#35 Scott Miller

There will be more to come on this list, but Scott Miller is among the most under-appreciated songwriters I've ever heard. His command of putting words to song should put him in the conversation with the greats. From his days with Knoxville, Tennesssee's V-Roys, through to his many solo records, Miller has been a favorite of mine for 20+ years. And he sings and performs with such a charm and grace that it pains me that he never makes it West. If you care to see him live, you best be in the Southeast, as that's really the only place he plays.

This cover of the Statler Brothers' "I Will Go To My Grave Loving You" is probably the video I've watched most on YouTube over the years. He plays it so perfectly, and seems so nervous, that it's nearly impossible not to be moved. This is just perfection:



I saw the V-Roys once, in New York at the now-defunct Wetlands, sometime around 1997 or so. I've seen Miller live once, at the also-shuttered Lakeside Lounge. Dude is a gentle soul, through-and-through. And what a talent.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Miller back in 2011. You can find that here.

Favorite record: Are You With Me? (2003)

Where are they now? Still out there doing his thing.