Backstory Sessions

🎙️ NEW EPISODE — BACKSTORY SESSIONS

If you’ve listened to Backstory Sessions for any length of time, today’s guest may already have a familiar voice.

This week, we turn the microphone toward Matt Rifenburg — writer, podcaster, storyteller, and co-author of Love and Jello — to find out a little more about the man behind that voice.

And, as we discover during the conversation, Matt is a bit like an onion: there are a lot of layers. We peel back a few of them as we talk about the many places he’s lived, starting over, podcasting, writing, creativity, resilience, and the difference between being seen as an inspiration and actually writing the complicated truths of your own life.

We also revisit Love and Jello, talk about how those stories continued to evolve through other creative projects, and look ahead to what Matt is writing now.

📚 And there’s more to come!

Matt has new books on the way, so stay tuned for release information about:

❤️ Heart Shaped Box
🍻 Bar Stories

I’ve said this before, but it deserves repeating: Matt is the author who made me love reading. There is something unmistakably his about the way he tells a story — the humor, the honesty, the observations, and all those layers underneath.

So if you recognize the voice, now’s your chance to learn more about the person behind it.

🎧 Listen now to Backstory Sessions: Conversations with Creatives.

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🎙️ NEW EPISODE — BACKSTORY SESSIONS

This week on Backstory Sessions: Conversations with Creatives, we sit down with singer-songwriter Brooke Lee.

Brooke takes us back to the beginning—forming a band as a teenager, moving to Nashville to chase the dream, and building a career that has included opening for artists like Willie Nelson and NEEDTOBREATHE, performing at CMA Fest, and appearing in the reimagined “See the USA in Your Chevrolet” campaign.

We also talk about her recent releases, including the flirty, late-night energy of “Driver Drive” and the much more vulnerable “Mess of It.” Brooke opens up about the relationship that inspired the song, what it means to fight for something until you realize it’s costing you pieces of yourself, and why she wanted the vocal to feel raw, emotional, and honest.

It’s a conversation about ambition, heartbreak, healing, songwriting, and finding the courage to tell the truth in your music.

🎧 Listen now to Backstory Sessions: Conversations with Creatives.

#BackstorySessions #BrookeLee #MessOfIt #DriverDrive #SingerSongwriter #CountryMusic #NashvilleMusic #WomenInCountry #Songwriting #IndependentArtist #BehindTheMusic #ConversationsWithCreatives #NewMusic #MusicPodcast

🎙️ SEASON 19 PREMIERE — BACKSTORY SESSIONS

Season 19 of Backstory Sessions: Conversations with Creatives begins with singer-songwriter Celeste Marie Wilson.

Celeste joins us to talk about her journey in music, the stories and experiences that shape her songwriting, and the inspiration behind “Marie.” We also look at the road that brought her here, the kind of artist she wants to become, and what she hopes listeners carry with them after hearing her music.

It’s a conversation about creativity, honesty, storytelling, and finding your own voice.

🎧 Listen now and join us as Season 19 begins!

#BackstorySessions #Season19 #SeasonPremiere #CelesteMarieWilson #Marie #SingerSongwriter #AmericanaMusic #CountryMusic #IndependentArtist #WomenInMusic #Songwriting #BehindTheMusic #ConversationsWithCreatives

🎙️ BACKSTORY SESSIONS — SEASON 18 FINALE

We’re closing out Season 18 with Lee Newton and Heidi Parton for a fun conversation celebrating their new music video for the country classic “Silver Threads & Golden Needles.”

Lee and Heidi take us behind the scenes of the collaboration, share stories from making the video, and talk about the special cameos that helped make it such a memorable project. We also hear about their individual musical journeys, the friendships and connections behind the music, and what it means to breathe new life into a song that has been loved for generations.

It’s the perfect way to wrap up another season of Backstory Sessions: Conversations with Creatives—with plenty of laughter, music, memories, and stories from behind the scenes.

🎧 Listen now and join us for the Season 18 finale!

#BackstorySessions #Season18Finale #LeeNewton #HeidiParton #SilverThreadsAndGoldenNeedles #CountryMusic #CountryMusicLegends #MusicVideo #WomenInCountry #BehindTheMusic #ConversationsWithCreatives

🎙️ NEW EPISODE | BACKSTORY SESSIONS

This week, we sit down with singer-songwriter Stephanie Rabus for a conversation about finding her voice, building a career in music, and turning real-life experiences into songs.

Stephanie takes us back to where it all began—singing as a child, joining her dad’s band at 21, performing with the St. Louis-based band Borderline, and eventually stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist. Along the way, she’s shared stages with artists including Lonestar, Chris Janson, Lindsay Ell, Lee Brice, and Sara Evans.

We also talk about her music and her latest single, “Payback’s a Beach”—a fun, sun-soaked take on what happens when heartbreak gets a little payback of its own. 🌴🎶

It’s a conversation about perseverance, confidence, songwriting, and creating a career that is uniquely your own.

🎧 Listen now to Backstory Sessions: Conversations with Creatives!

#BackstorySessions #StephanieRabus #PaybacksABeach #SingerSongwriter #CountryMusic #IndependentArtist #WomenInCountryMusic #Songwriting #MusicPodcast #ConversationsWithCreatives