Ep. 255: Brittany Howard | How Alabama Shakes Went From a Garbage Truck to Playing with Prince

Ep. 255: Brittany Howard | How Alabama Shakes Went From a Garbage Truck to Playing with Prince

From And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan by And The Writer Is

July 7, 2026 · 1h 11m

About this episode

Brittany Howard shares her unique journey from a trailer park to becoming a Grammy-winning artist with Alabama Shakes.

Today's guest is Brittany Howard — four-time Grammy winner, the voice of Alabama Shakes, and one of the most singular artists of her generation. But her real story isn't the accolades or the sold-out rooms. It's a single-wide trailer, a junkyard full of animals, and a garbage truck — and a woman who never once chased any of it. From a Cotton Patch trailer park to Paisley Park, Brittany built a career by refusing to do it the way you're supposed to. She carries three things simultaneously that most artists never figure out how to hold at once: an obsessive craftsman's ear (she'll stab an amp with a screwdriver to find a tone), an unbudging authenticity (she showed up to the deal that changed her life hungover, in her pajamas, in a mail truck), and a total indifference to the machine (0% involvement in her own charts, streams, and licensing). This is one of the more honest conversations we've had about staying true to yourself in music. And The Writer Is... Alabama Shakes! Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music. Follow us on socials: @andthewriteris A special thank you to our sponsor, NMPA — the National Music…

People in this episode

Host: Ross Golan

Guest: Brittany Howard

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NMPA

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Alabama Shakes

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