|
| Home |
| Movies |
| Music |
| Longlist |
| Contact Us |
The public perception is they must be a bunch of whining premadonnas, but they're not. Most of the established stars have earned the right to require certain conditions at concert venues by being constantly productive in an industry where only the strongest remain. Everyday, numerous individuals can be spotted climbing on a Greyhound, hitchhiking or stuffing a 1982 Toyota Corolla full of clothes and musical equipment and leaving Nashville, they're dreams shattered. They've heard no too many times and they can't take it any longer. Survival of the fittest is the law of the land and its a trait that keeps Lance Miller hanging around Music City. The Fairfield native has been knocked to the ground so many times, its truly amazing that he keeps bouncing back. Early in career, he was virtually guaranteed major acts would record some of his songs, but the deal always seemed to deteriorate at the last second. With a hard-core vocal style that has often been called a combination of John Conley and Merle Haggard, and a new hair style that is definitely Keith Urbanish, Miller was targeted for greatness after securing a major record deal with Warner Brothers a few years back. However, singles "She Really Loves Me" and "The Beach" generated little radio airplay, and he was recently dropped from the label. The devastating blow would've sent most folks packing, but not Miller. The SIU graduate cut his teeth is the rough clubs in White, Franklin and Jackson Counties, playing in his father's band, before venturing out solo and eventually taking the helm of Jackson Junction, before seeking the greener pastures in Nashville. "I was never afraid of Music Row, the music business or people in Nashville because my dad was tougher on me than any of these guys, as far as critiques," Miller says. "I was already pretty thick skinned when I came to town and I remain that way. It's made me the person I am now, and maybe a little tougher." Miller has regrouped by moving to a smaller label. Lofton Creek Records and a new single, "Old Back In The New School" has been shipped to radio stations. The response has been phenomenal from fans posting comments on his web site. As an opening act on the current Tim McGraw tour, Miller has an opportunity to present his unique style and a fresh batch of songs to a massive new audience. He played last night in Portland and over the weekend he will perform on the main stage at a festival in Salt Lake City that includes major acts like Sugarland, Josh Turner, Rodney Adkins and Jason Aldean. The closest the tour comes to this region is a July 4 stop at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in St. Louis. "It's great being out with Tim again, as well as Jason Aldean and Halfway To Hazard. We're playing mostly outdoor amphitheaters, so its a great summertime beer-drinkin' party-type atmosphere," Miller said. Many Southern Illinoisans are thinking about Miller as they watch the new season of Nashville Star. The show has been moved from cable to a major network (NBC). It seems like the talent level should've increased, but it didn't. Nine contestants remain. Texan Gabe Garcia, a cross between Freddy Fender and Johnny Rodriquez, is the clear front runner. Pearl Heart and Ashlee Hewitt are the only ones with a legitimate shot at beating him. The rest of the cast would be lucky to win a karaoke contest at the Copper Dragon. Miller competed in Season 2 of Nashville star and finished fourth. The competition was ferocious. Everyone on the show had been beating on doors for years in the industry and were just needing the one big break. Before the show, Miller had made the transformation from lead singer to songwriter/demo singer. He was concentrating as honing his skills as a writer and would put bread on the table singing songs for other writers (demos), that would be used to try and sell particular songs to established acts. Entering the Nashville Star competition got his competitive juices flowing again and his desire to be center stage returned. He made friends with The Warren Brothers, Brad and Brett, at the opening round in the Wildhorse Saloon. They would eventually become his record producers and have been his connection to Tim McGraw. Nashville Star judge Tracy Gershon helped him get his Warner Brothers record deal. "I'm still excited about the music I'm making and so happy to be on tour again with Tim McGraw this summer," Miller says. "I hope (Southern Illinois fans) get the chance to come out and share in it with me." Miller made his debut on the Grand Ole Opry in December, playing the historic Ryman Auditorium. He is still a regular at songwriter nights at various Nashville clubs like the Bluebird Cafe. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
All pages & images, Copyright © 2008 The Southern Illinoisan, a Lee Enterprises subsidiary |
||||||||||||||||||||
