The Hour of the Owl from Milan Miller

Nashville singer/songwriter Milan Miller has a new single on offer today, one he wrote with frequent partner Beth Husband, called The Hour of the Owl.

It’s a creepy sort of number, filled with images of loneliness and desolation, but played out in that wonderfully cheerful bluegrass sound that makes for a perfect lonesome combination.

Miller says that this one came to him while he was relaxing at home.

“The Hour of the Owl is a tune that Beth Husband and I wrote late last year, and for me, it’s a great reminder that song ideas can turn up in the most unexpected places. 

I was watching an episode of House of Dragon, which for folks that haven’t seen it, is a prequel to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. The general plot of the show is a never-ending loop of wars, revenge, and attempts at gaining power. In this particular episode, two of the characters were making a battle plan and trying to decide when the best time to make a surprise attack would be. As a passing line in this exchange, one of the characters suggested the attack begin in “the hour of the owl.”

Although the song has nothing to do with the TV show, as soon as I heard that line, I knew that it would make the perfect title for a spooky and lonesome bluegrass song.”

With Milan on guitar, mandolin, and lead vocal, additional support comes from Justin Moses on banjo and reso-guitar, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and Buddy Melton on bass and tenor vocal.

Have a listen, and sing along, with this lyric video…

The Hour of the Owl is available now from Melton & Miller Music at popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track at AirPlay Direct.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2004 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.