Anne Steele and Kelli Carpenter are the definition of “goals” both as individuals and as a collective. Whether revising their beloved “I Love My Wife” podcast, traveling globally with Carpenter’s travel company or touring for Anne’s music, both Carpenter and Steele do so with humor, love and a hearty dose of following their passions together. I sat down with two of my favorite ladies to dish about their brand new recharged version of “I Love My Wife,” Steele’s new tour, and how they balance, love, music, travel, and cocktails!
Michael Cook: So let’s start with the big news; the “I Love My Wife” podcast is back! What made you return after your hiatus?
Anne Steele/Kelli Carpenter: As you know we started this show in 2018 and spent four years doing a weekly show at DNR Studios having incredible guests from actors/actresses to activists to comedians to restaurateurs to sommeliers to writers and so many more incredible people. Then during lockdown we moved the whole studio into our house and podcast from there. That was great because it helped keep us occupied and we got to access so many more guests from all over the world since we were doing it through Zoom. Then the world opened up again and our work started picking up. We got so busy between my concerts and my wife, Kelli’s travel business booking like crazy. Suddenly we realized we just couldn’t do it all and decided to take a break. We didn’t quite realize that break would last a year and a half!
A few months ago, we started thinking about it again and possibly coming back with a new format. We realized that we missed connecting with listeners and sharing our stories with them. So we reached out to Romaine Patterson, one of the owners of DNR Studios, and asked if we could come back in a new way. This time we will not have guests. We will focus on our lives as wives that travel the world doing concerts and hosting travel, empty nester parents and how we balance it all. It will now be bi-monthly with a lot of the shows being recorded on the road. So far we have a few episodes released for the brand new Season 5!
MC: What do you think you missed the most about it?
AS/KC: We both really missed the connection with the listeners. So many of them reach out to us on social media and we really do build good connections. We also missed sitting down and telling our stories and laughing about them together. The show kind of brings a lot of energy to our lives and we love hearing each other’s perspective on the same situation. Sometimes we seriously crack up and it’s actually really fun.
MC: Anne, you are heading out on a 2024 tour as of April. What can fans expect this time around?
AS: This tour is called “Where the Boys Are,” and it’s all songs written and recorded by men. I always wondered when I was growing up why I was drawn to songs sung by men. Then as I got older, it became clear that I was a lesbian and that I wanted to sing about loving a woman, or longing for a woman, or the beauty of a woman. Those songs all gave me that. So I tell stories about the songs I chose and why they mean something to me and some are funny and some deep and sometimes sad. But that is all the journey this show takes and we all experience it together. There are also a few cities on this current tour that I am revisiting after already playing this tour there, and in that case I will be taking my show “Broadway Goes To the Movies” to those cities. This show is all about songs that either started on Broadway and then became a movie musical or the other way around. Either way, you will want to sing along to all of your favorite hits!
MC: “I Miss Those Days" is one of my favorite songs in recent memory. Have you been working on some more new music?
AS: Thank you so much for saying that. That songs really means a lot to me because as you know, I wrote it about my early days working in NYC piano bars and the friends I made there and how life moves so fast and you lose track of people. Then suddenly they are gone and you really miss your friends.
As far as new music, yes, I am writing and working on new material. Life has gotten crazy busy and I find myself not taking much time alone to myself, but that was my New Year’s resolution (along with working out, haha) so I have started writing again. So stay tuned!
MC: Kelli, you just announced cruises to everywhere from Bimini to the Greek Isles to Colombia! What is your secret to crafting such amazing vacation experiences?
KC: After over 20 years of having the pleasure of creating vacations for our amazing guests, we have learned that listening to what our clients are looking for is the best way to create a dream vacation each time. I have also found that you need to grow along with your clients. We began as a vacation company for LGBTQ+ families and now with a significant amount of empty nesters, we have a strong adults only business. I am incredibly proud of what we have created and am excited for what comes next!
MC: Broadway is such a pivotal part of so much of what you both do. What do you think it is about the Great White Way that provides so much inspiration to both of you?
AS: There is nothing better than Broadway. I remember being a little girl and listening to cast recordings in Indiana and dreaming of seeing the full spectacle in person. Then it finally happened it made me realize that NY was going to be the place I would call my home. The home of art, music, and life.
KC: Growing up, my parents were also huge Broadway fans. We spent many family trips coming to New York City to see live theater and Broadway had me hooked from the first show. I was obsessed with cast albums and knew from a very early age that Broadway would be an integral part of my life. There is nothing like sitting in a Broadway theater and the magic that happens on that stage and backstage. I am so fortunate to live so close!
MC: What are some of your favorite memories of times in the South Florida area? Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors itself are such a legendary spots for both entertainment and the LGBTQ community as a whole.
AS/KC: We have both had so many incredible times in Fort Lauderdale. We used to come down every year the week between Christmas and New Year’s and rent a condo with friends and have the best time. I have also done some of my favorite concerts at Sunshine Cathedral Performing Arts Center including this past February and coming up in February 2025! Most of all, we always end up with good friends in Wilton Manors. It’s the most incredible gay bubble full of vibrant bars restaurants and so many eclectic people that make us feel right at home.
MC: What do you each think is the secret to your own relationship success?
AS: There are so many things that I could say about this but I think it all starts with the fact that I really like her. Of course I love her madly but sometimes liking your partner can be even more important. I also trust her implicitly. We have so much fun together and we laugh a lot. We travel VERY well together and I can tell you that in both of our lines of work, that trait is invaluable.
KC: I am lucky to be married to my best friend. Honestly, Anne makes me laugh every single day. We truly enjoy each other’s company and there is no one I would rather have by my side. She makes me a better person and always has my back. I am still mesmerized by her talent and her beauty but it is her heart that makes me melt. After 10 years of marriage, I have learned that to apologize and even more importantly, learn to accept an apology is so vital to any relationship. I am one lucky lady!
Follow Anne Steele & Kelli Carpenter on their websites below:
Follow Anne Steele on Instagram @theannesteele
Follow Kelli Carpenter on Instagram @kcarpenter123
Follow “I Love My Wife” on Instagram @ilovemywifepodcast
Follow Kelli & Gregg Travel on Instagram @kelligreggtravel