Buzz Knight and Rita Wilson: Celebrating Women’s History Through Music, Storytelling, and Creative Journeys Together

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
Episode: Buzz Knight and Rita Wilson: Celebrating Women’s History Through Music, Storytelling, and Creative Journeys Together
Date: March 13, 2026
Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Rita Wilson

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Episode Overview

In a special Women's History Month episode, Buzz Knight takes a walk—literally and figuratively—with Rita Wilson, a multifaceted artist known for her work as an actor, producer, singer, songwriter, and author. Together, they explore Rita’s lifelong musical journey, her creative collaborations, insights into resilience in the arts, the legacy of women in music, and the importance of supporting and celebrating each other’s voices. The tone of the conversation is warm, candid, and filled with reverence for music’s power across generations.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Rita’s Early Connection to Music

• First Impactful Musical Memory
  • Hearing The Beatles’ first U.S. album as a child sparked Rita’s lifelong passion for music.
  • “You felt that they were speaking to you. …just the exuberance with which they sang was pretty great.” – Rita Wilson [03:48]
• First Album Experience
  • She received Beatles albums from a neighbor working at Capitol Records.
  • Sibling rivalry over cherished new releases became a family tradition.

Concert Memories and Influences

• Led Zeppelin at the LA Forum: First Big Show
  • Rita shares a vivid memory of her first major concert, including youthful fashion mishaps and adolescent excitement.
  • “We were so excited… I fell flat on my face in the parking lot because those corkies are not to be used for running. It did not dampen my love of the concert, however.” – Rita Wilson [07:42]
• Aging Gracefully in Rock
  • Celebrates how iconic musicians like Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, and female legends (Carole King, Stevie Nicks, Annie Lennox) have maintained vibrancy and relevance as they age.

Creative Collaboration: “Look How Far We’ve Come”

• Working with Billy Steinberg and Josh Alexander
  • Rita tells the serendipitous story behind the writing of “Look How Far We’ve Come” and the beauty of collaborating with legendary songwriter Billy Steinberg.
  • “He started out as a poet and is a poet to this day. … For me it resonated as, wow, look how far I've come as a songwriter.” – Rita Wilson [11:51]
  • The project stemmed from Rita’s Liner Notes series, aiming to have songwriters share unplugged versions and stories behind their hits.

Genre-Bending and Recent Recognition

• Grammy Nomination in Roots Gospel
  • Rita contributed vocals to “Through the Storm” on Mark D. Conklin’s album “The Gospel According to Mark,” which was nominated for Best Roots Gospel Album.
  • She details the honor and challenges of stepping into a genre outside her usual songwriting comfort zone.

Celebrating and Living Women’s Music History

• Joni Jam at the Hollywood Bowl
  • Rita provides a behind-the-scenes perspective on performing at the historic Joni Mitchell tribute, organized by Brandi Carlile.
  • “The love coming from the audience in the Hollywood Bowl and the love felt on stage was an all-encompassing surround sound of feeling… there was nothing better than that. It was palpable.” – Rita Wilson [15:01]
  • Describes the star-studded line-up and the emotionally charged, supportive atmosphere.

Patsy Cline Tribute and Historic Venues

• PBS Special at The Ryman
  • Rita recounts singing “She’s Got You” for a PBS special at the storied Ryman Auditorium, and the pressure of honoring Patsy Cline’s legacy with her family present.
  • Discusses the surprising contrasts between artists’ stage personas and real personalities, noting Patsy Cline’s toughness and humor off-stage.
• Love for Iconic Music Venues
  • From Café Carlyle in NY, Bemelmans Bar, to the Blue Note and The Troubadour: Rita reflects on the special energy of legendary venues.
  • “You just have to make every place feel intimate…there is always somebody in that room that needs to hear what you’re singing and what you’re saying.” – Rita Wilson [22:00]

