Lance Miller; Warner Bros. Nashville
Photographer: Russ Harrington
10/2/2007 — In some ways, not winning "Nashville Star" may have been a good thing for Lance Miller. Born in Fairfield, Ill., he began building his voice at age 4, when he sang "That's the Way Love Goes" at a wedding reception. By 18, he was cutting demos for local artists in Central City, Ky., a discipline that helped him find a foothold in Nashville's competitive session vocal community.
For a decade Miller established himself in the craft of finding the essence of someone else's song and bringing it to life. At the same time, he cultivated his own sound, drawing from Merle Haggard's sweet but rugged style, some of Waylon Jennings' swagger and doses of Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw and other modern masters for seasoning.
This was enough to lift Miller to the finals of "Nashville Star" in 2004. Something was missing, though; by his own admission, he had focused so much on tailoring his vocals to the needs of clients that he had neglected his own unique qualities. And so, after getting back in touch with what he wanted to say as a singer and writer, Miller returned to deliver a knockout showcase at Nashville's Exit/In, which led to a deal with Warner Bros. Records and a commitment from Brad and Brett of The Warren Brothers to make their debuts as producers with his forthcoming album.
The result, Back in the New School, is a dynamic blend of old and new, featuring six songs written or co-written by Miller. The barroom testimony of "George Jones and Jesus," down-home humor of first single "The Beach" and homespun romanticism of "Bacon Frying" put Miller in the spotlight again, this time with all of Country Music as his stage. And speaking of a big stage, hit the stage this summer as the opening act on the Faith Hill and Tim McGraw "Soul2Soul Tour."
In his own words:
Who is your musical hero?
"Dad."
Which song would you like to cover?
"'You Were Always on My Mind.'"
What moment in your life would you relive if you could?
"Any moment with my Grandma and Grandpa Miller."
What song do you wish you had written?
"Alan Jackson's 'Remember When.'"
Do you have a lucky charm?
"When my daughter came into this world, it seems she brought a lot of
great blessings in my life. She is obviously the main one."
Who is your dream duet partner?
"I would like to sing harmony with my dad on a record one of these days."
If you wrote an autobiography, what would the title be?
"I'm Glad I Showed Up."
When they look back on your life in 50 years, what do you hope people say about you?
"I guess the obvious things would be that he was a good guy, a great Dad and a man of God. When I'm working in the studio, I always catch myself asking, 'What would Buck or Merle do here with this song or production?' It would be cool if some kid is working in the studio and asks himself, 'I wonder what ole' Lance Miller would do with this thing?'"
On the Web: www.lancemiller.com
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