Miles Miller blends country, Americana and bluegrass at the Vilar in Beaver Creek

Miles Miller fell in love with the guitar when his sister gifted him one at age 13, but his drumming led him to national recognition. But, things have the tendency to come full circle, and now, Miller is making a name for himself in the country, Americana and bluegrass world with his guitar playing and songwriting.

Miller grew up in a musical family in central Kentucky; his dad was a minister who also played piano, his mom acted in theater, and his grandparents had strong gospel ties.

“(Church music) was everywhere for me and my family, and it’s where I got a lot of my first inspiration, but I loved anything that had a beat,” he said.

Acclaimed producer Dave Cobb originally discovered Miller pounding out covers on drums on YouTube when Miller was 16. A few years later, Miller was touring with the likes of Grammy-award-winning country music singer and songwriter Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers and Town Mountain.

“Freshman year, I got into drums by a friend, and it came super naturally,” Miller said. “I loved the part that I wasn’t at the forefront, but I definitely was not in the background — it’s the heartbeat of the music and soul — a middle ground of importance. It was my ‘in’ for being a professional musician.”

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Miller rode the surge of country and Americana the past decade as a drummer, but when the pandemic shut down live shows, he turned to his songwriting and guitar. He released his debut album, “Solid Gold,” this year via Thirty Tigers. It revolves around his experiences, from relationships to his career path on the road, away from family.

“It was a lot of years in the making. Some songs are new, some are 10-plus years old,” he said. “It deals with my personal life, relationships in the past and personal discovery and growth — the ins and outs of life.”

Through his songs and live shows, he fosters an intimacy with audiences across the nation.

“When I get up on stage, I feel more like myself than anywhere. I like to connect with the audience more than anything — with the introspective side of life, so people can relate,” he said. “I’ll make you laugh, and I’ll make you cry.”