| Today, admired singer/songwriter, John R. Miller celebrates the release of his highly anticipated fifth album, The Great Unknowing, available now on physical formats via Rounder Records, with the digital release slated for July 17th (Pre-save Album Here). Alongside the physical release, Miller also unveiled an animated music video for the focus track ‘Don’t Bet On Me’, created by revered Appalachian animator, Heath Holley. In addition, Miller announced additional tour dates to his current summer tour including stops in notable cities, Washington D.C., Indianapolis, and Nashville for an AmericanaFest run. A song about embracing life outside the norm, ‘Don’t Bet On Me’ arrives alongside a psychedelic-inspired animated music video, which premiered today with Magnet Magazine. Speaking to the animation process of the Fear and Loathing styled video, Heath Holley explained, “I sort of wrote and animated the first minute and a half of this video not totally knowing what was going to happen afterward. I knew John was going to get in a car and go to Vegas or something, but I wasn’t sure what was going to drive that along narratively. I eventually realised I had introduced these three creatures, the snake, the crow, and the scorpion, but didn’t have a plan for them to return in any meaningful way. So I thought it would be perfect to bring them back as antagonists in the third act to take everything from John and send him home running. Those scenes where the critters return as fully realised characters ended up being some of my favourites to animate.” Co-produced alongside longtime collaborator Adam Meisterhans, Miller assembled a band of celebrated Tulsa players, including Paddy Ryan, Aaron Boehler, Muskrat Jones, and Grammy-nominated John Fullbright, whose piano and keyboard work threads throughout the album. Recorded at The Church Studio, the sessions blended live performances with layered multi-tracking, striking a balance between spontaneity and detail. At the centre of it all was the studio’s fully restored 1977 Neve 8068 console, which was once owned by Daniel Lanois and used on landmark recordings, including Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind. The Great Unknowing finds Miller continuing to refine the sharp songwriting, vivid storytelling, and emotional depth that have made him one of the most respected voices in contemporary Americana. The album expands upon the thoughtful lyricism and lived-in perspective that have become hallmarks of his work while pushing his artistry into new creative territory. The decision to release the album physically first came from Miller’s love of local record shops and the importance of supporting local businesses in a digital world. “I’m hoping to encourage folks to visit their local record and CD shops, or to order the album directly,” said Miller. “Maybe I’m a romantic, but I want to see the places I love, brick-and-mortar shops you can walk into with music and books and art made by humans, continue to exist into the future, and I want the culture around these places to thrive with diverse thought and taste.” Miller is currently on tour with full dates listed below. For more information on John R. Miller, visit https://jrmillermusic.com/. About John R. Miller
As John R. Miller began work on his fifth album, The Great Unknowing, he set out to challenge himself both creatively and geographically. Born in the Washington, DC area and raised in West Virginia, Miller has built a reputation as a thoughtful, boundary-pushing voice in alt-country and Americana, drawing from punk, traditional Appalachian music, and less conventional rock influences. For this record, he left his comfort zone behind and travelled to Tulsa to record at the legendary Church Studio, drawn by the city’s deep musical legacy and its ties to artists like J.J. Cale. Co-produced with longtime collaborator Adam Meisterhans, the album was tracked live with a band of Tulsa-based musicians, including Grammy-nominated John Fullbright, under the steady hand of veteran engineers Gary Laney and Mike Prado. The result is Miller’s most ambitious work to date — a spacious, textured collection that expands on the critically praised Depreciated and Heat Comes Down, blending road-worn storytelling, fuzzy atmospheres, and reflections on movement, memory, and change. Rooted in his West Virginia past yet shaped by constant travel and new collaborations, The Great Unknowing captures an artist trusting the process, embracing risk, and letting the groove lead the way. The Great Unknowing Tracklist - Don’t Bet On Me (John R. Miller)
- Far From The Station (John R. Miller)
- Tollbooth (John R. Miller)
- Think I’ll Start Over (John R. Miller)
- Looking For A Place To Die (John R. Miller)
- Steering Wheel Drums (John R. Miller)
- Daughter of Night (John R. Miller)
- A World Away (Darrin Hacquard)
- Day Drinking (John R. Miller)
- Golden Light (Dan Baird)
- Two Days Clean (John R. Miller)
- If You Could Only See Me Now (William Matheny)
- Double Lives (John R. Miller)
- Static and White Noise (John R. Miller)
- Cornbread and Pinto Beans (John R. Miller)
- Walk of Life (Mark Knopfler)
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