Stand[by]
Josh Miles • 2010

~ by Travis Stewart

Josh Miles has been leading worship for patients at Remuda Ranch for some time now, ministering to women of all ages receiving treatment for life-threatening eating disorders. Personally I have worked as a therapist at Remuda for nearly 8 years. At first I saw Josh as just another guy playing guitar but it quickly became evident that he had a passion for what he was doing combined with a tremendous musical talent. This past year Josh had a chance to record some of his music – much to the delight to many former Remuda patients who have been impacted by his songs. Recently Josh and I had a chance to sit down (via Facebook) to talk about his music:

Travis Stewart: You had a chance to record with some top notch musicians and producer Jeremy Casella yet this was your first recording. How did that happen?

Josh Miles: I was asked to play at a house show here in Phoenix last year March. Jeremy Casella was playing, and I was able to open for him. We chatted afterward, and he asked me if I had ever thought about recording. I had a few people ask me that before, but he was the first person that wasn’t my wife or mother, so I took him seriously. Jeremy had a great record in ’07 called Recovery that I love, and I was excited to learn that he produced projects as well.

He and I had a few conversations, and we ended up doing this project in five days last July in Nashville. Most of the folks who played on it are friends of Jeremy’s. They’ve worked on some very well-known and great projects, and I’m honored to have them play on mine.

TS: How would you say that experience impacted the outcome of this album? And you professionally?

JM: Well, I believe the record was impacted by the sheer quality of the people working on it, both musically and personally. These musicians are extremely gifted at their craft and are also solid guys who love Jesus. It was amazing to see the confidence they had in their talent at the same time as their humility. That was most instructive to me as an artist. They also helped ease the first-time recording jitters I had, and I think it certainly increased creativity with the lessening of that fear.

TS: You play a pretty mean version of Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” on your guitar. Can you do the moonwalk? What other artists influenced you musically?

JM: Ha! No moonwalk for me. I did try it when I was a kid to no avail. There are a lot of artists that influence me musically, so to name just a few: Otis Redding, The Swell Season, Over the Rhine, Ray Lamontagne, Justin McRoberts, Brooke Fraser, Andrew Peterson, Shane & Shane and Sandra McCracken.

TS: Your song “Be Still” was written to a specific audience. Say more about that song?

JM: “Be Still” was primarily written out of a dark place in a friend’s life, but it was also being written to the women I serve at Remuda Ranch struggling with eating and anxiety disorders. The song is basically speaking to the fact that life is hard, but it’s worth it…that God sees us in our pain, and there’s hope and joy in the waiting. It’s so much easier to write that than actually do it, though.

It’s been really cool to see that song resonate with folks, especially at Remuda. I think it relates to where the young women and women are at in life, speaking to both the truth that life is extremely difficult and God is extremely good.

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TS: How do you think leading worship in that environment is different that leading at church?

JM: Great question. It’s more akin to leading worship as a part of a house church than anything. It’s really stripped down. There’s no band, lights, order of service. I’m able to have a rapport with the people I serve at Remuda. I know most (if not all) by name. I can’t possibly do that at church.

The biggest difference about the environment, though, is the realness. Everyone there is struggling with similar issues, so the saying of “I’m doing fine” is not really an option. That’s one less wall folks have up when we gather, which is great. It’s so much easier for people to put up that wall on Sundays if they don’t feel it’s safe.

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TS: I’m always struck by the strength of your voice but you also play guitar. Do you consider yourself a vocalist first or a instrumentalist primarily? When writing songs, which comes first for you, the melody or the lyrics or do they come simultaneously?

JM: Thanks! I love both, for sure. I would say that I feel most comfortable vocally, but I love the guitar so much, too. My songwriting has fallen into two processes thus far. First, I’ll get inspired by something I see or read and write completely around it, with the guitar part coming second.

The other was has been the most common for me, though, and that is I’ll be noodling around on the guitar and I’ll hear a melody. I’ll hum or sing nonsense words to that melody for a while, and then lyrics seem to come based on the feel of it musically.

TS: And now for a viaRenovo standard. I give you six words and your respond with the first things that come to mind. The answer can be a word or a paragraph:

JM:
North Carolina – childhood, front porches & fishing
Arizona – still adjusting
Be Still – and know.
Billy Jean – lighted sidewalks
Nashville – wonderful
Banjo – great instrument and the name of my crazy dacshund.

Find out more about Josh Miles at www.contentunderpressure.net or buy his music online at iTunes.