billy miller

I need a new vehicle

2008-09-13T01:10:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with my mother. She wants to help buy a wedding gown for my fiancee which I am very happy about. The trouble came when we started talking politics and she said she adores Sarah Palin , she will be voting on the Republican ticket. I came close to accusing her of being racist, and I know she can't bring herself to vote for a "tan" man.

I liken this turn of events (the voting process in America) to we as a people, buying a new car (I need one and am shopping). Will you buy a "changed" rusty old Ford with a new (wedding gown white!) paint job, or perhaps a "hybrid" to run the country? Who cares if the only color offered is tan. I need a smart new vehicle, and a smart new president. Take a chance, (and educate yourself before you buy this time, o.k.? the nation depends on it.)

Live at the Pub Stage

2008-04-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, here's a little bit of what I've been up to in Florida this year. This features Misti Bernard and I with help from our friend and ace drummer, Michael Huebner.

...and heres a little number I wrote that we recorded by the lake of the Campground we were staying at. We used 2 large condenser mikes so the sound isn't half bad...

Sprung Spring

2007-04-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

...this has been a hell of a ride for most of the folks living in these parts. I have written a long psychotic rant about VA Tech, guns, society, God etc... but have decided not to publish... perhaps next year, or decade, when and if there is some peace time for more perspective. I’m sure most folks around here have the same broken hearts. Needless to say, I myself want to curl up in a ball and yet here I sit on a keyboard forcing myself to carry on. I really can not imagine what life must be like for the people in Iraq. This happens every day for them... yes, every day. I still believe (naive and corny perhaps... like the Beatles) that all we need is love (and that includes empathy) to help fix the world.

If you can stand it, (no terrible photos) here’s a link to the little known refugee crisis our bumbling country has created, (with interviews of REAL, nice, hurting, people... but Iraqi), that gets absolutely no coverage in our press... talk about broken hearts. Perspective. (photo via blue gal)

O.K. done with being blue (for now). For something that may lift your spirits a bit, this is a sweet diversion.

What ever happened to good ol' music?

2007-04-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

... Well certainly, it's not on myspace... or is it? I just uploaded a couple of tunes that features (o.k. ... myself) and!... a brilliant young Irish fiddler from Chicago by the name of Farley Kelly here. I've known Farley since he was 11, and play music with him every summer at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Hot fiddlin'!!! ... well worth the listenin.
apologies to R. Crumb

Got Perspective?

2007-04-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

PALE BLUE DOT

A parting gift from Voyager from 4 billion miles.
Inspired by the words of Carl Sagan in 1991,
as he presented to the world,
the most distant image yet taken of ourselves.
What ever you believe in,
this is something we
all share.

Song and film by ice core scientist.

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2007-03-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

image - a scene from the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, Virginia on March 23, 2007.

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2007-02-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

hi everyone, hope you are well. here are a few venues and dates where Billy is going to be playing in the next few weeks. I will post a bit more info when I know more. have a great day & thanks for reading. -Suzy

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Friday, February 9 - guest of American Dumpster at the Coffee Pot in Roanoke

Sunday, February 11 - with Chris Luster at Oddfellas in Floyd (Sunday brunch)

Saturday, February 24 - with Chris Luster at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd (2 pm)

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2007-01-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

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hi everyone
hope you are well
here is a picture of some of Billy's new flutes

more images can be found on the new flute slideshow link.

bye, thanks for reading and listening, have a great day.

-Suzy

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2006-12-27T18:01:00.000-08:00

hi folks, hope you all are well.

below is an invite to next week's event at the town library in Floyd...
also, Billy & Chris are going to be playing this Saturday and Sunday at Oddfellas

bye, have a great day. thanks for reading & listening. -Suzy

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You are invited

Please join us at the Jessie Peterman Memorial Library in Floyd, Virginia on January 7, 2007 as we celebrate our new Sunday hours! Starting on January 7, Floyd’s town library will be open 7 days a week.

A community get-together at the library is planned from 1 to 5 pm on that day, with music by Billy Miller and Chris Luster starting at 2 pm. To learn more about this event, please call Library Branch Supervisor Cathy Whitten at 745-2947.

