Today we’d like to introduce you to Colleen Miller.
Colleen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up singing. I’m pretty sure I could sing before I could walk!! My dad is the reason I got started in music in the first place. He plays guitar, banjo, keyboard, trumpet, ukulele, and a bit of mandolin. He bought me my first karaoke machine for Christmas when I was four. After my parents divorced a few years later, I spent every summer with my dad, and we would sit out on the driveway in lawn chairs. He would play songs like Ghost Riders in the Sky or anything John Denver and I would sing along for the neighbors. We would always go to see local bands and ask if I could sing a song or two with them, usually something Patsy Cline or Loretta Lynn.
When I was eight, my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He could no longer play the instruments he loved. As he got progressively worse, I decided I needed to learn guitar. I saved up and bought my first guitar for $150 and he taught me my first three chords. It was almost time for me to go back to my mom for the school year, so he bought me a book of guitar chords and I went home and taught myself the rest.
Guitar opened up a whole new world for me. I started songwriting and performing small gigs. I dropped out of UTSA and decided to dive 100% into my music. I bought a Bose tower system and started sending emails to venues. I just wanted to play. A year after starting, we released my first single to Texas radio, Amarillo Rain. That song took me on my first radio interview and my first North Western tour up to Montana.
I’ve been performing professionally for the last five years and will be headed into the studio in December to record my debut EP.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I didn’t/don’t always have the support of my family behind me. This is a crazy dream, and in most people’s eyes, a waste of my time and life.
I also struggled with horrible allergies in the beginning, and at one point lost my voice for almost eight months. I was so depressed and I remember praying for God to either give me my voice back or take it completely away. I didn’t know who I was if I couldn’t sing.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a Texas country artist with bluegrass flares. I write songs mostly from observation, although I do write personal songs sometimes. I just try to keep my music real and honest. I have a different type of sound from the usual female country artist, and I try to mesh classic country roots with new sounds and ideas to create a style that is uniquely mine.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memories are mostly from sitting in the living room and singing with my dad.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.colleenmichellemusic.com
- Instagram: @colleenmichellemusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colleenmichellemusic/
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