Bill Miller; "The Raven in the Snow"

article originally published 11/18/2000

(Los Alamos, New Mexico)

Last night I went to the sacred misty mountain and saw the medicine man...

Bill Miller would be the last person to want to be called a "medicine man," but what else do you call a person who heals your soul with stories and music?

At one point of the show, Bill was telling a story of recently visiting a medicine man and his experience with him on top of the hill. As he told about this, I thought to my self, "that is exactly what I need in my life, to get to go up on the mountain and see the medicine man." That was one second, the very next second I realized I was up on the mountain visiting the medicine man, and he was reaching deep, very deep into my soul and standing beside me as his wonderful music and stories permeated me, healing scars as it flowed through my body, my heart, my soul.

Entertainment? Wait, let me check my thesaurus for a better word, because that one does not do what I experienced justice . . .

It’s not there, there is no word to describe the experience of Bill Miller on stage. The stories; wonder-filled, the music; like none I have ever heard.

Bill says his influences are people like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, etc.. I have seen these folks and many more, and as a musician, a guitar player myself, they were strong influences to me as well. I've seen them all in concert, and countless others in my lifetime, and I would have to say that watching Neil Young live was always at the top of my list. I have seen Neil many times live, and the thing that always hit me the hardest was that he was truly grateful for being up there performing. He spoke of it often, and that, to me, created a bond, because Neil was thanking us for letting him be up there, and he meant it. And the music and stories, wondrous!

But last night someone else joined Neil at the top of my list; Bill Miller. Perhaps it was the intimate room in which we all joined together, perhaps it was the snowy mountain night, perhaps the fact that he too thanked us for allowing him to be up there on the stage sharing with us his life. Perhaps it was him saying that he really wanted to just come sit out there with us and play and tell his stories.  Probably it was all of those things combined with the raw talent as a very accomplished musician and story teller.

Bill Miller, I can’t say it meaningfully enough, is a must see concert. Go to his site, check his schedule, and if you have to drive 200 miles to see him, drive the 200 miles! Even if you are like me; seen so many concerts in your life that you are kinda burned out on the whole concert scene, you will thank yourself for seeing this one.

Flutes (at one point two at a time played by one very talented man), the guitar (some of the best I have ever experienced, as a guitarist myself, it at time brought tears to my eyes), harmonica (reminiscent of Dylan and Young) and of course the voice, a voice that is like thunder rolling through the mountains, like sap seeping from an ancient tree and like the wind whispering through the aspens.

He’s not just babbling on about his new car or the party he had last night either. Bill spoke of child abuse, alcoholism, love, and most importantly, hope. He spoke of things that matter.

I could babble on all day, but the bottom line is go see Bill! 

Take the time to check out his schedule, bookmark his page so you can check it often, and GO SEE HIM!!!

Check his site for his collection of wonderful CDs and his concert schedule at http://www.BillMiller.com/