Upcoming Projects and Personal Philosophy

• Performing with the Nashville Symphony
  • Rita expresses excitement and slight nerves about her upcoming symphony show, hinting at a setlist blending originals, covers, and even Broadway standards.
• Challenging Artistic Boundaries
  • Strongly resists being boxed into genres, emphasizing the necessity and inevitability of creative exploration.
  • “I don’t believe necessarily in genres. I believe in good music, and good music is good music, no matter what period it is.” – Rita Wilson [24:27]

Broader Reflections on Creativity

• Multi-Disciplinary Pursuits
  • Rita and Buzz discuss how most creatives are compelled to pursue more than one artform, whether music, photography (as in Julian Lennon’s example), or crafts.
  • “Every creative person does more than one creative thing anyway, because it’s a need. It’s part of you. You have to do it.” – Rita Wilson [26:07]

Closing Thoughts: Dream Interview Guest

• If Rita Could Interview Anyone
  • She would choose Paul McCartney: “He set the tone for all of us. …The Beatles set the tone for all of us, really.” – Rita Wilson [27:38]

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Memorable Quotes

• On the transformative power of iconic music:
  “What they [The Beatles] were doing was so original and so fresh… they just wanted to keep making music and trying new things, and they didn’t repeat themselves. That’s why we have such an amazing variety of music from them.” – Rita Wilson [06:43]

• On genre and creativity:
  “Good music is good music, no matter what period it is, and no matter who the artist is.” – Rita Wilson [24:27]

• On live performance and connection:
  “There is always somebody in that room that needs to hear what you’re singing and what you’re saying.” – Rita Wilson [22:00]

• On women’s legacy in music:
  “I don’t want to call it surviving… but they’ve lasted because the music was so good and so powerful.” – Rita Wilson, on artists like Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks [08:51]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:48] – Rita’s first musical influence: The Beatles
• [07:42] – Her first big concert: Led Zeppelin at the Forum
• [09:45] – Writing “Look How Far We’ve Come” with Billy Steinberg
• [13:19] – Collaborating on a Grammy-nominated roots gospel album
• [15:01] – Behind the scenes of the Joni Mitchell Hollywood Bowl tribute
• [17:57] – On honoring Patsy Cline at the Ryman Auditorium
• [21:53] – The magic of performing at Café Carlyle and historic venues
• [24:27] – Creative philosophy: refusing to be boxed in by genre
• [27:38] – Rita’s dream musical interview: Paul McCartney

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Episode Tone and Takeaways

The conversation is intimate, nostalgic, and sincerely inspiring. Rita Wilson’s stories and reflections illuminate the enduring influence of women in music, the importance of creative fearlessness, and the profound joy found in collaboration and live performance. Buzz Knight creates space for Rita to share both personal anecdotes and broader wisdom relevant to listeners across generations of music lovers and creatives.

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Recommended for:
Anyone interested in music history, creative processes, women’s stories in the arts, or the behind-the-scenes tales of iconic musical moments. Especially appealing for fans of The Beatles, classic rock, and contemporary singer-songwriters.

Transcript

[Buzz Knight]

Taking a walk. I'm Buzz Knight, and this Women's History Month, we're celebrating the women who don't just make history, they help write it. My guest today on this encore episode is an actor, producer, singer, songwriter, and also an author. A woman who has spent decades shaping stories both on screen and behind the scenes. She's used her platform not just for entertainment, but for advocacy, philanthropy and and lifting other voices in Hollywood and beyond. Rita Wilson has never been content to just play a role. She defines them. And in this conversation from the past with her, that touches on creativity, resilience, the power of storytelling, and what it truly means to give back. She's as candid and compelling as ever. This is taking a walk. And today, she wrote the book. Rita Wilson is next.

[Jill Interesting]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Rita Wilson]

Every small business owner has that one moment that could have broken them, but remarkably, it didn't. Hi, I'm Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business. And on season three of the Unshakeables, my co host Kathleen Griffith and I are bringing you more incredible stories of overcoming the impossible. We're really proud to share that the Unshakeables is nominated for best branded podcast at the 2026 I Heart podcast Awards. Listen to the Unshakeables wherever you get your podcasts and learn [e-mail] podcast JPMorgan Chase bank and a member FDIC Copyright 20 and 26 JPMorgan Chase Co. Hi,

[Jill Interesting]

it's Jill Interesting, host of the Spirit Daughter podcast where we talk about astrology and natal charts and how to step into your most vibrant life. And today I'm talking with my dear friend, Krista Williams. It can change you in the best way possible.

