This long
biography is in response to questions about where Mikel has been and where
he is from...... enjoy!Mikel
Miller is a man locked in a capsule of almost forgotten times and his music
reflects the strength and character of the working man. The magic lies in
its down to earth honesty and heart, and the power comes from its melodic
simplicity. He enters your world, not with a crash of noise, but with a
whisper of hopes, dreams, times good and bad and thoughts not easily spoken.
These things and more Mikel gives in his performances. Late nites, good
friends, maybe a cold one, swapping lies, tales of roads traveled, before
they were paved - all these things and hidden but shining, the ever present
humor! These things are Miller and his music. In the tradition of Woody
Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Mikel, armed with only his guitar for
protection sings his songs of the land, its people with their hopes and
dreams and late night wishes.
Mikel Miller was born in Toronto,
lived 30 miles north in a town where gypsy’s used to stop in, that was his
first glimpse of a life, somewhere else. He would listen to their stories
and tales of where they had been and he longed to go there himself. When the
gypsy’s passed through twice a year, his father always knew where he was
when he was late for supper. He jumped his first freight train at 14,
thumbed out west and east when he was 16, most of the Trans-Canada Highway
was still being built, some of it was finally being paved (they were still
blowing out Rogers Pass). When he finally finished school, he figured his
future lay either in Vancouver or Halifax, so, he headed for both. Knowing
this little about him can explain a lot.
Busking on street corners in the
60’s, to the folk clubs of the late 60’s, early 70’s, to the bars and honky
tonks, they say this where he’s been, but to those that know him, he’s been
further than all those journeys combined. Influenced by a time spent with
Phil Ochs another with Townes Van Zandt, combined with the free-wheelin’
style of Jerry Jeff Walker and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Mikel has somehow
managed to fuse these together to achieve the sound that is his today.
Performing mainly with his guitar, he weaves a memorable musical experience
laced with country that is responsive, reflective yet invigorating.
During the 80’s, Miller settled in
northern climes and made the Yukon his home, playing the local clubs and
festivals throughout the Yukon and Alaska, this enabled him to slow his
wandering down and allowed him to figure out just where he’d been. In the
late 80’s he released a self titled album (featuring Bruce Bergman) and a 6
song demo album, "No More Trains" (both on vinyl). In the early 90’s, he was
recorded (along with other northern artists) by the CBC on their northern
series, for a double CD titled "Another Day In Paradise". In ’94, he began a
project that would have many starts, but, in the spring of ’96 he completed,
"the KEY", this recording reflects Mikel as a songwriter and features many
of the Yukon’s best musicians.
In August ’98, while on tour in
Ontario, Mikel along with friend and guitarist Kevin Bell, gathered some
friends old and new and wandered into SOUNDAROUND STUDIOS INC in Toronto,
owned and operated by Jerry Tupis. This time Mikel walked out with 15 songs,
some featuring his writing, a couple of Norm Hacking tunes plus some covers.
This album ranges from an A Cappella song to a full band that rocks and
things in between. He called this "Rounders’ Road". In the fall of 2000, it
once again found Mikel in Ontario, Jerry Tupis invited him back in, this
time just Miller and his guitar. They were there for 3 hours, recorded 27
tunes, Miller came back to the Yukon, sat in a studio there and with Bruce
Bergman and Amanda Leslie recorded 4 more songs. The result of these
recordings is his new album released in 2002 titled "All Roads".
These days we find Miller hitting the
road once again, playing the clubs, coffeehouses and festivals across
Canada. The road is where he feels the most calm, feeling and hearing the
wheels roll him along, traveling this vast country, writing and performing
along his way, to him it’s the best way.
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