Buddy Miller (born September 6, 1952 in Fairborn, Ohio) is a country singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. Miller is married to and has recorded with singer-songwriter Julie Miller.
Miller formed the Buddy Miller Band, which included singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin on vocals and guitar.
In addition to releasing several solo albums over the years, Miller has toured as lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Emmylou Harris's Spyboy band, Steve Earle on his El Corazon tour, Shawn Colvin, and Linda Ronstadt. He co-produced and performed on Jimmie Dale Gilmore's 2000 album Endless Night. He has also appeared on several albums by songwriter and singer Lucinda Williams.
In 2004, Miller toured with Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, and David Rawlings as the Sweet Harmony Traveling Revue.
At the 4th Annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards, the Ryman Auditorium September 2005, Miller received the Album of the Year Award for Universal United House of Prayer, and the opening cut of that album, "Worry Too Much" (penned by Mark Heard, and originally released on his Second Hand album), won the Song of the Year Award.
Buddy Miller has also produced albums for a number of artists. During 2006 Solomon Burke came over to Miller's house at Nashville to record his country album 'Nashville' on which Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch and Dolly Parton appear as duet partners.
He has a signature acoustic guitar made by the Fender company, and frequently uses vintage Wandre electric guitars.
Buddy Miller toured as part of the band on Robert Plant and Alison Krauss's Raising Sand tour of the USA and Europe, and with Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin on the Three Girls and Their Buddy tour. While on tour, Miller suffered a heart attack in Baltimore on February 19, 2009 following his performance as part of the MammoJam Music Festival and underwent triple bypass surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital on 20 February.[1]
At the annual Americana Music Association Honors and Awards program at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on September 18, 2008, Miller received the "AMA Instrumentalist Of The Year" award, which was presented to him by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Miller was joined by Plant on a performance of a new song "Whatcha Gonna Do, Leroy" from his album Written in Chalk which was released in March 2009. He also was part of the band for John Fogerty's The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again in 2009. In 2010, Miller again joined Robert Plant and Patty Griffin with Robert Plant's Band of Joy, touring both the US and Europe.
Julie Miller (born Julie Griffin, July 12, 1956 in Waxahachie, Texas) is a songwriter, singer, and recording artist currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. She married Buddy Miller in 1981. They sing and play on each other's solo projects and have recorded a duets album on HighTone Records.
Miller's first recording was on the mini LP album Streetlight, which consisted of Julie, Buddy and Ron Krueger. Julie and Buddy provided some songwriting to the LP, which included the original version of "Jesus in Your Eyes" (later re-recorded for Orphans and Angels). "How Could You Say No" (written by Mickey Cates) was also originally performed on this album, and later included in Julie's solo debut Meet Julie Miller.
An 8 track 1985 demo from Miller included 2 songs that were later included on Meet Julie Miller, but the remaining 6 songs were not re-recorded. The songs on this tape are: "I Don't Need Anything Else", "Mystery Love" (Synth Pop Version), "Love Is", "I Look to You", "I Don't Need", "What Does it Take", "I Wanna Be Ready", "King of my Heart" (not the same as that which appeared later on her first Myrrh release), "My New Psychiatrist" (Synth Pop Version with different lyrics), "Debby Came Back", "Dangerous Place" (Synth Pop Version).
In 1987 Julie contributed background vocals to the song "Remember Me" on Benny Hester's album Through the Window.
Miller's musical career initially took off after singer Sam Phillips discovered a demo tape by the artist and turned it over to friends at Myrrh Records. Miller was signed to a contract and recorded her first solo album, Meet Julie Miller for the label, released in 1990. This album included backing vocals from Shawn Colvin, Victoria Williams, Amy Grant, Kelly Willard and Russ Taff.
Miller's second solo album, He Walks Through Walls (1991) also included backing vocals from Colvin, Williams, Grant and Willard as with her debut. Mark Heard and Reverend Dan Smith also contributed vocals. This album included the original version of the song "Broken Things", which was later re-recorded.
In 1992, Miller participated in the album, Cry of the Heart: Emily's Eyes, an album released to bring hope to victims of child abuse, by providing the title track. Julie mentioned after a 2002 concert in Kentucky that the song "Emily's Eyes" had one line edited out of it, as there was concern regarding the "implications". No further details were given explaining.
Miller's 1993 album Orphans and Angels included a duet with Emmylou Harris on the song "All My Tears", which has become one of Miller's most popular songs. Jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott also contributed vocals. The song was written after the death of Mark Heard. Miller also covered Heard's song "Treasure of the Broken Land". Shawn Colvin once again contributed background vocals.
Miller's 4th solo album was released by Street Level Records, a departure from Word Records which released her first 3 solo albums. Julie covered The Williams Brothers song "Can't Cry Hard Enough" on this album. Victoria Williams, Mark Olson and the Electrics provided background vocals.
In 1997, Julie Miller switched to Hightone Records are released Blue Pony, an eclectic collection which includes contributions from Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller, Valerie Carter. This was followed by her most recent solo album Broken Things in 1999 which includes new versions of "Broken Things" and "All My Tears" as well as notable new songs "I Know Why The River Runs," "Orphan Train," "Out In The Rain" and "I Still Cry."
The first duo album of Buddy and Julie Miller, entitled Buddy & Julie Miller was released in 2001, this was followed by Love Snuck Up a compilation of the Millers' Hightone Recordings in 2002.
After the 1998 Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland, local singer Juliet Turner performed a version of Miller's song "Broken Things" at a memorial service for the victims of the bombing.
Julie and Buddy Miller teamed up with Victoria Williams, Mark Olson, and Jim Lauderdale for a European tour billed as "The Rolling Creek Dippers" in the 90's.
The Dixie Chicks, Linda Ronstadt, Ann Savoy, Lee Ann Womack, Emmylou Harris, Jars of Clay, Julie Roberts, Selah, Brooks & Dunn, Lucy Kaplansky, Miranda Lambert, and Ilse DeLange have recorded the songs of Julie Miller, as well as songs written by both her and Buddy.
Buddy Miller announced that this fall[when?], a Julie Miller compilation is planned, which will include tracks picked by Julie from her first four albums, which have been out of print for many years.