[Rita Wilson]

Dance with the change. Dance with the breakdowns.

[Jill Interesting]

The embodiment of Pisces intuition with Capricorn power moves.

[Rita Wilson]

So I'm, like, delusionally proud of my chart.

[Jill Interesting]

Listen to the Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. Next Monday, our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards are happening live at south by Southwest.

[Buzz Knight]

This is the biggest night in podcasting.

[Jill Interesting]

We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry.

[Rita Wilson]

And the winner is.

[Jill Interesting]

Creativity, knowledge and passion will all be on full display. Thank you so much, iheartradio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch live next Monday at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific [e-mail] or the Veeps app Ego. Woda is your host for the 2026 I Heart podcast Awards live at south by Southwest.

[Rita Wilson]

Hello? Is anybody there?

[Jill Interesting]

Raised by a single mom, Aygo may have a few father related issues.

[Buzz Knight]

Are we supposed to talk about your dad?

[Jill Interesting]

Her podcast, thanks dad, is full of funny, heartfelt conversations with actors, including fellow SNL alums, comedians, musicians, and more about life and their wonderfully complicated relationships with their fathers. I think and hope that's a good thing. Get to know Aygo, follow Thanks dad with Ago Wodom and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app today.

[Buzz Knight]

Taking a Walk Rita Wilson, it's an honor to meet you and to have you on the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Rita Wilson]

We're taking a walk. We're walking. Afternoon time, I think it is.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, we gotta walk the lunch off, right? Or the breakfast off or. Yeah, all of it. Yeah. Well, thank you so much. Do you remember the first time in your life that you were touched by music?

[Rita Wilson]

Well, yes, it would. It would have to be the Beatles and it would have to be anything off their first album that was released in the US because it just engaged you. You felt that they were speaking to you. Now granted, I was like 8 years old or less when, yeah, probably less when they came to the States, but. Or that album came to the States, but nevertheless, I want to hold your hand. I mean every 8 year old is already fully aw of romance and what may await them in their older lives. And so that just the exuberance with which they sang was pretty great.

[Buzz Knight]

Would it be fair to say that's the first album purchase was a Beatles album or 45.

[Rita Wilson]

It was the first album given because we grew up in Hollywood and there was a woman in the neighborhood, she worked at Capitol Records and she would bring us on the day of release an album. And so me, my brother and sister would, you know, sort of fight over it. But that's how we got the Beatles music. It was incredible. I mean, she was so sweet and so generous to think of us.

[Buzz Knight]

You will appreciate this. So I grew up in Stanford, Connecticut, not far from New York City. And we thought we were so cool because we found this place, it was called the Record Rack and it was this little dive record store in the center of town. And we would go the day before when we knew a Beatles release was coming out and the guy would charge us a dollar more because we would get it a day before and we thought we were so cool.

[Rita Wilson]

You were. He was ahead of his game with surge pricing and you Were like, it's worth it to be that extra dollar for that, Al. Because you might be the coolest if you got it early. Come on.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah. And I don't know if you could see if you squint behind me, but the wall behind there is it.

[Rita Wilson]

Yes, yes. And I can't see what the one on the left is.

[Buzz Knight]

I'll get my big head out of the way. There's a Ringo album cover. And then at the far side there is George Harrison's Cloud 9.

[Rita Wilson]

Oh, my gosh, that's so great. By the way, just a sidebar. I just saw that the 50th anniversary reissue of All Things Must Pass is charting.

[Buzz Knight]

I love it.

[Rita Wilson]

Like, multiple charts. How great is that?

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, and what an amazing piece of work that, you know, just like everything around the Beatles holds up to this day.

