John Miller – A Fifty Year Musical Avocation
Thanks for your time John. So tell us in what part of the First Coast do you reside now and how long have you lived there?
I moved here in the mid-1980s, and bought our home on Jax Beach in 1990. I believe I have attained “semi-local” status.
When did you know you had an interest in music?
I honestly don’t remember a time when I did not have music in my life. I grew up in the church, including an integrated one in the 60s, so I had a great foundation. My parents started me on piano at the age of five, I switched to drums at 13, and bass became my primary instrument in my mid-20s.
It is hard for me to believe that I played my first gig in 1973, meaning that I have performed in six decades. I don’t ever plan to stop and look forward to a time when it can be an even greater part of my life. I would like to perform American roots, blues, and soul music in Europe. I also feel like some more of our original songs need to get treatment in a studio.
I was one of those kids who was forced to take piano lessons. At the time, that did not resonate with me. I laugh now, but after seeing Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, I quit piano after 7 years because I wasn’t allowed to learn Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head!
After a couple of guitar lessons, I switched to drums for a little over a decade, while also being the “only” lead singer in a couple of bands. Because I was a singer, I wanted to come out to the front of the stage and naturally took up bass guitar, which is the other essential part of a rhythm section.
Are you currently in a band (or bands)?
Yes, BayStreet and MillaJohn’s BlueSoul. Mike Hollingsworth and I have been musical partners since 1992, and BayStreet will continue to be a blues-based rock band for as long as we both breathe air or get a formal divorce! As much as I enjoy performing classic rock, deep tracks, and other fun rock music primarily from the 20th century, one of my true passions, developed during my years in Memphis, is for electric blues and the classic soul music of the 1960s and 70s. MillaJohn’s BlueSoul exists so that I can carry that passion forward.
Who is your favorite musician or what musician influenced you the most?
There is honestly no single answer to this question. My favorite band is probably The Rolling Stones, but I absolutely love Van Morrison, too and so many others. On the bass guitar, I think that Willie Dixon is the benchmark, but there are many others who have influenced me to want to find the groove, like James Jamerson, Wyzard, Oteil Burbridge, Victor Wooten, Darryl Jones, and Larry Graham, among so many others. Obviously, Paul McCartney is the touchtone for singing bass players.
Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career that you would like to tell us about?
I’d have to say connecting with fellow musicians while performing music, and occasionally attaining an ecstatic state, I call it “playing through the veil.” It is impossible to describe in words, but artists who have been there will know what I’m talking about. Having B.B. King call me out on stage in a sold-out Florida Theatre to take a bow during his set, and hug me; certainly ranks up there. Being accepted by the highest level of musicians, even though I took a turn at the crossroads toward my professional career rather than following the muse, is a true joy.
When my original songs connect with people it is an overwhelming joy. Writing North of Zero with my favorite novelist, Tom Robbins, is a thrill. And probably the song Peace has been streamed and downloaded more than any other song of mine and really connects with people. It was cool when NPR played it nationwide.
What area bands or musicians are at the top of your list to go out to hear?
Locally we love to hear Chuck Nash, and Smokestack is great. Probably my favorite Live band ever is Mother’s Finest, and I try to never miss a Rolling Stones tour. I hope that I will have the privilege of hearing Van Morrison live again. I have never heard Lenny Kravitz or Gary Clark Jr. live, so I have an actual list that they are on!
Do you have a favorite venue that you enjoy playing locally?
Honestly, anywhere that there’s a nice stage and a good crowd, but Ragtime has been our home venue since the late 1980s. I really love the Blue Jay listening room and hope to play there again. All time, the gigs we have done at the Florida Theatre have been my favorite stage. Also, I have been helping to put on the Chapel Concert Series at the Beaches History Museum for over 10 years. Some of the artists invited me to sit in, and with Steve Boyd of the White Animals, I was asked to perform the entire show as bass player. I hope to be a featured act there someday.
Do you have any gigs coming up to tell our readers about?
Thank you for asking, I have a couple that I am really excited about. On Saturday, August 17, we will celebrate 37 years of BayStreet at Ragtime. Our charity event, the Jacksonville Beach Pier dance is now going to be in conjunction with Deck the Chairs, and will take place on December 12. This is an opportunity to raise food and toys for our neighbors in need.
What is the best way for musicians to network?
I think getting out and hearing other bands play, and taking the opportunity to get to know other musicians in town is best.
Attending jam sessions is great, but as a guy who’s been around a while, it’s better to listen first before trying to take over the jam.
When you do get to play, always listen to the other musicians and try to serve the music. Be humble and polite, and you’ll be amazed at how generous the music community can be.
It has been my thrill over the years to feature any number of young musicians that we have pulled up on stage with us, and then to watch them as they go on and do amazing things in the world.
Are there any local venue owners/managers that you would like to rave about?
Ragtime has always been very good to us, and we look forward to returning there for another Florida Georgia weekend in November. We love working for Will at Bold City Brewery in Riverside. Paul Glaser at Fionn McCool’s has been a joy to work with and befriend through 4 different locations!
If you had a question you would like to ask another musician what would it be?
I wish I had the nerve to ask Darryl Jones for a bass lesson! I am always trying to figure out ways to share audiences and create community with other local bands.
I need to ask my friends in Mofro how they booked their tour in Europe. I know they really honor our roots music over there, and I look forward to getting back to play there.
Personal hobbies or interests? Family?
It’s family for me! Krista and I are blessed to be raising two amazing humans. We love going to the beach. My kiddos remind me that my hobby is my addiction to collecting recorded music – too many CDs and LPs!
Is there anything else that you want to tell everyone reading this?
For anyone interested in learning to play an instrument, go for it! If you want to play with other musicians, always remember that listening is the most important part of being in any ensemble. Colonel Bruce Hampton (ret. R.I.P.) called it “the invisible whip” and Mike Hollingsworth refers to it as “serving the song.”
For me, music isn’t about satisfying my ego or being acknowledged for talent, it is for the amazing connections that can be made between musicians, and listeners because I believe that Music really can take you “there.”
Did you ever play music in an oasis in the Sahara desert?
Yes, I took a guitar, and our host brought a drum and the two of us spent time sitting and playing songs together and for each other. We didn’t share a common language, but the music connected us.
What was it like playing in the Soviet Union?
I was a drummer with a review of Broadway show tunes from Memphis when we toured the USSR. It was a great privilege to have that opportunity, but it was during the Cold War, and it was an odd time. What I found is that people are people wherever you go. Don’t project the traits of governments onto the individuals. What was odd about those gigs was at the end of each song, there was complete silence. The first night we thought we were sucking! At the end of the show, however, they let loose thunderous applause, and they all clapped in unison. That brings me to my point that you never really know what’s going on. Don’t overthink, be in the moment, and concentrate on the next notes.
What is your long-term plan for Music?
I think that BayStreet will be around as long as people still enjoy what we do. I hope that my law firm will allow me to focus more on MillaJohn’s BlueSoul, so that I can tour with that music that I really love until the day I can’t play or sing anymore.
What’s the best thing for you about living on the First Coast?
Our family and I love everything about living at the beach. Just playing and being in the ocean together is really our favorite thing.
Where and how can folks learn more about you and/or your band? Links to your website?
You can click these links to see our website and Facebook page: Baystreet Band, Baystreet On Facebook
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Mike is a native First Coaster and was a leading figure in surfing and skateboarding for most of his life. After promoting music for many years on the local music scene, Mike now brings a unique perspective to FirstCoast.Life as a contributing writer.
