About Off The Record - An American Songwriter Podcast
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.
Vince Gill: Leaving Oklahoma, Family Harmonies, and 50 Years From Home
In the latest episode of Off the Record, Vince Gill sits down with host Lisa Konicki to look back on the moment he left Oklahoma as a teenager 50 years ago. That move is at the heart of his 50 Years From Home project, a monthly series of EPs drawn from roughly 150 new songs. As Gill puts it, “I don’t want to check out of here with a whole bunch of songs in the desk drawer.”Gill shares the stories behind the latest EP, Stillwater Night, from writing with wife Amy Grant to singing with daughter Corrinna, plus collaborations with artists like Wyatt Flores, HARDY and Post Malone. Gill also teases the upcoming Marty and Me with Marty Stuart and shares how he finally finished a song he’d been stuck on for 35 years. His guiding principle for it all: “Don’t impress me, but move me.”The conversation gets candid and funny, too, as Gill talks about getting fired by Ricky Skaggs, his concerns about AI in music, a heartfelt tribute to Dolly Parton, and behind-the-scenes stories from a decade with the Eagles. It’s a warm, vulnerable look at one of country music’s most beloved artists.Let’s go Off the Record with Vince Gill.
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7 Oct 2026
Wynonna: Family Secrets, Grief, and The Hard Truth
In this episode of Off the Record, Lisa Konicki sits down with Wynonna for a raw, revealing conversation. After a heartfelt tribute to the late Dolly Parton, the talk turns to The Hard Truth, the album Wynonna spent five years making with husband and producer Cactus Moser, and the first on which she wrote nine of the ten songs. She admits releasing something so personal is frightening, but explains why she had to: "We kept a secret and secrets keep you sick and there's no secret anymore."Wynonna walks through the stories behind the songs: discovering at 30 who her biological father was, only for him to die before they met; the grandmother who raised her spirits; her daughter's addiction and incarceration; and her complicated bond with her mother, Naomi Judd. "I love her so much that I forgot myself," she says, while describing the forgiveness the album helped her find. Her humor shines through too, as when she describes her two kids as "one on parole and one on patrol."Moser joins for the final stretch of the episode, sharing how the couple met on tour in 1989 and why he wanted the album's sound stripped-down and gritty. The episode closes on a hopeful note, with Wynonna teasing a more joyful next record. As she puts it, "The Hard Truth allowed me to be free."Let’s go Off the Record with Wynonna.
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30 Sept 2026
Jessie Jo Dillon: Dad Dean Dillon, ACM Award Three-Peat, and Writing “Am I Okay”
On this episode of Off the Record, host Lisa Konicki talks with hit songwriter Jessie Jo Dillon, the first songwriter ever to win ACM Songwriter of the Year three years in a row. The episode opens with a game that pits her own hits against each other and includes a video tribute from actor-singer-songwriter Luke Grimes praising her work on his album Red Bird.Dillon talks about growing up as the daughter of legendary songwriter Dean Dillon, why she avoided songwriting at first, and how she approaches her craft: lyrics first, one clear emotion, and a focus on what the artist wants to say. She also shares stories behind hits like "Am I Okay?" with Megan Moroney, "10,000 Hours" with Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber, and Jelly Roll's FIFA anthem "Lighter."The episode ends with her new imprint, Gatsby, which she named after her favorite novel, and its first artist, Carter Faith. She also leaves us with advice to aspiring writers: “write from the heart and outwork everyone.”Let’s go Off the Record with Jessie Jo Dillon.
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Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.6 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
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