[Rita Wilson]

It does, it does. I mean, what they were doing was so original and so fresh. And I know from being lucky enough to have had a couple of conversations with Paul McCartney and George Harrison that when they were making music, they just wanted to keep making music and trying new things and they didn't repeat themselves. That's why we have such an amazing variety of music from them. And they were just constantly inspiring themselves and doing new material. They didn't stick to the same stuff that went like, oh, I know this works, and I know this is selling. And they just were like, great, we can keep finding new things to do. I thought that was pretty incredible.

[Buzz Knight]

Now, first concert performance by an established act that you ever attended, Led Zeppelin

[Rita Wilson]

at the Los Angeles Forum. And it was everything you would hope it would be. You know, everybody was in love with Robert. All the girls were in love with Robert Plant for sure. And I. I went with my two girlfriends that were identical twins. They were about 6ft tall, gorgeous girls with red hair, and went together. We. My mom made me my outfit, which was a little Hawaiian print crop top and bell bottoms, you know, the drawstring waist. I wore these big wedge sandals called corkies. We were so excited. We were running to the Forum because we didn't want to miss anything. And I fell flat on my face in the parking lot because those corkies are not to be used for running. It did not dampen my love of the concert. However,

[Buzz Knight]

now I have to say I think you'll agree with this. When we talk about rock stars aging gracefully, don't you think Robert Plant and Jimmy Page have aged so gracefully?

[Rita Wilson]

They really have. And I mean, let's Talk about Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr and Mick Jagger, who's You know, you see him on stage and you're like, okay, that's 81. I'm in. Sign me up. I'll do that. And then the women, Annie Lennox, Joni Mitchell. You know who's made an extraordinary comeback? Carole King, Stevie Nicks. All of these people have really just not only. I don't want to call it surviving because. But they've lasted because the music was so good and so powerful.

[Buzz Knight]

Without a doubt. We're going to come back to a few of those, particularly Joanie, but congratulations on the single. Look how far We've Come. Thank you. Can you tell me about that project and how that collaboration came together?

[Rita Wilson]

Yes. Look How Far we Come. I wrote that with Billy Steinberg and Josh Alexander, his new writing partner after Tom Kelly retired. And for people listening who may not know who he is, you might want to Google him. But he's responsible for songs like True Colors, Eternal Flame, I touched myself, I drove all night, I'll stand by you. You know, I could go on and on alone. That heart did. And I was a huge fan, obviously, of Billy's, and we had some mutual friends, and I met him, and over the years, we would see each other and have this sort of like, you know, lovely interaction. But I started doing a show called Liner Notes, which is songwriters telling the stories behind their hits and singing them. And what is beautiful about that is when the songs are written often on keys or guitar, you don't hear that song played in that way and sung by the songwriter because producers get a hold of it and they make the song what they want to make. You know, Billy also wrote Like a Virgin. So when, you know, I started doing these shows, I had the guts and temerity to ask Billy if he wanted to, you know, come to one and participate. And he said yes, and he enjoyed it. So he came back many times, and I'm so grateful for that. It established our friendship more deeply and which I'm so grateful for. But he also one day said, if you ever want to write together, let's write. And I was like, what? What? I just, you know, I would never think to ask somebody like Billy if he would want to write with me. So I was immediately said yes. And.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, I thought you were going to go. I'm sorry to interrupt. I thought you were going to go. Well, Billy, let me think about this and I'll come right back to you. No, I'm kidding.

[Rita Wilson]

I know, right? And so we wrote together. And Billy is. He started out as a poet and is a Poet to this day. And so as a lyricist, he came to the session already with stuff for that song. And the title, of course, look How Far We've Come, I think, you know, is really about a relationship and, you know, the ups and downs of a relationship. But I also respond to it in a way that was more about, look how far we've come. If you're even having a conversation with yourself. And so for me, it resonated as, wow, look how far I've come as a songwriter. You know, I'm sitting in a room with Billy Steinberg and somebody who would, you know, spend time doing that with me. Felt very humbling and also a moment to reflect and be extremely grateful for where I was at that moment in time.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, that's so special. Thank you for sharing that.

[Rita Wilson]

Thank you.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah. So then now you're also up for a Grammy. Congratulations for best roots gospel album. That is so exciting. I want to hear about that, but I want to ask you first, how difficult is it to be bending genres here?

