Milan MIller is perhaps unique among Nashville’s bluegrass singer/songwriters. Unique in that he’s a non-touring artist, whose contributions consist of writing and recording his clever original songs, and supplying them to other artists. Oh, he’s done his share of touring, performing all over the world on a variety of instruments, but these days you’ll find him close to home.
You need a steady stream of hits to pull that off, which Milan has done, charting routinely with each of his releases.
This latest sounds like it is headed in the same direction, an imaginative song about meeting your dream girl at a Rocky Mountain festival, only to have her vanish without a trace. Sure, that theme has been done before, but Milan, et al, have created a new category in “the girl with the Tony Rice tattoo.”
He says that he liked this one so well that when it was completed several years ago, he held it back for himself.
“Tony Rice Tattoo is a tune that I wrote with Beth Husband and Charles Humphrey III back in 2017. I absolutely loved it the moment it was finished, so much so that I mentally moved it to a batch of songs that I didn’t actively pitch to other artists, with the idea that I might record it myself someday. This song in particular is one of a few that makes me think of John Prine talking about there being no better feeling as a songwriter than having a song you love in your back pocket that the world has never heard. I have really enjoyed Tony Rice Tattoo being in my back pocket for several years, but I’m also thrilled with how it came together in the studio, and can’t wait for folks to hear it.”
Miller plays guitar and mandolin on the track, and sings the lead, assisted by Scott Vestal on banjo, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and Buddy Melton on bass.
Check out Tony Rice Tattoo…
Tony Rice Tattoo is available from Melton & Miller Music at popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
