If you ever wanted to cut to the chase and get straight to the real heart of America, the path of least resistance would be discovery through music. Enter American singer-songwriter JC Miller pr, who is on a steady roll of releasing new materials. His newest single is perhaps his best in some time and it’s called ‘Before Nightfall’. This song has many of the elements that allowed such artists as Wilco and Ryan Adams to transcend legendary status in the underground music community.
Candid and catchy, this riveting and memorable music takes us to another time and place. With its frank lyrics, infectious melody, and pure Southern rock grit, this is a must-listen, packing an emotional punch and showcasing impressive musical talent.
Evoking a grounded sense of place through his music, Miller’s music has a Southern-fried edge and a transportive authenticity. He makes songs that feel at home in neon-lit diners, long highway drives, desert expanses, and sun-soaked small towns.
A prolific artist, his output is a product of his partnership and friendship with iconic musician-producer Marty Rifkin, known for his work with Tom Petty, Glen Campbell and Jewel, and for playing pedal steel guitar in Bruce Springsteen‘s The Sessions Band.
JC Miller says, “The lyrics for ‘Before Nightfall’ are rooted in The Santa Fe Trails Diaries. I do a lot of deep-dive research for the themes in the songs, mostly in the history department. I try to make the songs land “vintage on arrival — inevitable rather than arbitrary” – couched in real history, even though I may have to imagine and guess. In The Santa Fe Diaries, there is a section described in detail with a looming storm in the distance – it was so visceral and immediate, I was enraptured. Felt like I was there even though it was centuries ago. The writing allowed me to travel through time. The starkness of the diary entries brought real lost events to contemporary life”.
Creating music for wanderers, Miller pays homage to his guitar and songwriting heroes, inspired by timeless artists like Neil Young, Leon Russell and The Band as much as the unfussy yet potent prose of writers like Larry McMurtry, Ernest Hemingway and Cormac McCarthy.
“I’m not trying to hide my sources. I’m trying to add footnotes, carry on the southern and western, southwestern frame of mind,” says JC Miller.
Miller spent most of his career as a sideman and composer in the advertising world for clients like Coca-Cola, Nike and Levi’s. His songs are exercises in the journey to self-discovery, created with real instruments and authentic sounds with a unique contemporary twist.
Creating music that values timelessness over virtuosity, JC Miller traverses his own histories and the roots of Americana, often revealing truths about the history of his own family and country as a whole. Music became about rediscovering his family’s history through traversing America and, in turn, becoming a source of unearthing insight about himself.
With these songs, JC Miller is carrying on a tradition of American songwriting and creating guitar literature that is never ephemeral, evoking a classic sense of place and historical context. He admits, “I feel like I am representing another generation of storytellers. I’m trying to paint a picture through music, where the lens is focused on the deeply personal, but it can also be universal.”
As of June 7, ‘Before Nightfall’ will be available everywhere online, including Spotify, Apple Music and elsewhere.
CREDITS
Written by JC Miller
Recorded by Marty Rifkin at Marty Rifkin Studios (Santa Monica, CA)
Mixed & mastered by Marty Rifkin
Produced by Marty Rifkin
Performed by JC Miller & Marty Rifkin
JC Miller – guitars, banjo, piano, keyboard bass, vocals
Marty Rifkin – pedal steel, drum programming
Cover artwork by JC Miller
Artist photos by Ava Doré
Music Producer: Marty Rifkin
Executive Producer: Gabrielle Doré
Released by Tilt Records
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
Explore the freewheeing world of JC Miller
Website | LinkTree | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact
