Scott Miller to Back WB's Blue Collar TV

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » June 29, 2004 4:42 pm

I'm not sure how many of you are familar with Scott Miller and the Commonwealth but since there's at least of few of us familar with the alt.country movement here I thought I'd pass this along:

Scott Miller and the Commonwealth
Chosen To Back The WB's Newest Comedy Series

Sugar Hill Records' Scott Miller has been chosen to join the set of the WB's upcoming comedy series, Blue Collar TV, set to debut on Thursday, July 29 at 8:30 pm (EDT). Miller and his band The Commonwealth will set the stage for 8 episodes of the trademark comedy of Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy. The band will play original material from Miller's two Sugar Hill releases, as well as some older favorites and new material. An instrumental version of "A Mess of This Town" has been chosen as the theme song for the program.

Inspired by the hugely successful Blue Collar Comedy Tour, the series will
feature the Middle American comedy of Foxworthy et al through stand up
and sketches. The comedy tour has been one of the most successful of its
kind, ranked alongside the Kings of Comedy Tour, which was an unmatched
success. More information on the show is available at www.wb.com ttp://www.wb.com

Scott Miller has released two fine albums on Sugar Hill Records with his crack band The Commonwealth, the latest being 2003's Upside/Downside. He recently wrapped up an Amtrak sponsored tour of the Eastern seaboard aboard its fabled Crescent line from New Orleans to New York. Miller gained recognition as the front man for alt country innovators The V-Roys in the 90s and signed a solo deal with respected roots label Sugar Hill Records in 2001. Since then he has been recording and touring with his own band, The Commonwealth, which features Eric Fritsch, Shawn McWilliams, Park Chisolm.

"Once again Miller blends roots music, 'ol time rock 'n' roll and country
into a sound that is energetic, sometimes irreverent and always inspired."
(Radio & Records of 2003's Upside/Downside)

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » June 29, 2004 4:45 pm

Wow, that sounds really cool!

Two ancient memories that brings to mind:
1. Sugar Hill Records-as in "The Sugar Hill Gang" doing "Rapper's Delight." I knew ALL the words to that back in the day

2. Jeff Foxworthy used to have a sitcom on network TV, also back in the day. He was married to a city girl, and the premise was about him trying to fit in with city people. Anyone else remember that?

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » June 29, 2004 4:57 pm

The Jeff Foxworthy Show Auntie

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » June 29, 2004 5:00 pm

phjrsaunt wrote: Wow, that sounds really cool!

Two ancient memories that brings to mind:
1. Sugar Hill Records-as in "The Sugar Hill Gang" doing "Rapper's Delight." I knew ALL the words to that back in the day

I know the connection you're making so don't get me wrong when I say this Sugar Hill Records is nearly the polar opposite of the Sugar Hill Records you mention. This Sugar Hill is devoted almost entirely to roots/rock, folk and bluegrass artists.

phjrsaunt wrote: 2. Jeff Foxworthy used to have a sitcom on network TV, also back in the day. He was married to a city girl, and the premise was about him trying to fit in with city people. Anyone else remember that?

Yes, but only vaguely.

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » June 29, 2004 5:01 pm

ph4ever wrote:The Jeff Foxworthy Show Auntie

Well, that was just TOO easy!

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » June 29, 2004 5:02 pm

Jahfin wrote:
phjrsaunt wrote: Wow, that sounds really cool!

Two ancient memories that brings to mind:
1. Sugar Hill Records-as in "The Sugar Hill Gang" doing "Rapper's Delight." I knew ALL the words to that back in the day
I know the connection you're making so don't get me wrong when I say this Sugar Hill Records is nearly the polar opposite of the Sugar Hill Records you mention. This Sugar Hill is devoted almost entirely to roots/rock, folk and bluegrass artists.

phjrsaunt wrote: 2. Jeff Foxworthy used to have a sitcom on network TV, also back in the day. He was married to a city girl, and the premise was about him trying to fit in with city people. Anyone else remember that?

Yes, but only vaguely.

Ohhhhhhhhh...there are TWO Sugar Hill Records. Okay.

ph4ever · Post by **ph4ever** » June 29, 2004 5:10 pm

phjrsaunt wrote:
Jahfin wrote:
phjrsaunt wrote: Wow, that sounds really cool!

Two ancient memories that brings to mind:
1. Sugar Hill Records-as in "The Sugar Hill Gang" doing "Rapper's Delight." I knew ALL the words to that back in the day
I know the connection you're making so don't get me wrong when I say this Sugar Hill Records is nearly the polar opposite of the Sugar Hill Records you mention. This Sugar Hill is devoted almost entirely to roots/rock, folk and bluegrass artists.

phjrsaunt wrote: 2. Jeff Foxworthy used to have a sitcom on network TV, also back in the day. He was married to a city girl, and the premise was about him trying to fit in with city people. Anyone else remember that?

Yes, but only vaguely.
Ohhhhhhhhh...there are TWO Sugar Hill Records. Okay.

that could be confusing

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » June 29, 2004 5:37 pm

I'm pretty certain the Sugar Hill Records so associated with the early days of rap is no longer in existance.

Fins in Low Places · Post by **Fins in Low Places** » June 30, 2004 2:22 pm

This is awesome. Scott is one hell of a talent. I first heard him while I was at UT (the real UT, in Knoxville!) when a friend of mine told me about this local band called the Viceroys. Scott also played acoustic shows almost weekly at Hawkeye's (RIP). I was hooked after the first song. It was interesting to watch the Viceroys become the V-Roys and build a nice following on the alt.country scene. I hated to see them disband, but I have loved both records he has released with the Commonwealth. Though I have my doubts about the success of the show, I am happy that he will have the opportunity to reach more people.

For anyone interested. Here is an archive of the V-Roys website and a link to Scott's site

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » June 30, 2004 3:20 pm

Although we may be few in number at BuffettNews, it's quite refreshing to run into other fans of alt.country in general and Scott Miller in particular here. I've only seen Scott live once and that was on a bill with other Sugar Hill artists (Rodney Crowell, Sonny Landreth and the Gourds) at the Broken Spoke Saloon in Austin during SXSW back in the year of '01. This was just prior to the release of Thus Always to Tyrants, his first record with the Commonwealth and they kicked ass.

Fins in Low Places · Post by **Fins in Low Places** » June 30, 2004 10:46 pm

I haven't seen him since he was touring in support of the Tyrants record. He played Nashville a couple of weeks ago, but we had visitors and I couldn't make the show. I have always been a fan of the genre, but I don't have nearly as many cd's as I would like. I loved the the first Son Volt record, and a lot of the earlier Uncle Tupelo stuff. Wilco is hit & miss with me. I welcome any suggestions.

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » July 1, 2004 1:41 pm

I welcome any suggestions as well but "alt.country" is such a broad description (as I'm sure you've learned) it can encompass anything and everything from the very traditional styles of artists like Gillian Welch to the outright cowpunk of folks like Slobberbone, the Old 97s and everything inbetween. The "country rock" bug didn't start with alt.country for me, it dates back to the early 70s (including Buffett) but I must say my interest was renewed in both local NC music and alternative country in the mid-90s when I came across an excellent compilation disc on Yep Roc Records called Revival: Brunswick Stew and Pig Pickin' that features many artists that are still among my favorites to this very day such as Whiskeytown, the Backsliders, Trailer Bride, Six String Drag, the $2 Pistols, etc. This continued with the follow up to that album called Revival Volume II: Kudzu and Hollerin' Contest which is where I first heard the Drive-By Truckers, another of my all time favorites.