JC Miller - Wayward Son

Americana / southern rock stalwart JC Miller presents his new single 'Wayward Son' about the march of time. This catchy slice of relatable southern rock, released via American indie imprint Tilt Records.

Channelled through Americana-tinged rock, 'Wayward Son' is ultimately a lament for lost time and the relentless hand of fate. Struck by a case of the proverbial existential blues, JC Miller brings the story of the Wayward Son to song, following up his recently-released single 'Before Nightfall'.

A Southern California-based Detroit-born guitarist and songwriter, JC Miller's songwriting efforts are comparable to storytelling through sonic archaeology, unearthing the spirit of Americana and giving it voice through addictive melodies.

Evoking a grounded sense of place through his music, Miller's sound has a Southern-fried edge and a transportive authenticity. He makes songs that feel at home in neon-lit diners, long highway drives, desert expanses, and sun-soaked small towns.

A prolific artist, his output is a product of his partnership and friendship with iconic musician-producer Marty Rifkin, known for his work with Tom Petty, Glen Campbell and Jewel, and also as a member of Bruce Springsteen's The Sessions Band on pedal steel guitar.

"'Wayward Son' was brought on by the feeling of being uprooted and overtaken by events and time… “In the fast lane comes change, still going but slowing to a crawl”… the opening lines say it all … My “truck-flattened history” … I’m “Longing for something I can’t quite name”… reaching, groping, yearning," explains JC Miller.

"I read a lot of Larry McMurtry and I love the character development and the fact that he achieves a majesty -- not through aggrandizing things but quite the opposite – questioning the essence of the lost rancho days, the wildcat era, the blasting juke boxes, the rough side of roadside taverns … the world on the road… The end of an era does not invalidate it … by being honest in his appraisals McMurtry prompts us to admire these flawed heroes even more IMO…

Creating music for wanderers, Miller pays homage to his guitar and songwriting heroes, inspired by timeless artists like Neil Young, Leon Russell and The Band as much as the unfussy yet potent prose of writers like Larry McMurtry, Ernest Hemingway and Cormac McCarthy.

“I’m not trying to hide my sources. I’m trying to add footnotes, carry on the southern and western, southwestern frame of mind. I feel like I am representing another generation of storytellers. I’m trying to paint a picture through music, where the lens is focused on the deeply personal, but it can also be universal," says JC Miller.

Music is a labor of love for JC Miller, having spent years as a sideman and composing for corporate titans like Coca-Cola and Nike. Now he's ditched the boardroom for the pleasure of creating his own music.

Imbued with an intentional sense of timelessness, JC Miller crafts anthems that resonate with the soul of America, inspired by the gradual rediscovery of history - of his own family’ and America at large. Tastefully blending classic Americana and rock echoes from history, woven through his masterful guitar work, each song is like a map, charting the path to self-discovery.

'Wayward Son' is out now, available everywhere online, including Spotify, Apple Music and elsewhere.