Merrill J. Miller

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Merrill J. Miller is currently playing programs promoting his latest album “Next Train Out Of Town” . His current record is the second solo effort on the part of this Wisconsin-born, Iowa raised songster who considers himself a bluesman first and singer-songwriter second. For the last three years, Merrill J. has made his home in Anchorage, Alaska, and appreciates the Northern lifestyle as well as the quality music scene he has discovered there. He is a transplant from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, an area rich in its own musical heritage and described by Miller himself as a secret roots music hotbed of the (Great) Midwest. With much reverence to his early influences of Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Aaron T-Bone Walker to name a few, the artist puts his own “Stone’s throw from the Mississippi” spin on all his covers and originals. Other influences include Johnny Cash, The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, Dave Moore, The Janeys, and Greg Brown (These last three acts are also from Iowa and have shared many of the same stages and backing artists with Merrill J.!) His live appearences are undergirded by his bass-and-rhythm-no-frills acoustic guitar stylings, developed during his formative years backing electric guitar players in a duo format with the likes of Bryce and BillyLee Janey, Ronny DeWitt, and Dennis McMurrin in and around the notoriously odoriferous industrial river town of Cedar Rapids. In contrast to Miller’s first album, “Life’s Most Frustrating Mysteries”, a well-produced collection of eleven heartfelt originals and two classic blues covers, “Next Train” is more a rough hewn collection of raw, tavern-tested, bluesy material seasoned with a pinch of alt- country, and a dash of corn-fed Iowa boy lore thrown in for good measure. This was done intentionally with the help of long-time collaborator and bass virtuoso Dan “D.J.” Johnson, who adds bass guitar as well as backing vocals on the project. The album (also intentionally) was recorded with very little multi-tracking and primarily first take material. The end product is a pleasantly imperfect, earthy and natural aggregation of noteworthy tracks. The liner notes quote Miller describing the project as a collection of “my favorites and yours,” with dedication to his supporters all over the great state of Iowa. Merrill J. Miller is presently building a fan base with appearances at numerous venues statewide in Alaska. He is available for bookings at the following contacts:[email protected] www.myspace.com/merrilljmiller telephone: (907)929-3885 (907)301-1416