Now, I walked this line right next to you
With every step, the closer that we'll get
Caught, in a fever that's so pure and true
We'll paint the town, until it all burns down
- Tor Miller, "Carter & Cash"
The love story of Johnny Cash and June Carter is something for the ages - so much so one can imagine the pair making music in the heavens for a crowd of David Bowie and all the legends who walked this earth. They're likely kissing a lot, too. Too cheesy? Probably, but I'm sticking with it. Anyway, rising singer/songwriter Tor Miller captures their kind of undying love in his recently-released single "Carter & Cash" (see the official video above). Expect the song to propel him toward household-name land. The Brooklyn artist's rise has been fast and sort of inevitable. He cut his teeth playing piano bars, and hone his skills at the Clive Davis School of Recorded Music at New York University. Two years ago, he was signed to Glassnote Records, left school, dropped an EP, spent last summer touring with fellow wunderkinds James Bay and George Ezra, and here we are. The 22 year old, who has been on the road for quite awhile (and will continue to be), will release his debut album later this year. Buzz follows this guy everywhere, and rightfully so. We pinned him down for a quick interview earlier this month, and next month, he'll grace us with an A-Sides performance. Read on, and keep an eye out for Miller.
"Carter & Cash" is brilliant on so many levels. How'd it come to you, and how have you found the response thus far?
Thank you! I was in a serious relationship, or I guess as serious as they come at 19, right before I signed my record deal. As the momentum in my career picked up, I started traveling more frequently. During my trips I kept a journal, which my girlfriend and I would pass back and forth, whenever we reunited. Our passages would end with the tag 'like Carter and Cash' or some variation of that. I was in LA, thinking of how I missed her and decided to write "Carter & Cash."
That's quite lovely. You've been writing songs and honing your skills well before you dropped this Headlights EP. Talk to me about your evolution from there to here.
Well, I have met many writers and got great insight into other people's process'. I have also accumulated much more life experience in the interim as well. So, I find there is more variety in subject matter with my most recent batch of songs.
Buzz can be a funny thing - propelling an artist's career or overhyping them into oblivion. You're heading toward the former. How have you stayed grounded as your star begins to rise?
I don't really pay attention to much of that, and I still feel relatively unknown so grounding is not much of an issue. [Laughs]
To check out more of the interview, and to view Miller's upcoming tour dates, click here.
A-Sides' "Delve Into Twelve" Countdown
Each week A-Sides unleashes its top 12 tracks of the week AKA the "Delve Into Twelve" based on the following contributing factors: songs I'm playing out that particular week (no matter when they were released -- think overlooked songs, unreleased tracks and old favorites), songs various publicists are trying to get me to listen to that I did and dug a bunch, song posts and trends I've noticed on my friends' Facebook walls and, most importantly: what my toddler is currently enjoying thoroughly with an assist from my infant.
About A-Sides with Jon Chattman:
Jon Chattman's music/entertainment series typically features celebrities and artists (established or not) from all genres performing a track, and discussing what it means to them. This informal series focuses on the artist making art in a low-threatening, extremely informal (sometime humorous) way. No bells, no whistles -- just the music performed in a random, low-key setting followed by an unrehearsed chat. In an industry where everything often gets overblown and over manufactured, Jon strives for a refreshing change. Artists featured on the series include Imagine Dragons, Melissa Etheridge, Air Supply, Joe Perry, Alice Cooper, fun, Bleachers, Charli XCX, Marina and the Diamonds, and Bastille.