Steve Miller In the Studio 2011
Steve Miller: Well, at this point, I’ve always loved to play music, and from the time I was five years old to now it’s always been exciting to me to play. And to entertain people and to have a band and I was just yesterday afternoon I was thinking about oooh, it won’t be long now just another few weeks and we’ll be back out on the road and I’ll be all excited and I’ll be walking from the bus to the stage and to play my music. And for me, it’s been the blessing of my life. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do all my life. I’ve done it all my life and I’ve been able to entertain people and maintain a really good band and continue to be creative, and continue to enjoy what I do. And to me that’s about as successful of a life as I can have, to be able to do all these things that I do.
RedBeard: To what do you attribute that ability after four (now five+) decades of entertaining us?
SM: Well, I really love to play. And I think all musicians do, really. I mean it’s a spontaneous thing that happens. Ya know, it’s like playing basketball or playing a game, or, or doing something that’s really fun. It never feels like work even when you’re spending months and months grinding away and wood-shedding and practicing and trying to get better. Ya know there’s always this payoff where you get into a room with an audience and you start playing music and people start getting joyous and very happy and this wonderful thing happens and then all this spontaneity starts up that’s what the excitement is and I never get tired of it. I mean I’ve never been on stage where I’ve been going “Boy, ya know, I’ve had enough of this. Or this isn’t any fun.” Or, I’ve never felt like I’m sick of playing a tune. Or tired of being on the road. Ya know, I’ve just always enjoyed it.
RB: What is is it about rhythm and blues music that keeps you vital and actively engaged at a point where most people are using their AARP cards for the early bird specials down at Denny’s ?
SM: Well, ya know, I don’t know, it’s, it’s just something great about picking up a guitar and, and playing something that really moves you. Ya know that makes you feel good. It changes your attitude. Ya know you pick up an instrument, you start playing, it’s like an attitude adjustment. Ya know, things just feel better and I have all my life been really moved by rhythm and blues and country music too, and I mean ya know I’m a big fan of the Marty Stewart show on RFD and I tune up the Wilburn Brothers and tune up Porter Wagoner and… I just love all kinds of music, it has always made me feel good. And I really don’t have the answer why, but music tends to be ethereal and it sorta takes people back and forth between the past and the future, you’re sort of like remembering stuff and you’re thinking about the future and you’re feeling good and it’s pretty amazing art and to be involved in it or to be drawn to it as I was just naturally, just immediately as soon as I was on the planet, music was just the most interesting thing to me. There was never any question about it. When I was two years old I was making mother play Bob Crosby and the Bobcats version of “Big Noise from Winetka”!. Over and over and over, ya know? So some people are just wide open and susceptible to music and I was definitely one of ‘em I guess. -Redbeard
