Ben Miller Band - Record For Joplin

Limited edition product. All proceeds go to the Joplin relief fund

Features four previously unreleased songs on 12-inch LP

Produced by Grammy-winning producer, Vance Powell

Album B-side lists those who perished in the May 22, 2011, Joplin, Mo., tornado; their names are etched into the vinyl

For The Ben Miller Band, 2011 was filled with both heartache and hope. In May, a devastating tornado hit their hometown of Joplin, Mo. It tore right through the center of town and completely destroyed 7,000 homes, as well as the main business district. The Ben Miller Band was on the road at the time but returned quickly to find Joplin obliterated.

Because of exposure the band received at SXSW— the South by Southwest Music and Media festival — in Austin, Texas, they fell in with a Joplin native, Vance Powell, who made a name for himself as an engineer working on Jack White projects.

SXSW did wonders in terms of exposure for this band, and the momentum has quickly grown since then. All the progress the band has had did not distract them from the realities at home, and they were able to find their own way to help. Instead of immediately working on their next album, The Ben Miller Band decided to do something else first.

"We met Vance shortly after the Joplin tornado, and we were thinking about making a benefit album to help in the massive rebuilding effort. We pitched the idea for the album and he immediately jumped on board," said Miller, the band's namesake. "Through his Nashville connections he got us studio time in Blackbird Studio. He also got the 2″ tape donated, and got the cutting of the vinyl donated. That's right, this one isn't touching digital!" The benefit album is being released on limited edition vinyl pressings as well as a digital download. "Vance enjoyed what we were doing musically and was excited to have us back to Nashville and begin working on an album for us," Miller said. "We are about half way done with that album and are looking forward to getting back in the studio to finish it up."

 

 

 

1. High Water Blues

2. God Moves On The Water

3. Don’t Look That Way

4. St. James Infirmary

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