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tags for this post - floyd virginia music

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2006-12-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

hi everyone

just wanted to let you know that Billy is going to be playing at Art on a Mission today
this is at the Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke

he will be selling flutes there too and 40% of each purchase will go to the Roanoke Rescue Mission, which serves 900 meals a day

Billy might be there tomorrow too during the morning and early afternoon
Please call 540-777-4561 to learn more about Art on a Mission

bye, thanks for reading, have a beautiful day. -Suzy

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2006-12-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

hi everyone

Billy is going to help provide music for the Floyd Hafla tonight
Sally Walker is singing and they will perform together.

Billy is also playing on Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm at Oddfellas in Floyd and at the Cellar in Blacksburg for Irish Night next Thursday

also on Jan. 7 Billy will play at the town library in Floyd.

bye, thanks for reading. -Suzy

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tags for this post - billy miller music

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2006-11-29T06:54:00.000-08:00

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2006-11-23T06:58:00.000-08:00

hi everyone
hope you are well
many thanks to everyone who made the show on Tuesday such a wonderful event

Billy will play again with American Dumpster this Friday in Charlottesville
this will be at Fellinis. details can be found in the loop.

bye, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. -Suzy

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a very good party at Ray's tonight

2006-11-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

hi everyone

there is going to be a very good party at Ray's restaurant in Floyd tonight
American Dumpster will play

music will begin at 8

Billy made some very nice music at the Fandango with this band and I am hoping very much that it will happen again tonight

Ray's restaurant is located on Floyd Highway North (route 221)

Tuggle's Gap will be hosting the party, which has a cover charge of $5.

I never did post too many of the pictures I got from Fandango but maybe I will try to do this in a bit, there are some interesting ones

ok well I need to go now. bye, thanks for reading.

-Suzy

ps. Billy has just started an image libary in Flikr, this can be viewed here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yillb

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suggested queries for this post - floyd virginia music

music tonight at Oddfellas

2006-11-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

hi everyone
Billy & Chris will be playing at Oddfellas tonight
Sally will perform there tomorrow

On the evening of December 2 Billy will be playing for my art reception at Cafe Sol
I also believe he will play at the Jacksonville Center sometime that afternoon

when I get this info more organized I will post it, thanks for reading.

-Suzy

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2006-10-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

hi everyone
hope you are well

many thanks to everyone who was at the Cafe del Sol last night
you all made it a fun evening, thanks for braving the rain.

Thanks Chris Luster!! and Sally Walker!!!

I believe that Chris is going to play at Chateau Morissette with Bernie tomorrow at around noon.

Sally is going to sing at Oddfellas sometime soon, I am not sure when but the loop contains details.

Billy & Chris will be playing music in the silo tomorrow at the Jacksonville Center around 3:30 or so...please call the center at 745-2784 for details on this, or if you wish to learn more about the Kidfest Halloween celebration scheduled for that day.

also, Billy will be helping to provide music for my art reception at Cafe Sol on December 2.
more details on this soon.

December 2 as I understand it will also be the date of the "Peace on Earth" parade.

bye, thanks for reading & listening
-Suzy

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suggested queries for this page - floyd virginia art music

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2006-10-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

hi everyone
just a note to let you know that Billy will play at 7:30 pm tomorrow at Cafe Sol
have a great day. - Suzy

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suggested queries for this post - floyd virginia music

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2006-10-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

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new things on Billy's site

2006-10-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

hi everyone
hope you are well

I am putting new recordings on Billy's site at billymiller.net today
these feature Chris Luster on bass & Billy on guitar & vocals

also, the National Folk Festival will be happening in Richmond soon
if you are able to make it there please stop by & visit us at the Jacksonville Center booth (near Crooked Road/Bull Mountain/Round the Mountain booths)

Billy will be demonstrating techniques for making bamboo flutes & I will be there distributing Traces cards

bye, have a great day & thanks for reading. -Suzy

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2006-09-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

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2006-09-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

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hi everyone
I just added a link to the National Folk Festival, this is coming up soon in Richmond, Virginia. Billy will be demonstrating flute making there at the Jacksonville Center booth. Look for us near the Crooked Road booth. Hope to see you then!

