September 1, 2004

Buddy Miller hits the Britt

By Steve Zimmerman
Ashland Daily Tidings

"Universal United House of Prayer" finds country singer-songwriter Buddy Miller's feet solidly planted in the territory that the roots-country musician has established over the recording of his five previous records.

Country Singer buddy miller and his wife, julie, are not just life companions - they literally make music together. Buddy Miller performs with Emmylou Harris and Patti Griffin at the Britt Festivals on Saturday at 7 p.m. Submitted photo

Again, Miller effortlessly blends a dozen American styles and idioms that breathed life into America's best mid-century pop and folk music.

"I feel pretty good about the record although I only feel good about it in my mind," he said. "I haven't listened to it since I finished it and I don't intend to."

Miller hates to hear himself sing, which is an admission that is very refreshing.

"I can't stand to hear myself sing, even on record," he said. "When I came in to do a sound check the other day, they had recorded a sound check and they were playing me. I told them to turn it off. The record I made in my mind is the record I will hear and it is probably a whole lot better than the CD."

Miller comes to the Britt Festivals stage Sept. 4 accompanied by two of country music's true traditional divas, Emmylou Harris and Patti Griffin. The show begins at 7 p.m.

The song-selection process for "Universal United House of Prayer" came easily to Miller.

"That was the record I wanted to record now," he said. "There is a lot of stuff going on in the world. There is a lot of spirituality on it and there is some reflections on the state of the world. I had a general concept in mind and it took a while for the songs to appear."

Miller offers something old and something new on the CD. The tip-off that this CD is something special comes at once, at the top of the first track, a cover of Mark Heard's mid-tempo rocker "Worry Too Much." We hear the rapturous gospel voices of Regina and Ann McCrary (daughters of Fairfield Four founder Rev. Sam McCrary).

"Universal United House of Prayer" stands on the considerable strength of its music, and addresses what good music always addresses - the human predicament, and what the heart senses to be true.

A cover of Bob Dylan's 1963 protest epic "With God on Our Side," clocking in at nine-plus minutes, deepens the original Dylan performance and centers the record. A chronicle of militaristic misuses of God's name, it is held in compelling focus by the steady, grim development of the Irish-dirge-like arrangement.

George W. Bush's war machine is clearly implicated in the song, but the true weight of the update lies in its emotional authenticity - in, for instance, the singer's controlled dismay that "God" and "our side" should inhabit, repeatedly, the same clause.

Buddy's songwriting shines with a strong group of collaborators. "This Old World," written with Victoria Williams, employs the kind of sweetly didactic playfulness that animated Woody Guthrie's songs for children. There are four co-written with wife Julie, of which "Shelter Me" and "Wide River to Cross" - a beautiful duet with Emmylou Harris - stand out as perfect gems, hymnlike in their melodic clarity and all the stronger for their contemporary verbal transparency.

And "Fire and Water," written with his wife, is a very special song.

"That song is very personal," he said. "That song was written after my wife's brother passed away a year ago. He was struck by lightning, oddly enough, in the very same spot he was in a motorcycle accident as a teenager that gave him a head injury."

Julie Miller is the love of Miller's life but is also the inspiration for his making music.

"I encourage her and help her here and there but I know I certainly need what she has got," he said. "It is something. It is amazing that we found each other. I am a pretty lucky guy to have found her."

And Miller also gives much of the credit for his success to Harris.

"I can't begin to tell you what she has meant to me," he said. "From little things like Patti Griffin, I have been exposed to her music through Emmylou. She has been on every one of my records and she has turned me on to such great music. And, I can hear that great voice every night."

And Griffin is a great unknown singer-songwriter of our time.

"I am such a huge fan and am so moved by her songs and voice," he said. "I am not kidding. I am out here with the people who make my favorite music to listen to. With Patti, I don't know what it is but it is some of the only music I find myself brought to tears when I listen to it."

Tickets for the show are on sale now at Britt Festivals. They are priced from $22 to $56. Call (800) 882-7488 for more information or to order tickets.