Bob Dylan To Me : Scott Miller

Considering all of his projects, rarely does Steve Earle get credit for his ability to find talent. In the mid/late 90s, Earle launched E-Squared Records, bringing light to such great acts as Bap Kennedy, Cheri Knight and Knoxville, Tennessee's, The V-Roys. Of the bunch, it was the foursome from Knoxville that had the potential to reach the masses. Combining fantastic songwriting and straightforward rock n' roll, The V-Roys, almost always assembled in black matching suits, had all the pieces to make it. But like many of the great acts lumped into the Americana surge of the decade, they never broke past cult following, if even that.

Sometime in the late 90s, the V-Roys played one of their few (only?) shows in New York City. Following a TV performance with Earle, they were set to play the now defunct Wetlands, opening for jam band God Street Wine. As they took the stage, to my left stood Earle and his teen son, Justin. I made some quip to Steve about my love for the V-Roys. Him and Justin walked away. Seconds later Scott Miller, Mic Harrison, Paxton Sellers and Jeff Bills took the stage. They couldn't have played for more than 35 minutes, but it was a set I'll never forget. Miller had presence and the band complimented him perfectly: musically, visually, and just about every way imaginable. I clearly recall walking out a few minutes after the V-Roys departed and New York just looked different. Something beautiful. Something alive.

"Daddy Raised a Boy"

When the V-Roys broke up sometime around 2000, Scott Miller pretty quickly launched into a solo career. Although his records top-to-bottom have been a bit inconsistent, the good songs on each record likely represent Miller's best work. "Daddy Raised a Boy," "Freedom's a Stranger," "Amtrak Crescent" are a mere sampling of his stellar songs. In his decade-plus solo career, his career highlight has to be 2003s live recording, Are You With Me? Since its release, I don't think I've gone 30 days without listening to it front-to-back. Assembling the best of the V-Roys tracks ("Goodnight Loser," "Lie I Believe") and Miller's solo work, this collection is the best work of Miller's career. And if there's ever a place to drop $15 on music, it's on this record.

"I'll Go To My Grave" (Statler Bros. Cover)

Similar to Richard Buckner, Kenny Roby, Chip Robinson, Brent Best, Tim Easton and many more, Scott Miller is one of the artists to come out of the 90s whose music I cherish as much as anything penned by Dylan, Springsteen or Lennon. And in many respects, even more. Many of these guys scrape by to put out recordings that, if released in the 70s, would probably have had the backing of a Reprise or Columbia Records. But not today. And as each record makes its way to my mailbox, I am grateful that they continue to do what they do. And I can say without a hint of hyperbole that without those records, my life wouldn't be the same.