-Suzy

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2006-09-24T03:46:00.000-07:00

hi everyone

here are a few of the venues where Billy will be playing this fall

have a great day. -Suzy

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Billy Miller - upcoming gigs

Sunday, September 24 - Playing with Chris Luster
at Oddfella's Cantina in Floyd, Virginia. (Late morning)

Saturday, October 21 & Sunday, October 22 - Floyd Fandango
Fandango 2006 performers include Junior Brown, Carbon Culture, Wild Turkeys,
many others.

Friday, October 27 - Cafe Sol
Floyd, Virginia

Sunday, November 5, 2006 - Sun Music Hall, Floyd, Virginia
A'Court Bason, Carbon Culture, Blue Mule, Snake Hollow String Band & many others
will also be helping to provide music for this event.

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suggested queries for this post - billy miller upcoming performances

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2006-09-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

hi everyone I just wanted to let you know that the windwood flutes site has gotten some updates, including some text on playing the quenahachi.

also here is a new page on the web for persons who would like to hear music by carbon culture.

bye, thanks for reading
suzy

How to play the "Renaissance" folk flute

2006-08-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

hello everyone

this is Suzy again posting for Billy, he will be in Kenosha until Labor Day

below is "how to play transverse flute" text that will eventually get posted on the windwood flutes site...

bye, have a great day. -Suzy

ps. if you want to join in the "sploggin' for Marsh Fork" campaign please visit ideapark.org to learn more. All the cool people are doing it.

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How to play the "Renaissance" folk flute
via www.windwoodflutes.com

Hold the flute with a hand on each side, left hand closest to the mouth hole, the flute pointed to your right, with all finger-holes open. Place the edge of the mouth hole firmly against the center of your lower lip.

Next, make a small, flat opening in your lips and blow a thin, steady stream of air across the mouth hole. Try pronouncing "phuuuut", blowing hard at first and then backing off a bit.

Ideally, one should try should try to divide the stream of air in half with the opposite edge of the mouth hole. Roll the flute slowly back and forth to find the correct angle to catch the air.

The tone may sound weak and breathy at first, but with a little practice and experimentation, the tone will develop into a clear, rich sound.

Next, with your left hand, begin covering each finger hole, one at a time, starting with the one nearest your mouth. Make sure that you cover each hole completely; otherwise a weak tone will result.

Go slowly down the line until you have covered the first three holes, then continue with the right hand in the same manner (three holes per hand) until you have covered them all.

Hint: Don't attempt to cover the next hole until you have gotten a tone on the previous one. If the flute jumps up in pitch as you go down, try blowing more softly.

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tags for this post - how to play transverse flute

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2006-07-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

hi there,

I am posting some things for Billy as he is at the Bristol Renaissance Faire right now.
here is a photo of one of his new flutes.

The flute you see here is similar to the quena, an Andean flute, although it has a few less holes than a standard quena.

I own three of these quena style flutes. one has no holes and one has three holes. the other has two holes and is about 5 ft. long as it is a walking stick flute.

bye, mata ne. with warm wishes,
Suzy Nees (AKA Nantoka)

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note (July 21) - since the tuning of this instrument is more similar to the shakuhachi flute than the quena Billy would like to add that it would be more correct to call this a Quenahachi or an Appalachian Shakuhachi.

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2006-05-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

the LEAF festival, for those unawares, is a good choice for blissful experiences in May. Here my friend Chris Luster plays a bass riff for the youth.

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Living with War

2006-04-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

Just got through listening to Neil Young's latest tour de force "Living with War". If you've been living in a vacuum for the last month or so... this project was written and recorded within a 2 week span in early April and includes a little ditty call "Let's Impeach the President" (though that's not my favorite on the album). In short, the album ROCKS!!! The whole thing is pure Neil and is full of spit and fire in the tradition of "Ohio". Great, scathing, straight up rockin' protest songs about where our country has headed under the misdirection of our Commander-in-Thief. Though not available yet in CD the whole album is streaming for FREE HERE

A Word on the Peace Takes Courage link

2006-04-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

I just posted this link by a 15 year old peace activist by the name of Ava Lowery. (She has received much hate mail for her efforts.) I must warn the squeamish among you that the work is devastatingly graphic in nature and shows photos of the situation in Iraq that you don’t see in the news and even I prefer not to see, but sometimes the horror and cost (and I'm not talking money) of war has to be brought home in order to shock people into doing something, in the same way the more realistic and gruesome news coverage of the Viet Nam war in the 60’s helped fuel the protests. It makes me cry. Click if you dare.

