biography
Brad Miller A real country singer on a mission That Brad Miller is an honest-to-goodness Country-with-a-capital-C singer is evident when he opens his mouth to sing. Consider First Time Outta the Chute, which at this point in his young but promising career would have to be considered his signature song. Fueled by Texas-style fiddle, the spirited tune jumps out of the speakers like a bucking bronco. It would sound perfectly at home on a George Strait album but Miller makes it his own, nailing the clever rodeo-as-metaphor lyric in a rich South Carolina baritone. That Brad Miller is on a mission is evident from the moment he starts talking about his life where he came from, where hes been, where he is now and where he is headed. I have always had a gift to sing, Brad says. I am anointed to sing. My greatest strength is the Lord. That strength has sustained him through difficult times and given him faith as he pursues a career in a notoriously tough business that is not often equated with godliness. Brad, a Union, S.C., native who moved frequently as a child because of his fathers job as a mill worker, has also lived in Mississippi, Virginia and North Carolina. Music always came naturally to him, and he was singing in church at an early age. At 17, while living in Greenville, Miss., he met and took guitar lessons from a young Steve Azar, well before Azar became known for hits such as I Dont Have To Be Me (Til Monday). Brad started singing in clubs at age 21, developed a magnetic stage presence and was advised that he should move to Music City. In 1999, he did so, chasing his dream there for two years before finances forced him to leave. I never thought I would ever see Nashville again, he says now. I just gave up on ever being a country singer. But the Lord intervened. On Dec. 2, 2003, Brad Miller accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. That landmark experience changed his lifestyle. It also revealed to him his divine calling which was to use his God-given skills as a singer, songwriter and communicator to reach other people. Nowadays, he chooses to do primarily positive songs both secular and overtly Christian. I dont want any drinking songs or divorce songs, says Brad, who previously put out a gospel album that was released on the independent Lost Gold Records and made available for download through WalMart.com. (A side note: Brad does continue to perform First Time Outta the Chute which was recorded before he was born again to show people where he was and where he is now. He elaborates: Its not merely about going to a bar. Its about what I went through and others go through. Just because you do not succeed the first time it does not mean you are a failure; it just means you are learning from your mistakes.) Influenced by the likes of Strait, Clint Black and Clay Walker, Brad Miller draws peoples attention with his voice, and he keeps their attention with his down-home sincerity and warmth. He, wife Amy and their three children (the couple plan to adopt more) live just north of Nashville in Hendersonville, Tenn. Brads long-range goals include becoming a bishop in the ministry and owning a record company. I would like to have longevity in the music business, he says. Asked how he'd like to be remembered, Brad says: That I loved the Lord with all my heart and that I loved my neighbor as myself. I sing for Him. -- Jeff Walter Jack and Jenny Music Nashville, TN God Bless You and Thank You For Coming to Brad's Page here on Digital Rodeo