Soulful
Americana songwriter, singer, and producer
Buddy Miller began his career in the early '60s as an upright bassist is high-school
bluegrass combos. Later, he traveled the backroads of America as an acoustic guitarist, eventually landing in New York City, where his
Buddy Miller Band included a young
Shawn Colvin on vocals and guitar. He also forged an enduring relationship with
country-rock iconoclast
Jim Lauderdale.
Miller eventually landed in Nashville, where he did session guitar and vocal work on albums by
Lauderdale,
Victoria Williams, and
Heather Myles, among others. He self-produced his criminally overlooked solo debut,
Your Love and Other Lies (Hightone, 1995), and followed it with 1997's equally superb
Poison Love. By this point
Miller was the lead guitarist in
Emmylou Harris' band, and
Harris returned the favor with backing vocals throughout
Poison Love. 1999's
Cruel Moon continued
Miller's string of home-recorded masterpieces; this time around,
Steve Earle dropped by for the sessions. A big part of all
Miller's recordings was the songwriting and harmonies of his wife,
Julie Miller. 2001's duet album
Buddy & Julie Miller brought her contributions to the front of the mix and delivered them with gritty, soulful
country arrangements enhanced by the interplay of his scowl and her lilt. 2002 saw the release of fifth album for Hightone,
Midnight and Lonesome. It again featured contributions from
Julie,
Harris, and
Lauderdale and mixed
honky tonk with heartfelt balladry and the occasional
soul cover. In addition to his stellar solo career,
Miller held down his gig in
Harris' backing band, played guitar with
Earle, produced albums by his wife
Julie,
Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and the Vigilantes of Love and wrote songs for
the Dixie Chicks,
Lee Ann Womack,
Lauderdale, and
Hank Williams III. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide