Dave Miller is Making a Scene

March 7, 2026

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Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Dave Miller

Dave Miller has been writing songs, performing, and living the working-musician life for five decades. Over the years he’s played everywhere a good song can land—taverns, dance halls, coffee houses, showcases, concert venues, and festivals—touring coast to coast across the United States and into British Columbia. He’s the kind of artist who doesn’t just collect miles. He collects stories, and then he turns them into songs with wit, heart, and a sharp eye for the human condition.

Dave’s musical journey began at age 13, the Christmas his mother bought him a five-string banjo after his father passed away. With that banjo in his hands, he started tuning up and playing along with the country and bluegrass stars he watched on Saturday afternoon music shows. He likes to joke that Earl Scruggs taught him to play—Earl in a Nashville TV studio, Dave on a sofa in Little Rock, Arkansas—learning the language of banjo one roll at a time. By 1964, at just 14 years old, Dave had joined his first band, The 49ers, and he’s been chasing the next stage and the next song ever since.

Along the way, his musical compass was shaped by artists who knew how to tell the truth without making it feel heavy: Levon Helm, Merle Haggard, Delbert McClinton, Guy Clark, and John Prine. That influence shows up in Dave’s writing—songs that are approachable and often funny, but always grounded in real life and real emotion.

On Party in the Pines—his fifth full-length album and his third release on Howlin’ Dog Records—Dave once again invites listeners into his world for a full tour of life’s adventures and misadventures. The album moves like a long evening with a great storyteller: it’s funny in places, tender in others, and always full of small details that make the scenes feel true.

The record opens with “Jaded Soul,” a reflective look back from the perspective of a seasoned troubadour, considering the miles traveled and how music gives meaning to the journey. From there, “Baby Loves the Wind” brings a warmer, romantic energy, celebrating the way a lifelong partner can deepen everything that life becomes. Then comes the title track, “Party in the Pines,” a rollicking, vivid celebration of friends, family, and one unforgettable night somewhere out in the woods. The track features Dave on banjo, co-producer Don Richmond adding multiple instrumental colors, and Eric Lewis on acoustic guitar—capturing the feeling of a gathering that’s equal parts mischief and joy.

From that high point, Dave isn’t afraid to explore the darker corners of the road. “Loser’s Prayer” serves as a cautionary tale, a reminder that every life has its rough chapters. “Only Time Can Tell” turns back toward tenderness, offering a beautiful remembrance of falling in love, highlighted by harmony vocals from Rhonda Schoenecker. “Mama Raised a Fool” kicks the energy up again with smoking rockabilly drive, featuring Jimmy Stadler’s rollicking piano and Eric Lewis on lap steel, bringing swagger and grit into the mix.

The album continues to move through love, pride, and stubbornness with “Stubborn Heart,” then takes a humorous turn with “Greenhorn’s Lament,” a whimsical story of a reluctant cowboy ready to trade the rugged life for the comforts of civilization. “Clementine” climbs into the mountains with a “sixth sense” kind of story wrapped in a kick-up-your-heels, square-dance spirit—again putting Dave’s banjo front and center.

One of the most personal moments arrives with “Cafe Afternoon,” an autobiographical tale of rekindled love, told with the kind of vivid scene-setting that makes you feel like you’re sitting at the table. “Memphis BBQ Blues” follows with humor and appetite, offering a musical “recipe” to cure whatever ails you. Then Dave reaches back into memory with “Nail Can,” a sepia-toned childhood remembrance of his father, featuring Lyn Jones on harmonica and harmony vocals from Abbye West-Pates—one of the album’s most touching and intimate tracks.

“Backside of a Guitar” serves as Dave’s deep dive into the wonder of music itself and the unique electricity of live performance, told from the perspective of someone who has spent a lifetime on stages. Don Richmond contributes lead electric guitar and pedal steel, adding lift and atmosphere to a song that feels like a personal mission statement. The album closes with “Rain,” a peaceful, grateful appreciation of life’s gifts, again featuring Abbye West-Pates on harmony vocals and Don Richmond adding mandolin, accordion, and cedar flute—ending the record on a calm, generous breath.

Party in the Pines is more than a collection of songs. It’s a guided journey through the ups and downs of love and life, told by an artist who has earned every line through experience. Dave Miller writes like someone who has seen a lot, laughed through the hard parts, and still believes music is one of the best ways we have to make sense of the ride.

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