The Heather Petero Show

What happens when decades of children’s ministry experience, a deep love for Jesus, a whole lot of hard-earned wisdom, and just enough Louisiana personality all land in the same room?

Meet DeDe Reilly.

DeDe has spent years helping churches understand something that sounds simple but is anything but: children’s ministry matters. The way we love, teach, encourage, and disciple children can shape a life for decades.

But DeDe&...

Mike Courtney was a successful pastor and an addict at the same time.

Twenty-three years after a life-changing encounter with God in a recovery clinic, Mike joins Heather for a conversation about the secrets that nearly destroyed him—and the truth that helped set him free.

Mike is the founder of Branches, a faith-based counseling organization serving Middle Tennessee, host of the Extending Branches podcast, and author of the br...

Seth Panitch does not believe in staying in one creative lane—and thank goodness.

He is an award-winning playwright, actor, director, filmmaker, University of Alabama professor, and now the author of Antique, a magical debut novel.

But before the publishing deal came 106 agent rejections, a first novel Seth cheerfully describes as a “monstrosity,” years of learning, and one stubborn decision after another to keep go...

What happens when being right starts costing you peace, relationships, and influence?

This week on The Heather Petero Show, Heather sits down with author, entrepreneur, and former journalist Jeramy Gordon to talk about his book Opinionated, Not Judgmental and the challenge of holding strong convictions without letting those convictions turn into contempt.

From his early years in journalism to his own experience with online outrage, J...

Mark is the award-winning author of The Return, The Gendarme, and Boy With Wings, founder and president of Tallahassee’s Word of South Festival of Literature and Music, a practicing attorney, former elected official, husband, father of three—and a man whose passport may need counseling.

Heather and Mark talk about the years of hidden work behind a published novel, why perseverance matters more than inspiration, what make...

Billy Ballenger’s story is one of redemption, restoration, and the unmistakable goodness of God.

A Christian recording artist, speaker, Winter Jam Tour alum, and co-founder of Break the Grey, Billy has shared his music and testimony with audiences across North America and beyond. But before the stages and songs, Billy walked through bullying, addiction, crime, prison, and the heartbreak of losing custody of his infant daughter...

Steve Camp’s music was part of the soundtrack of my growing-up years, so this conversation felt a little surreal—in the very best way.

In this episode of The Heather Petero Show, Steve joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about the life behind the music: the early years, the hard work nobody sees, the musicians and mentors who shaped him, the convictions that have carried him, and the lessons that only come from stay...

This week on The Heather Petero Show, Heather welcomes the dazzling, wildly talented, and joyfully unforgettable Gunhild Carling — Sweden’s Queen of Swing and one of the most exciting jazz entertainers in the world.

Gunhild is a singer, dancer, bandleader, composer, and multi-instrumentalist known for bringing vintage jazz, swing, and vaudeville roaring into the present. She plays trumpet, trombone, bagpipes, banjo, pian...

History is more than dates, battles, and famous names. It is made up of ordinary people facing extraordinary moments—and the stories we tell determine what we remember.

In this episode of The Heather Petero Show, Heather sits down with author, screenwriter, and storyteller David Jones III to talk about his historical novel, The Unlikely Life of Oliver Atkinson, and the lifetime of experience, research, setbacks, and creative p...

What does it really mean to be present — not just busy, polished, productive, or professionally “fine”?

In this episode of The Heather Petero Show, Heather sits down with Reverend James Williams, Senior Pastor of Grace Resurrection Methodist Church and author of The Present Pastor: Step Off the Stage and Learn to Lead Like Jesus.

They talk about presence over performance, servant leadership, church culture, burnout,...

What happens when a seriously stressed-out high school English teacher burns out and ends up building an extraordinary life teaching guitar?

In this episode, Heather talks with Rob Hampton — teacher, entrepreneur, and all-around delight — about how he went from burnout to building something truly special in music education. Rob has taught everyone from four-year-olds to Fortune 500 CEOs, helped over 29 million guitarists...

What do you do when life changes in a second? In this episode, Heather sits down with Carter Viss — marine biologist, founder of the Carter Viss Foundation, co-author of Found in the Wake, and one-handed pianist — for a conversation about survival, recovery, advocacy, music, and meaning. They talk about the accident that changed his life, the people who helped save him, the work he’s doing to make waters safer, an...

What happens when people choose to show up in places most of the world would rather avoid?

In this episode, Heather talks with Walter Straham and Rosa Fossett-Gilbert of Kairos Prison Ministry about prison ministry, Kairos Outside, and the quiet weight carried by families and loved ones on the outside. This conversation goes beyond labels and assumptions into something much more human: dignity, compassion, second chances, and the po...

In this rich and personal conversation, Heather sits down with award-winning artist, songwriter, author, speaker, and mentor Babbie Mason to talk about calling, staying power, and the songs that live far beyond the moment they were written.

From her early years as a preacher’s kid and teacher, to writing songs the church still sings, Babbie shares what it means to stay rooted while the world keeps changing the packaging. Heath...

Born into one of America’s most recognizable legacy families, Lisa Popeil went on to build an extraordinary career all her own — as a singer, performer, researcher, author, and highly respected celebrity vocal coach.

This week on The Heather Petero Show, Heather welcomes Lisa Popeil, creator of the Voiceworks Method, for a rich conversation about voice, artistry, legacy, and impact. They explore Lisa’s unique famil...

What happens when people stop skimming, stop reacting, and actually listen?

My guest is Bunni Pounds, and we’re talking about America Reads the Bible—a major public event in Washington, D.C. happening April 18–25, 2026, with an opening celebration on April 18 and a full week of public Bible reading at the Museum of the Bible from April 19 through 25. The event’s official materials describe nearly 500 readers ...

This week on The Heather Petero Show, Heather sits down with her dear friend Cathy Semeria for a conversation that is honest, strong, and deeply encouraging—especially for parents who have lost a child.

Cathy shares the story of her daughter, Christina “Tini” Semeria, who died in a tragic auto accident in 2016—an event that became national news at the time. But this episode isn’t about headlines. It&rsq...

In this episode of The Heather Petero Show, Heather sits down with Hall of Fame, multi-platinum Nashville Row songwriter Bernie Nelson for a conversation that pulls back the curtain on the songs we love—and the lives, moments, and unexpected turns that shaped them.

They talk about what it really takes to write something that lasts, why so many people misunderstand who actually writes the songs, and how originality survives in ...

What happens when you mix twenty years of friendship, two decades of marriage, music that feels like a Georgia backroad? You get Matt + Abi.

In this episode, I sit down with the duo to talk about the messy middle—the real-life space where faith, family, and the artist hustle collide. We peel back the curtain on what it takes to build something honest together, keep showing up for the people you love, and make music that feels ...