Wheels Off with Rhett Miller Osiris Media

Singer songwriter Devon Gilfillian joins Rhett from his home in Nashville to talk about the many musical influences that have inspired his career, how he found his voice as a singer, and what he does to keep himself creatively healthy. Devon explains how he’s maintained a positive outlook throughout his life, and the importance of using his platform for good.
Love You Anyway, the new album from Devon Gilfillian, is an intoxicating, genre-blasting game changer spanning soul, hip-hop, R&B and rock, all under the banner of Black joy. With an incisive eye and unassuming swagger, Gilfillian re-imagines modern soul music by redefining its possibilities. A captivating can’t-miss live performer, the Philadelphia-born, Nashville based singer-songwriter regularly commands club, theater, and festival stages around the world. On Love You Anyway, Gilfillian conjures the raw, sexy emotions of his predecessors and the next-level grooves of his contemporaries, taking soul music into an exciting and restorative new future.
Devon Gilfillian website
Follow Devon @devongilfillian
Rhett Miller website
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. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.

Zach Williams is best known as ⅓ of the Nashville-based supergroup The Lone Bellow. He joins Rhett on this episode to discuss the twist of fate that led him to Brooklyn, where his musical journey began, why he took a break from songwriting to try his hand at long form fiction, and the conversation with Jim James that changed his perspective. Zach tells Rhett about The War of Art, a book he turns to when he needs help moving through the inner resistance to create, and the two discuss the very personal process of releasing a song into the world.
All born in the South, the three members of The Lone Bellow met while living in Brooklyn and quickly found that in addition to having commonality in their upbringing, they all had wildly potent voices, a knack for harmonies and a desire to write in the great Southern story-telling tradition - songs about heartbreak and struggles and the human condition. Their most recent releases are The Lone Bellow Live and Love Songs For Losers.
The Lone Bellow
Follow Zach @thelonebellow
Rhett Miller website
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. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.

John McCauley, singer-songwriter and the frontman of band Deer Tick, joins Rhett to talk about getting back on the road with the band post-lockdown and balancing his on stage persona with his life offstage. The two discuss John’s evolution as a songwriter and desire to become a better musician, and John explains why his band continues to push themselves creatively with each new record.
Founded by John McCauley in 2004, Deer Tick’s sound blends elements of folk, rock, country, and punk, creating a distinctive and eclectic musical style. Known for his distinctive gravelly voice, introspective lyrics, and intense live performances, McCauley’s musical contributions often reflect personal experiences, exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Emotional Contracts, the latest full-length release from Deer Tick, catalogs all the existential casualties that accompany the passing of time, instilling each song with the irresistibly reckless spirit that’s defined the band for nearly two decades. 
Listen to the new album Emotional Contracts here
Follow @deertickmusic
Rhett Miller website
Follow Rhett @rhettmiller
Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.

Sedona, AZ based songwriter Brandon Decker (aka decker.) joins Rhett to talk about the making of his 8th studio album, Ouroboros. Described as a fusion of poetry and chaos, Decker explains the stories behind the music, which arose out of the grief he felt during his father’s illness. Decker discusses the side hustle he created during the pandemic, his approach to healing, and the importance of spending time in nature to help him navigate through life’s challenges.
His latest album, Ouroboros, is available now.
Follow Brandon @deckermusic
Rhett Miller website
Follow Rhett @rhettmiller
Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.

Brennen Leigh is an American songwriter, guitar player, mandolin player and singer whose to-the-point storytelling style has elevated her to cult status around the world. On this episode, she joins Rhett to talk about her new album, Ain’t Through Honky Tonkin’ Yet, being an artist in the age of digital, and the sacrifices that touring musicians make. Brennen explains how she gained confidence as an artist, and shares insight into her songwriting process, including how she determines whether a song is good enough for people to hear.
Brenne Leigh’s songs have been recorded by Lee Ann Womack, Rodney Crowell, Sunny Sweeney, Charley Crockett, and many others. As renowned for her musicianship as for her writing, it’s easy to see how Leigh caught the ear of greats like Guy Clark and David Olney. Awash in full-throttle fiddle, weeping steel guitar, a sprinkling of heavenly backing vocals, and anchored by her warm, expressive vocals, her latest album is an emotion-packed revelation. 
Brennen Leigh website
Rhett Miller website
Follow Rhett @rhettmiller
Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.

Mike Gordon, bassist and co-founder of the seminal improvisational rock band Phish, joins Rhett to talk about his solo album Flying Games and the long, adventurous process of finishing the record. Mike and Rhett discuss grappling with creative roadblocks, what the “Ten-Thousand-Hour” rule really means, and the role that mindfulness and meditation play in songwriting. Mike reflects on the early days of Phish and explains how he transfers the creative flow he feels while performing with the band to other projects. It’s a jam-packed episode full of great stories and useful insight on the songwriting process and living a creative life.
Flying Games is Gordon's sixth solo album. It was self-produced and recorded by longtime collaborator Jared Slomoff, and mixed by GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs). You can buy or stream it here.
Mike Gordon website 
Follow Mike Gordon on IG @mike_gordon
Rhett Miller website
Follow Rhett on IG @rhettmiller
Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer is Kirsten Cluthe. Editing by Matt Dwyer. Music by OLD 97’s. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Distributed in partnership with Osiris Media. This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.