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“How I Wrote That Song” will spotlight the artists, songwriters, and producers behind today’s biggest hits, offering insight into the stories behind the lyrics, and a song’s path from the writing room to the radio. Each spotlight will focus on a single artist and will highlight his/her biggest hit through a recorded one-one-one video interview.

SPOT LIGHT: ANN WILSON 

In the lead episode of Season 3 of How I Wrote That Song, one of the most enduring voices in rock n’ roll looks back on her hits and the moments that inspired them.  

Ann Wilson’s storied career in Heart has yielded so many memorable tracks, with each of them taking the band down a different sonic path. They stand as a testament to the multifaceted songwriting skills of her and her sister Nancy Wilson, who founded the band together fifty years ago. 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee tells Sara Parker of WMMR how one of Heart’s earliest hits, “Barracuda,” came together organically: “I didn’t have to think too much about it. Just let my emotions flow… I had a problem with somebody who had insulted me and my sister, and I was really angry. And so (the words) just went down on the page.” 

 That song showcased the grittier side of Heart, but there’s a gentler side to the music as well. “Dog and Butterfly,” released a couple years later, held a softer tone. 

 “That was the thing about Heart,” Ann explains. “It could go all places. It wasn’t just a heavy, grinding rock band. It could do that, for sure, and have it be real, but also Nancy and I came out of a folk background. We came from a house with parents who listened to all kinds of stuff, Ray Charles, and opera… all kinds of music. So it wasn’t much of a stretch for us to write something like ‘Dog and Butterfly’.” 

 Ann also talks about the challenges and rewards that come with collaborating with other songwriters, her latest solo album, and Heart’s recent GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement recognition. Stream the interview in its entirety (below).  

 Note: This interview was recorded in November 2022.