Story and Photo by George L. Tibbetts Jr.
I had the pleasure of meeting up with Mark “Guitar Miller” at Joyce’s in Hallowell a while back. Up for the occasion, I knew what this interview was to be about. Before me was a learned, experienced and gifted artist. I knew this to be true because I have seen him play on several occasions and also knew him by reputation. Like all artists I speak with, Mark was no exception when it comes to the world of understanding public relations and his goal was simple. I was to be the ear, a sounding board, and a scribe that carried the points he wanted to make through our publications to a world of appreciative music lovers both former and future.
As a publisher and journalist I felt compelled to do the interview in a way that promoted Mark’s successes, snap the pictures and write the story all in the same day. With Mark, however, I had a problem making his story come out the way I wanted it to. It has been almost a month since our interview but I felt something important to the story was missing that I just couldn’t put my finger on. The missing component showed up in an email this afternoon.
I received word from Mark’s webmaster, Clarke Natress, wherein he asked that all Mark’s friends on Facebook vote for Mark as the Best Maine Guitar Player by simply following the link http://www.facebook.com/n/?inbox%2Freadmessage.php&t=1326220070093&mid=1e773c6G3c0c1b09Gfcd803G0. Like Clarke said, “it only takes a minute of your time and Mark deserves a little extra, I think, after nearly 50 years of playing and singing the blues in the Northeast.” I knew that Mark would want to get this news out there and now I had the missing ingredient.
What you should know about Mark “Guitar” Miller
Mark “Guitar” Miller is true, blue, Maine grown, native son born in the northern Maine town of Houlton and raised in mill town of East Millinocket. For forty-five years Mark has been a professional musician. Mark has been playing guitar since he was six years old and for more than 45 years Mark Miller made his living by playing guitar. In the early days, he played with his brothers on the porch. In high school he had a band playing top 40. Later he played with a number of prominent bands as a “hired gun,” did studio work for numerous CDs, then he came back to Maine where he has resumed his position as a constant presence and an integral player in the Maine music scene.
A guitar-player’s guitar player, Mark Miller knows how to fill a room with heart and soul, no matter what its size — from small hip clubs to festivals such as the North Atlantic Blues Festival. His accomplishments include opening for national acts, including B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Taj Mahal, Pat Travers, Waylon Jennings, Jonathan Edwards, Peter Wolf and others. He’s played onstage with Johnny Rawls, Jimmy Johnson, James Montgomery, Debbie Davies, Buddy Spicher, Jimmy Day, Dick Curless. Mark performed with Brad Delp at the Boston Music Awards, with Brad’s band – whom he worked with on Brad’s solo project for 3 years. Mark was also the winner of the 1989 Lenny Breau Memorial Trophy – handed to him by Lenny’s mother. This was Mark’s proudest moment.
Between 1995 and 2000, he was featured on the cover of Face Magazine twice, as well as in articles in the Maine Times, Lewiston Sun Journal, Bangor Daily News, and many other publications throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The year 2000 he released his first CD, Naked Soul, consisting of original music and lyrics. Right after that he landed 2 re
cord companies – one called Tantara Records, which released a couple of his songs in Europe (where Mark’s CD ranked 47 in the Belgium radio market on their American Music Top 50). The other, Jetspeed, in Hollywood, CA – where Mark went to start recording a new CD.
Then, in 2004, he played on the same billing as Johnny Hiland at the L/A Guitar Arts Festival. Mark has performed for the Governor of Maine on numerous occasions, starting in 2002 when he was hired to play at the governor’s first and later the second inaugural ball. Since then, he was invited to the governor’s mansion for a special performance, and has performed monthly at the governor’s family restaurant.
In June of 2006, Mark was nominated by Maine Governor John Baldacci to serve a three-year term on the Maine Arts Commission. Mark brought to the Maine Arts Commission a much-needed blue collar, working musician perspective.
Mark is legendary, in that any true legend is really based on fact, and passed from person to person by word of mouth – over the years. Mark has made his name as among the elite of blues guitarists in the state of Maine through persistent travel, dedication to his craft, and his love of the Northeast.
“Whatcha Gonna Do!” – Mark’s latest CD released December 19, 2008 features Boston lead singer, the late Brad Delp. Mark said, “This CD is dedicated to my good friend, Brad Delp (June 12, 1951 – March 9, 2007) whom I call the King of Kindness. He was kind enough to drive from New Hampshire to Maine twice to sing on this CD with me. Brad was one of the greatest singers in the world. We’ll miss you, my friend.”
Brad had said of Mark, “Mark ‘Guitar’ Miller is one of the best bluesmen in the country”. As lead singer for Boston, he’s seen a lot of players, so he had some basis for his opinion. Mark played guitar for Delp for three years on Delp’s solo project that, in the end, was never released. Nevertheless, Brad later reciprocated by traveling to Maine to lend his distinctive voice to some tracks on one of Mark’s studio CD’s. Mark’s fans in northern New England will agree with Delp. Mark Miller has been a regional and legendary (blues and acoustic) guitarist for decades.
Mark is very grateful, and wants to thank Micki Delp for her permission to post for the first time these great videos of Brad Delp and Mark “Guitar” Miller working on Brad’s solo project – some of which may be released soon.
Two songs from the CD “Whatcha Gonna Do!” have done very well recently in songwriting contests – both songs placing in the top 15 in two categories worldwide.
Mark’s websites include:
www.markguitarmiller.com
www.myspace.com/markguitarmillerblues
