A couple of weeks ago, I hit the road for Nashville driving I-81 to I-40, and then back through Virginia again. The drive was simply beautiful with the last glow of autumn colors. My car started acting weird outside of Bristol, and so started a bit of an odyssey through hill and dale to find the solution. Ain’t nothing like when the engine lights come on at 70mph to freak you out. First stop was Smith’s in Marion, VA. They diagnosed it dead-on and tried to do a quick fix, as otherwise I would have had to wait a few days for the rest of the parts to arrive. So I ventured back out on the road to try to make it to a bigger town, Blacksburg, VA. As it turned out, I had to wait a few days anyway for it to be fixed. All is good, and I had no further problems, but I have to say, sometimes the universe sends you a signal that you just have to slow down. The real joy of the weekend was that EVERYONE I encountered along the way was terrific: kind, caring, helpful, into listening and offering solutions, giving of themselves. It wound up being a wonderful exercise in trust, quick decision-making, and creative problem solving.
While in Blacksburg, I got back in touch with Virginia native Scott Miller. He offered his assistance if I needed it, but thank goodness, I was on my way. Scott is working on a new album with Bryn Davies and Rayna Gellert, AKA, The Commonwealth's Ladies Auxiliary, which of course pays homage in name to the 'Scott Miller & The Commonwealth' music era. Look for a multiple night stand at The Down Home in Johnson City, TN in early December. Allow us to continue in reverse chronological order; so right after college, Scott moved to Knoxville and formed The V-Roys with another dear friend, Mic Harrison. Mic Harrison recently christened a new show for Knoxville’s WDVX just a few weeks ago, called the WDVX 6 O'Clock Swerve.
In honor of my trip through the area, Music Fog brings you some footage of Scott Miller and Mic Harrison in Nashville a few years back, as they participated in our Music Fog Marathon during AmericanaFest 2011. Here they are as The V-Roys with “Sooner Or Later.” All in due time.
- Jessie Scott