P.S. If you want to just talk money, I just found out that to pay off the National Debt now, every man, woman and child in the US owes the Federal government $150,000.00.

home again home again, jigitty jig!

2006-04-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, just got back from the Bay Area Renaissance Festival in Tampa Bay, FL.

I must say, it really feels great to be back in the hills where I belong instead of the Babylon FL is turning into. Even so, I had a great time performing for the FL crowd, and I had a chance to rub shoulders with some truly great artists.

The photo is from the Faire (taken and sent to me by a patron, Bobby Peel... thanks Bobby!) and shows me playing with my good friend and ace bagpiper Charlie Rafferty. If you're wondering why he's not blowing into his pipes, it's because he's playing the Irish "uilleann" pipes. "Uilleann" means "elbow" in Irish Gaelic and he pumps air into them by means of a bellows under one arm, while the other arm squeezes the bag. At my feet is a harmonium that I set on various drones and pump with my foot (also with a bellows connected to the instrument... up Chicago way they call us "the Bellows Brothers"). I usually will then play flute, guitar or percussion along with the harmonium depending on the arrangement.

Tomorrow, (Sat. April 22nd) I'll be spending Earth Day at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, VA (540-745-2784) http://www.jacksonvillecenter.org. It's an open house so please stop by. There will be food, and various Earth friendly exhibits. We set the old grain silo up for a musical performance (the acoustics are amazing). I'll be playing around 2 pm and there'll also be old timey music by the Snake Hollow String Band at 4 pm.

Later Sat. evening I'll be playing with Chris Luster at Oddfella's Cantina just down the road in Floyd. Great food, music, and odd and (somewhat) normal people that like that sorta' thing will be there. Hope you're one of 'em!

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2006-02-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

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Shakuhatchi

2006-02-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

Non-attachment as a creative act...

are you still attached?
breath

are you still attached?
breath

are you still attached?
make yourself a sandwich

are you still attached?
... time for coffee

am I aloof yet?
breath

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2006-02-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

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2006-02-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

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Me tripod no have for moon hunting

2006-02-13T22:14:00.000-08:00

"So do you have a beanbag?" says Chris, "no, but I have a feather pillow"... "you don't want that to get wet though", "It's o.k. says I, we'll use a stool with it." So went the journey into the cold full moon nite to capture a few beams.

...a song, to be sung in your finest blues cadence of choice... stomp and clap if you want.

full moon undertow

seems like we’re treading water
fighting just where we should go
relax and let it take you
into the full moon undertow

No use in tryin to hide it
might as well relax and let it flow
get outside and howl if you need to
into the full moon undertow

Bright snow, the leaves all covered
Bright sky takes me below
into a world I’d once forgotten
Into the full moon undertow

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2006-02-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

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Aloha

2006-02-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

Hi there... testing, testing... is this mike on?

If you have stumbled upon this tiny fraction of the ether I thank you for your time and interest. Welcome to my new blog. This is the place where I will attempt to post my own convoluted ramblings on the state of things, as well as links to my music and other things of interest in the total perspective vortex.

If you have reached this page via my website, I apologize as it is currently under construction.

I would like to thank my good friend Suzy Nees http://www.suzynees.com/ a wonderful Blacksburg, VA based artist that I met while exhibiting the flutes I make at the Jacksonville Center in Floyd, VA http://www.jacksonvillecenter.org/ She helped me get this show on the road. If you like to read and learn new stuff (and after all, that is what you’re doing now, right?) she has some interesting and entertaining thoughts to share at http://www.traces.ws/ and it’s a journey well rewarded.

.... thought for the day.... Q. Is a Zebra a white horse with black stripes or a black horse with white stripes? A. a Zebra is a gray pony that is not vibrating fast enough to appear gray.

.... that's all for now.

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2006-02-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

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this page was last updated on february 9, 2006.
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