Sterling Miller shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Sterling, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ince breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me doesn’t look like a typical musicians schedule. My day begins around 6am or 7am. I’m up and immediately in “dad mode”. I spend time in the morning making breakfast for my son, having coffee, getting my little one dressed and ready for the day. Then it’s out the door to drop him off for school.
Once I get back home, I open up my laptop and begin responding to emails and tending to administration items that may be on my list for the day. I also work for a Music Label handling Sync Licensing and Side-Artist income, so a good portion of my day is making sure artists and bands get paid for any deals they have.
Sometime around lunch time, I’ll take a break to eat and recharge. There’s a pond near my house, so I may go fish for a little while, or go on a walk if the weather allows.
From 4pm-6pm is spent with family. Playing games with my son, eating dinner as a family, and catching up with my wife for the day.
Once 6pm rolls around, I head out back to my studio, where I spend another five hours working on whatever is on my to-do list creatively. Whether it be mixing for an artist, getting prepared for an upcoming recording session, but these days it’s been mostly spent working on a new album I’m working on for myself.
I try to wind down around 11pm for the evening, and be in bed by midnight, if I can help it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Sterling Miller, a singer-songwriter, producer, and founder of Southern Echoes Studio, based just outside of Nashville city limits. I make music that blends Americana, rock, soul, and country—with a focus on storytelling that feels raw, honest, and human.
My music is rooted in Southern grit but shaped by influences like Bill Withers, JJ Grey & Mofro, and Tom Petty—artists who make you feel something, not just hear it. I try to focus on authenticity, connection, and keeping it real—whether I’m singing about struggle, love, or just trying to get by.
I’m currently working on my 2nd solo album, and releasing the first single on July 3rd. It’s called Clockwork, and is a funky, hard-hitting anthem for anyone trying to hold it all together.
At the end of the day, I’m just trying to tell the truth through music in hopes it resonates with others.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My family. Hands down.
I come from a long line of blue collar, everyday, hard-working people. I’m talking the folks that sell you the land, build you the house, tie in the electrical, plumbing, and built the fence out back. When I got old enough to be trusted with a task, I began working summer jobs while out of school for summer break. I worked at a grocery store bagging groceries, cutting grass and tending to the sports fields at our local rec park, but I have to say I learned the most about hard work when I started working for my Uncle’s construction company. He owned a fence and deck company in North Florida. As you can imagine, the summers were brutal, but I had a job and it put money in my pocket. At 15, that was pretty nice!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Hardships and failure teach you what success is. To me, nothing in life is worth it unless you have to go through a little suffering to achieve whatever it is you’re after. Suffering is just another way to say you’re “earning” something. I feel this gets lost in today’s society. We’re constantly seeing only the success stories through social media, or the absolute worst suffering on the news, but there’s no silver-lining.
Success is easy. I’m not talking about obtaining it, but the actual moments that success occurs. That is the easy part. Suffering is tireless hours, blood, sweat, tears, and even moments spent contemplating quitting or giving up. It’s taught me what I’m truly capable of, and continues to show me who I am on this journey of life.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Right now the Music Industry is in this social media/influencer/branding/whatever you want to call it stage. Numbers and money have always been the name of the game, but I personally believe we’ve started to really dismiss some great artists and talent out there right now, because the focus is so heavy on social media numbers. I feel for the small town folks out there that have a slim window of music being introduced to them, because there are a lot of really amazing singers, songwriters, and bands out there that may not have the online following that others have, just because they’re not as successful with their social media. Artists and bands are also having to compete now with AI and a new technology of artificial music, which makes it that much harder to be discovered. It’s really all up to the listeners and fans now to go out there and find true, emotional, and valued music.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What light inside you have you been dimming?
I wouldn’t say I’ve necessarily been dimming any lights, but I do feel like I have held back on my artistic expressions due to worrying too much what others will think or what’s expected. Luckily, I’m starting to grow out of that on this new album I’m working on. I fell out of love with music there for a minute. It was starting to feel like a job. I made a conscious decision to put aside all the negative thoughts and just go for it with this new music. I hope it shows and resonates with people, potentially inspiring someone else out there who may be going through the same feelings.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sterlingmillersounds.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sterlingmillersounds/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SterlingMillerSounds/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SterlingMillerSounds
Image Credits
Josh Rish – Von Reisch Photography