[Rita Wilson]

Well, first, let me say that the roots gospel album called through the Storm. I'm sorry? The song is called through the Storm. The album is called the Gospel According to Mark. And the artist who put that together and produced it is Mark D. Conklin. And he's an extraordinary songwriter and a very soulful singer. And we had met because we had done an interview because he was doing something called the Grammy Experience, and I. He interviewed me for an album, and I just thought he was wonderful. And we had a great conversation, kind of like we're having now. And when this project came up, he asked if I would want to sing with him on a track called through the Storm. I said, of course I would. I mean, that would be beautiful. And I loved the song when he sent it to me. So I. It's not my album, but it is. When you are on an album that is nominated and it wins a Grammy, you also win a Grammy because you're part of that project, which is pretty great.

[Buzz Knight]

That is so awesome. Fingers crossed. Fingers crossed for that.

[Rita Wilson]

Fingers crossed.

[Buzz Knight]

So you were part of the amazing Joanie jam that happened at the Hollywood bowl, led by Brandi Carlile, of course, and Joanie and a array of people. How did all that come together with your involvement? And can you give us a glimpse behind the scenes what that special event was like? Every time I watch clips of it, I have to tell you, it's so beautiful, I'm in tears.

[Rita Wilson]

Exactly how I came to be involved is Brandi Carlile and her Wife, Kathryn shepherd, are, you know, fully aware of my obsession with Joanie. And they said, we're going to be doing a Joanie jam at the Hollywood Bowl. And they invited me to participate, which was mind blowing. Now, the Joni jam started because when Joni had her aneurysm, it took a long time for her to come out of that and get healthy again. And Brandy and Catherine were really responsible for helping her do that because they would go to her house and they would do these Joanie jams and they would sing music to Joni, sing her own songs, invite other people to come and sing, and eventually Joni started singing along. And it was something that reconnected her to, I think, her own. Her own music, her own recovery, her own health. And Brandi had the great idea to do the Joni jam. And she, of course, did it at Newport Folk Festival first, and that was huge. Made an album from that. And that led to the Hollywood bowl thing. Brandy absolutely put together a spectacular group of musicians and artists. And sitting on the stage, I want you to know what this experience was like, because you said you were in tears. We were all in tears. Because the love coming from the audience in the Hollywood bowl and the love felt on stage was an all encompassing surround sound of feeling. You know, it just. There was nothing better than that. It was palpable. And there were moments, you know, the stage turned. So act one of the show was Joanie and Brandy, and then Act 2 was the Joni Jam. So the stage rotates on a turntable and, you know, they kind of did a reenactment of her living room. So there were couches and chairs and, you know, all the artists sitting. My. My couch partner was John Batiste, and next to me was Annie Lennox and Allison Russell, and next to them was Elton John and Meryl Streep. Marcus Mumford was in front of me. It was a Jacob Collier on keys. And everyone was there celebrating and loving Joanie and Brandy, and it was powerful.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, I love it. I have chills. Seriously, you talking about it, right?

[Rita Wilson]

Yeah, it was pretty. It was pretty goosebump.

[Buzz Knight]

And then you've got another goosebump event that was captured the. The Patsy Cline performance event that will be coming out in the new year. That was done at the Ryman, I believe. Right?

[Rita Wilson]

I was at the Ryman. And it's a PBS special. It's out now. It's called Great Performances. Walk In After Midnight, Patsy Cline. And that was my reference earlier, Walk In Afternoon Time. But that was intimidating and it Was nerve wracking to do that. I had been asked. I love Patsy Cline. You know, I listened. She was on the radio when I was a kid and I loved her music and loved her song and then, you know, did a deeper dive, you know, later as I got older. And she is known as having one of the all time great voices. So if you're doing. If you're asked to sing a Patsy Klein song, and in this one I was asked to sing she's got you. I was, I was, I was intimidated and I worked hard on that because I didn't want to blow it. You know, the Ryman is one of the best places to. To perform. It's a place that Patsy performed many times. Her daughter was there, her grandchildren were there. And you don't want to disappoint people. You know, you don't want them to invite you to sing and then it doesn't work or you blow it or something. So I was, I was very focused, I should say.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, well, you know, Patsy Cline, no small item to be part of. Have you ever toured that Quonset Hut studio there in Nashville where Patsy recorded and others like Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan recorded?

