and collaborators reflecting on their shared creative journey, and the enduring partnership that fuels one of alternative country’s most beloved bands.

Out now! Listen to Rhett’s new album “A lifetime of riding by night” https://rhettmiller.com/

Listen to Murry’s latest release “Trail Songs of the Deep ​​https://murryhammond.com/

Catch Rhett and Murry on tour this fall

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter opens up about her new album, her journey from fiddle prodigy to songwriter, and how painting, practice, and persistence fuel her creative life.

Rhett Miller sits down with longtime friend and collaborator Amanda Shires during AmericanaFest in Nashville. The two reminisce about their lives in music, and Amanda reflects on the challenges of moving from sideman to frontwoman. She shares the personal discipline that keeps her grounded, and how her creativity spills across mediums—from songwriting to painting giant canvases. What starts as an interview quickly becomes a two-way conversation, as Amanda flips the script and asks Rhett questions of her own.

Listen to Rhett’s new single and pre-order his forthcoming album “A lifetime of riding by night” here

Get Amanda Shires’ new album “Nobody’s Girl” here

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson joins Rhett for a fast, funny, and candid conversation about craft and survival. They dig into the constant hum of the inner critic, and the strange mix of persistence and delusion it takes to stay in the game. From KISS posters and Pixies deep cuts to journaling, therapy, and squirrel jokes, Matt opens up about what it really takes to keep making art in a noisy world.

Follow Matt Nathanson @mattnathanson

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James McMurtry, hailed as one of our greatest living songwriters, joins Rhett for a candid conversation about the craft of songwriting, life on the road, and the realities of sustaining a career in music. Known for his sharp storytelling and uncompromising perspective, McMurtry opens up about his process, from finding inspiration in small details to shaping lyrics around the musicality of the human voice.

They discuss the making of his latest record, Black Dog and the Wandering Boy (New West Records), working with producer Don Dixon, and how the touring life remains both a necessity and a joy. McMurtry reflects on influences like Kris Kristofferson, lessons from decades in the business, and why persistence and endurance matter more than inspiration.

Follow James: jamesmcmurtry.com

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, Lucinda Williams, Stewart Copeland, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh off the release of her new album Paper Doll, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Samantha Fish joins Rhett to discuss balancing life on the road with creative work, the vulnerability of songwriting, and her evolution as a guitarist. She opens up about overcoming shyness and stage anxiety, and reflects on the fine line between challenging yourself and staying true to who you are.

Follow Samantha @samanthafishmusic

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, Stewart Copeland, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Wheels Off, Rhett welcomes longtime friend, collaborator, and Turnpike Troubadours frontman Evan Felker. Evan joins Rhett from his ranch in Oklahoma for a candid conversation about the Troubadours’ resurgence, his creative process, and why stepping away from the road made the band even more popular. The two dig into songwriting—where ideas come from, the discipline it takes to finish them, and why sometimes the best songs start with a line overheard in passing.

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this wide-ranging conversation, Rhett welcomes the legendary Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel to Wheels Off for a candid, wisdom-packed chat about music, longevity, and learning by doing. Ray shares stories from his early days as a folk-singing kid, reflects on collaborating with icons like Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, and offers practical advice for young musicians navigating today’s music industry. From tuba lessons to Grammy wins, Ray reveals how staying open, curious, and grounded has shaped his remarkable creative life.

Follow Ray @raysroadhouse

Follow Rhett @rhettmiller

Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by Old 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. 

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.  

Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, The Milk Carton Kids, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices