John R. Miller in 2023, photo by Thomas Crabtree
This website is and always has been for the “smaller acts” that absolutely deserves to be “bigger acts”, if that makes any sense? Two of the biggest reasons so many people like me make websites/podcasts/festival trips and all that stuff is to promote the bands we like! To be honest, I am quite upset at the fact John R. Miller hasn’t received a Ryman spot until now. However I counter that with the ever proven fact that once he has a supporting slot, he will headline soon!
There was so much going on with him at the moment that I wanted to wait until he returned from overseas to release this article. What a year this young man has had! We go back quite a few years, and I have always loved his conversations. It’s truly fun to pay for his music….if you don’t understand that, you’re doing it wrong. if these musicians are as special to you as you claim, wouldn’t you want them to be able to support their family with your money? I do!
I have not crossed paths with him in quite some time now, mostly due to me having some personal issues at home to take care of. I wasn’t as active as I was, however I am back to the point where I once again can efficiently run the website. I used to run across John as he played bass for Pat Reedy (another name for you to check out).
Before he went overseas, he made his Grand Ole Opry debut! Sadly, I did not have the opportunity to go but I do listen to the Opry a lot of the time. You can find archived performances on the XM app. I spend a lot of time and money on enjoying music, analyzing lyrics and the such.
His new album that came out last year “Heat Comes Down” made it’s way to many top of the year lists and best of lists, and I certainly spin all of his albums in a rotation with millions more. But I wanted to focus on his upcoming Ryman appearance supporting a band I consider to be Legends, Blackberry Smoke.
As of today, Kent Aberle has been filling in as the drummer for Blackberry Smoke since 2022, and is expected to remain with the band for the foreseeable future. Brit Turner, was one of the founding members and drummer for the band. He died in March 2024 at the age of 57. As you most likely know from other media sources, Turner was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2022. He continued to play with the band until December of that year, a year after having surgery for the condition.
So I think that this will be a very special event because John R Miller is just as much as a fan of Blackberry Smoke as every person that bought a ticket. I promise you with all that I know he loved Britt Turner as much as we did, and just as this appearance is going to bring more fans to his own music, John will celebrate the life of Britt Turner with everyone else.
6/7-8 – Laurel Cove Music Festival
6/13 – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle
6/15 – Glen Jean, WV – Whizzbangers Ball
6/16 – Charleston, WV – Mountain Stage
6/22 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium*
7/6 – Lexington, KY – The Burl +
7/10 – Wilmington, NC – Bowstring Brewyard +
7/11 – Isle of Palms, SC – The Windjammer +
7/12 – High Point, NC – Ziggy’s Cohab Space +
7/13 – Harrisburg, PA – XL Live =
7/15 – Pittsburg, PA – Stage AE =
7/17 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club =
7/18 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club =
8/4 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse =
8/6 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden Amp =
8/8 – Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Resort & Casino =
# with Kelsey Waldon
^ with The Local Honeys
* supporting Blackberry Smoke
+ supporting Town Mountain
= supporting Charley Crockett