[Rita Wilson]

Well, I would love to know what that is. I'd go visit there in a second.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, you want to do that because then there's some inside stories about Patsy's time in that studio, some classics, how she was a, you know, don't take any bull character. She was, as you could imagine, pretty tough.

[Rita Wilson]

Well, I didn't imagine that, but when I read about her and have heard some, you know, audio on her, she was very funny, apparently, and had very colorful language, shall we say. And I just didn't put that together because, you know, when she said sings, she's so still and so still. I mean, it's like that. And so you kind of think that somebody like that is very quiet in real life. And that's what I love, that sort of dichotomy of how somebody is in person and how somebody is when they perform. Like, I've met so many comedians that are so hilarious on stage and they're very quiet in person. So the reverse is also true.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, I was surprised too. I thought, like you, that, you know, she would be much different than that. But definitely tour the Quonset Hut studio there. You feel a presence there. I really mean that. You feel something from all the performers that have been there in the past.

[Rita Wilson]

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Oh, my goodness. So true.

[Buzz Knight]

So you completed a residency at the Cafe Carlisle in New York City. And I want to hear about that experience. But I'm going to make a comment and see how you feel about this first, I believe with the Cafe Carlisle at the Carlisle Hotel, but also their smaller little venue, the Bemelman's Bar, there. If you are in a bad mood and you go in to the Cafe Carlisle or to Bemelman's to listen to music, to listen to Rita Wilson, to listen to who's playing there, I promise you, you leave in a good mood. Do you. Do you agree with that?

[Rita Wilson]

I agree wholeheartedly. And I also would have to say that I think music in general puts you in a fantastic mood. So if you're in a bad mood, just put on some music. It will transport you to a better state of mind. But, yeah, I love those places. There's something to be said about these old venues like the Ryman, like the Cafe Camaraderie Carlisle or Bellman or the Troubadour or. You know, I went to the Blue Note when I was in New York recently, and there's something to be said. It's like the walls, the paint, the air. Those molecules have been. They're just the same molecules that have always been there, and you feel them, and that's what it's like. You sense the people that have come before that have played, the people that have listened there. You know, I always think when. When I do a show there and. And the Carlisle is very intimate, but I kind of feel this way. Generally. You just have to make every place feel intimate, is that there is always somebody in that room that needs to hear what you're singing and what you're. What you're saying. And if there was just one person in every one of these spaces and I had to perform, it would be the same performance, because I would know that they were there for a reason. And there's something about the intimacy of those places where people can actually talk back to you sometimes, or they. They shot at you, not shout, but they talk to you in the audience. And I like that. I think it's great. It's not heckling. It's actually like they're part of it. The audience is as much a part of the show as. As the performer is.

[Buzz Knight]

Those places are treasures, without question.

[Rita Wilson]

They are.

[Buzz Knight]

They are. Tell me about. In March, you'll be performing in Nashville with the Symphony, right?

[Rita Wilson]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to that. It's my first symphony show at the Nashville Symphony, and it'll be a combination of COVID songs that I've done on my albums, original material and some material that I have not sung before. And also maybe some. I'm. I'm looking into adding maybe some Broadway. Just a couple of Broadway things.

[Buzz Knight]

That sounds exciting. And once again, there you are, challenging yourself, pushing yourself to do some different things.

[Rita Wilson]

I feel like I'm very much of the mind that nobody should be boxed in because we're create. We're artists, we're creative people. We are. Things are coming at us. We're processing, we're writing, we're sussing out what it is that we want to say. And sometimes that doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to look the same every single time. And I think it's liberating to have that kind of a mindset. And I don't believe necessarily in genres. I believe in good music, and good music is good music, no matter what period it is, and no matter who the artist is. I mean, Jon Batiste has a new album out right now that's called Beethoven Blues, and he's. It's his riff on Beethoven. I mean, how cool is that? It's so. It's so fresh, and it's still got everything that you want, but it's not traditional, and it's not in, you know, any sort of genre. I guess it might be in a genre. There's a genre for everything, but it's a little bit outside the box, which I love.

