Anyone that has driven on Route 11 through northwestern Virginia has encountered the beauty and history that is the Shenandoah Valley. It is there that singer and songwriter Scott Miller grew up on a 200-acre cattle farm. But along the way, the call of life as a musician grabbed him up, which led to years of the proverbial up-and-down experiences of being an artist.
Miller’s work is along the lines of now-star Jason Isbell. I mention Isbell because his latest album, Southeastern, has brought truly good songwriting to the fore; hopefully Miller’s work will soon get the same recognition. Steve Earle called Miller’s talent “world class” long ago, and Miller’s subsequent albums have proven him right.
Like Isbell, Miller (who rose to national attention with the Tennessee-based V-Roys) found sobriety a couple of years ago and he subsequently decided to take over the family cattle farm while still writing and performing.
During this time, he began to collaborate with the awesome fiddler Rayna Gellert, who many may remember from the band Uncle Earl. Miller’s latest album, Big Big World, includes Gellert and also finds him co-writing a bunch of new songs with Patty Griffin and John Hiatt alumnus Doug Lancio, who also produced the project.
SCOTT MILLER plays the Ballroom at Taft Theatre at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 7. Tickets/more info here .
