Buddy Miller

This week’s voice to hear is Buddy Miller. Buddy calls Nashville home and is an in demand session player and producer as well as a superb songwriter and singer. He also records with his wife Julie. Besides country music Buddy considers himself a Christian singer, though it might not be quite the church music you’re used to.

Buddy started out playing in a bluegrass band in high school. After traveling the country playing his guitar he ended up in New York with the Buddy Miller Band with a young Shawn Colvin singing and playing guitar. After a few years of this he ended up moving to Nashville. Along the way he met and fell in love and eventually married Julie.

Buddy is the leader of Emmylou Harris’ band and has helped produce her more recent albums. She has called Buddy one of the best guitar players of all time. He has gained fame as a songwriter, with artists such as the Dixie Chicks, Lee Ann Womack and Brooks and Dunn covering his songs.

Buddy is not just a behind the scenes person though. He has stepped out front to write and sing his own songs, as a solo act and with his wife Julie. He has released 7 albums between his solo career and with Julie.

His most recent disc is Universal United House of Prayer. It’s a country album that rocks, a protest album, a gospel album…there are many things this album could be called, among them I would call it great. This is a theme album and the theme is the soul. He writes of the problems the word is facing today and their impact it has on the soul. The centerpiece of the album is his covering the Bob Dylan classic “With God on Our Side.”

Even more recent Buddy has produced a new album for soul great Solomon Burke called Nashville. His album Universal United House of Prayer won the 2005 Album of the Year award from the Americana Music Awards.

Buddy is widely sought after for his musical skills and knowledge, both as a guitar player and a producer in Nashville. He continues to tour with Emmylou Harris and record with others as well as put out his own music and record with his wife Julie. It’s been a few years since he put out his last album so hopefully he has something new coming out soon.