[Buzz Knight]

Well. And I just had Julian Lennon on the podcast, taking it full circle, right?

[Rita Wilson]

Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

But we talked about. And he brought this up because he's got a photography business book out called Life's Fragile Moments, and he said exactly the same thing. He said, why do people have to be pigeonholed? I know that's not. That's not needed. Just let me do my thing and create.

[Rita Wilson]

Exactly. You know, every creative person does more than one creative thing anyways, because it's a need. It's like, it's part of you. You have to do it. And so, first of all, I love Julian's music, and I love his photography. He is so talented and such a lovely person. But I. I know every person I know that's a creative person does something else, whether it's painting, knitting, sculpting, pottery, cooking, sewing, photography. It's. There's something that you have to do because, you know, we have a very. Actors have a very collaborative art form, and it's not something like you just go around doing monologues by yourself all the time, although maybe some people do. I don't know, but when you don't have that creative output, if you're working on something, you need to put it somewhere.

[Buzz Knight]

So, Rita, in closing, I'm going to turn the tables on you a little bit and say, if you could interview somebody, living or dead, to understand as a musician, their creative process, who would that be?

[Rita Wilson]

Wow. I. You can't pick one person like, oh, I guess I'd have to say Paul McCartney. You know, I probably would say Paul.

[Buzz Knight]

It's a good one.

[Rita Wilson]

Yeah, he's. He set the tone for all of us. You know, they all did. The Beatles set the tone for all of us, really. And so I would probably want to interview Paul.

[Buzz Knight]

Rita, I'm so grateful I got to interview you. This is one of the joys of my life, being able to. To meet up with great folks like you and learn about your creative process and celebrate your music. Congratulations on everything and it's an honor to have you on Taking a Walk.

[Rita Wilson]

Rita Wilson, thank you so much. See you soon. Stay warm in Boston.

[Buzz Knight]

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jill Interesting]

At vrbo, we understand that even the best of plans sometimes need a little support. So we plan for the plot twists. Every booking is automatically backed by our VRBO Care guarantee, giving you confidence from the very start. Whenever you need help, it's ready before your stay, through the moments in between, between and after your trip. Because a great trip starts with peace of mind and maybe a good playlist, but we've got the peace of mind part covered. Hi, it's Jill. Interesting, host of the Spirit Daughter podcast where we talk about astrology, natal charts and how to step into your most vibrant life. And today I'm talking with my dear friend Krista Williams.

[Rita Wilson]

It can change you in the best way, way possible. Dance with the change. Dance with the breakdowns.

[Jill Interesting]

The embodiment of Pisces intuition with Capricorn power moves.

[Rita Wilson]

Just so I'm like delusionally proud of my chart.

[Jill Interesting]

Listen to the Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcast. Next Monday, our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards are happening live in south by Southwest.

[Buzz Knight]

This is the biggest night in podcasting

[Jill Interesting]

will honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the

[Rita Wilson]

industry and the winner is.

[Jill Interesting]

Creativity, knowledge and passion will all be on full display. Thank you so much iheartradio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch Live next Monday at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific [e-mail] or the Veeps app. Ego Woda is your host for the 2026 I Heart podcast Awards live at south by Southwest.

[Rita Wilson]

Hello? Is anybody there?

[Jill Interesting]

Raised by a single mom, Ego may have a few father related issues.

[Buzz Knight]

Are we supposed to talk about your dad?

[Jill Interesting]

Her podcast, thanks dad, is full of funny, heartfelt conversations with actors, including fellow SNL alums, comedians, musicians and more about life and their wonderfully complicated relationships with their fathers. I think and hope that's a good thing. Get to know Aygo, follow Thanks dad with aygowodom and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app today.