Ep. 121 Best 4th of July Ever; Miles Connor in Nashville

Ep. 121 Best 4th of July Ever; Miles Connor in Nashville

Welcome to this mid-summer episode of the Modern Moron.  I’m so excited to share the conversation I had with a young musician named Miles Connor.  He’s currently a student at Belmont University in Nashville Tennessee and was born and raised in the Dallas Texas area.  H’s e’s a bit of an old soul in that he was brought up with a lot of classic rock artists from the 60’s and 70’s.  I believe his first instrument was the guitar but his father was and is an accomplished musician and toured professionally back in the day as a drummer.  

I’ve been wanting to talk to Miles for YEARS, literally as I’ve heard over and over what an accomplished musician he was becoming and how affable and friendly his was.  Well, one of my fancy friends from my days in L.A. flew to Nashville for the 4th of July.  In fact, Julie Welch has been on this program before in one of our first episodes when we did a tribute to her parents, Ken and Mitzie Welch, who were Emmy Award winning music arrangers for the Carol Burnett show and I believe the Jack Parr show way back in the day.  Julie is also friends with a guy named Brad Paisley, who really is a household name if you ever play even a little country music in your household.  Brad performed in Nashville on the 4th of July and it was broadcast on CNN without political commentary.   Julie arranged for my guest Miles to meet her sister Gillian Welch, who has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards over the years and winning a Grammy for Best Folk Album in 2021.

THEN… she took Miles to the Paisley’s home/music ranch(?) is that a thing? Where he got to not only meet Brad Paisley, but jam with him and talk music.  Brad went to the same college that Miles is currently attending.  He got to hang there the evening before the 4th with some more fancy people including SNL alum Kevin Nealon, who’s a decent banjo player himself.  A couple of other names get dropped including Michael Hitchcock and Tim Bagley.  Now those two names may not seem like household names but if you saw either of them you’d say, “oh, I know that guy!”  Michael is probably most recognized for his role in Christopher Guest’s “Best in Show” where he was paired with Parker Posy as a couple showing Weimaraners and they both wore braces.  See… you remember.  He also wrote and produced many episodes of the hit show Glee which ran from 2009 to 2015 and you can see him all over the place. 

Tim Bagley is also a great character actor who’s currently playing Brad Schraeder in the HBO hit “Somebody Somewhere”.  You’d also remember him on the show   “Monk” with Tony Shalub, Tim played Monk’s neighbor Harold and of course “Larry” from Will & Grace…

There I go down another rabbit hole… anyway, Both of these guys are hugely funny, Miles mentions them in his story, they are working ALL the time and are very dear to this old Moron as I knew them way back when I was in L.A. and they were… very, very young…. In case they ever hear this.  Very, very young when I first met them.

Back to Miles and an additional reason I think you’re going to love him is his knowledge of the history of rock and country.  Glen Campbell… was known for his guitar playing as well and Miles recalls what a great session player Glen Campbell was back in the day playing for music producer Phil Spector as well as playing and singing with the Beach Boys.  Brad Paisley is right up there in his guitar playing alongside Glen Campbell.  In fact, I’m including the link to a YouTube Video of some legendary guitar players having a session at the Fender Custom Shop playing the theme to Game of Thrones back when that show was insanely popular.  In that video are players like Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, Scott Ian from Anthrax, Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme and… Brad Paisley.  Now those first guys may not be number one on your Spotify list, but you have at least heard of those bands because of their longevity.  And their longevity is partially due to those outstanding musicians.  Okay, I’m off track again…

So, Miles is going to tell us about his very, very exciting and fun 4th of July experience mixed in with some talk about music, guitars, steel pedal guitars and what it’s like to be a young, very enthusiastic musician getting their career started.  This may be the first time you hear the name Miles Connor, but I bet it won’t be the last… please enjoy…

CLOSE - I told you you were going to love him.  To me, Miles has three key ingredients for success as an artist.  Vision, Drive and Focus.  He has the vision of what he wants to do, he’s got lot’s of drive and enthusiasm, and he’s got the focus to stay on track and not get distracted by… things… or people… like… girls.  College girls.  Okay, he’s doomed.  But there’s nothing like a college breakup to fuel a few good songs!  See?  There’s material everywhere!  Thank you so much to Miles Connor… remember that name America… and to Miles’ mom and Dad, Allison and Court for giving us such a great kid!  Don’t forget to like and subscribe and forward this to someone you think would enjoy it.  

We’re going to leave you with a live recording of Miles last year in his audition for the Dallas International Guitar Festival 10 under 20 contest, which I’m guessing is the 10 best guitarists under 20 in Dallas.  He auditions with Voodoo Child.  I have a history with this song in that I’m always late to discover things like the Hendrix version of Voodoo Chile … no “d”... which I didn’t discover until 20 years after it was released in 1968 on the Electric Ladyland Album.  I was working blowing up balloons for radio station KLSX in Los Angeles and I was mesmerized by the playing and the lyrics… and it was my favorite Hendrix song:

“if I don't meet you no more in this world

Then I'll, I'll meet you in the next one

Now don't be late, don't be late.”

A couple years later I was an actual disc jockey, when people listened to the radio instead of an app for music, at a station in Santa Barbara and I really liked this “new” guy… new to me named Stevie Ray Vaughn and I see Voodoo Child on his album “Couldn’t Stand the Weather” and I thought, “oh no, Stevie… I love your playing but some things should be left untouched.  Don’t try to top Jimi, just leave it.”  And then I played it.  And I was humbled.  Big time.  Between Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Voodoo Child (a slight return) and his equally hypnotizing jazz soaked “Riviera Paradise” I was fully into the kool-aid of Stevie Ray Vaughan.  And now, here is another guitarist who can pull off the Hendrix as well… Miles Connor.  We will definitely see you again in this world and thank you for listening to The Modern Moron.

The Game Of Thrones Theme Song | Fender Custom Shop | Fender 

Brad Paisley DJ Duel/Hot For Teacher - YouTube  

Dave Rawlings Machine - John Paul Jones- Going to California (Live at Georgia Theatre) - YouTube  

Voodoo Child- Miles Connor Blues Band - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmjtZBIxQxA - Inner Western Nights - Steelin’ Hearts - YouTube 

Jeff Beck - Brush With The Blues - Live At Ronnie Scott's Club London [HD 720p]