John R. Miller Announces New Album “The Great Unknowing”
If you know, you know. And what you know is that John R. Miller is one of the greatest songsmiths of this generation, tearing down highways to play for appreciative audiences, and making albums the right way for the right reasons. He might not be selling out arenas, but he’s a direct inspiration of guys like Tyler Childers who are, and brings that authentic West Virginia perspective to everything he does.
What he’s been doing lately is putting the finishing touches on his latest album called The Great Unknowing, set to be released June 5th on physical formats, and distributed digitally on July 17th by Rounder Records. But this one wasn’t cut in Appalachia or even Nashville. To try and find a renewed vigor behind his music, John R. Miller ventured to Tulsa, Oklahoma to record.
Working with his long-time collaborator/co-producer Adam Meisterhans, they set up shop at Leon Russell’s legendary Church Studio in Tulsa, and solicited the services of some of the town’s top talent, including keys player John Fullbright, steel player Muskrat Jones, along with Paddy Ryan, Aaron Boehler, and others.
“Immediately the gears started turning,” John R. Miller says. “Tulsa is one of the great legacy-bearing cities of American music—J.J. Cale is one of my all-time favorites, and Shelter Records was based there. So much of what I love in music history happened right around that block.”
When Miller released the first single from the album called “A World Away” in early January, he might have spooked a few listeners with the song’s fuzzy, rock-oriented production, even if its underlying appeal was still strong. The next single “If You Could Only See Me Now” was super country, and probably the most twangy track of his career.
Accompanying the album announcement, Miller has released another song from the album called “Tollbooth” (listen below). Miller says about it, “You tend to explore that territory in songs when you’re doing it a lot, but some of them, like ‘Tollbooth,’ seem to be more about witnessing American decay. It can be hard to notice changes as they happen when you’re living in a place, but when you revisit the same places over time, you get a sense for how the landscape is shifting, both literally and figuratively.”
Miller also says that the reason for the physical-only release to start off is to try and encourage people to seek out their local record stores. “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.”
However you wish to consume The Great Unknowing, you can find the appropriate pre-order link by CLICKING HERE.
TRACK LIST:
1. Don’t Bet On Me (John R. Miller)
2. Far From The Station (John R. Miller)
3. Tollbooth (John R. Miller)
4. Think I’ll Start Over (John R. Miller)
5. Looking For A Place To Die (John R. Miller)
6. Steering Wheel Drums (John R. Miller)
7. Daughter of Night (John R. Miller)
8. A World Away (Darrin Hacquard)
9. Day Drinking (John R. Miller)
10. Golden Light (Dan Baird)
11. Two Days Clean (John R. Miller)
12. If You Could Only See Me Now (William Matheny)
13. Double Lives (John R. Miller)
14. Static and White Noise (John R. Miller)
15. Cornbread and Pinto Beans (John R. Miller)
16. Walk of Life (Mark Knopfler)
April 25, 2026 @ 8:37 am
William Matheny wrote “If You Could Only See Me Now” and plays with Miller’s band(I think) and has made several excellent records. There is a video of William singing a verse with Miller, I think it was recorded in Tulsa. The imagery in Tollbooth is out outstanding.
April 25, 2026 @ 9:06 am
“A world away” was so fucking sick. Very excited for this record, JRM does not miss in my book
Jpr
April 25, 2026 @ 9:38 am
There are a few musicians here on this album that also appeared on “Uppers and Downers” from J.D. Graham. I like what I’m hearing out of Tulsa! Thanks for turning me on to some good music, Trigger.
April 25, 2026 @ 10:40 am
For those who don’t know, check out both J J Cales song ‘Magnolia’ by him, but also Poco’s cover of it. Elvin Bishop is also another great Tulsa guy!
April 25, 2026 @ 11:13 am
I wasn’t aware Poco covered Magnolia. I am going to find that and listen.
April 25, 2026 @ 1:05 pm
Darren, It’s a great version, I heard their version first before I knew JJ wrote it and recorded it. Rusty Young’s into on the steel is great, there are a few live versions that are really good as well!
April 25, 2026 @ 3:26 pm
I listened to the studio version on the Crazy Eyes record. It is excellent. I haven’t listened to the Crazy Eyes album. I should have. I LOVE the Good Feelin’ to Know record.
April 25, 2026 @ 12:04 pm
Best news I’ve heard this week!
April 25, 2026 @ 7:37 pm
Trig I like how you refer to this and others’ ALBUMS. I’ve noted some other country sites like Country Central use and heard Buzz interviewing some Stagecoach performers on Sirius about their upcoming “projects”when referring to what sounds like albums. Is that industry speak? Anyhow not a major issue I know, but I was uncertain why it’s the newish lingo
April 25, 2026 @ 9:30 pm
Yeah, I really have no idea where the “project” nomenclature came from. Sometimes I call them albums, sometimes I call them records. Sometimes if I’ve used the term “album” or “record” too much, I will refer to an album as a “work,” or maybe rarely a “project.” To me, it codifies the importance of albums to call them “albums.” “Project” seems a little flippant to me. That said, I’m not really here to language police anyone. You aren’t going to hear the Grammys or the CMA refer to collections of songs as “Project of the Year,” so I think we’ll be fine.
April 26, 2026 @ 5:27 am
The music nerd in me LOVES this discussion! A record or an album still means something. It is a group of songs intended to be listened to together, in one sitting.
April 26, 2026 @ 1:14 pm
Gonna have to check this dude music out simply based on him wearing a SLEEP t-shirt.
April 27, 2026 @ 9:18 am
It is rad how prevalent doom and metal guys also dig REAL country like this. I am just as happy watching a John R. Miller show as I am getting my head blown off at a Sleep show (of which you actually learn what Sleep as a band really are compared to the albums)!
April 26, 2026 @ 5:50 pm
Loved a world away. Not so much if you could only see me now. It may be country but that alone doesnt mean i will like it. But i love toll booth. Look forward to the digital release. Physical is nice but im getting too old to keep accumulating stuff someone will have to get rid of. But i like his sentiment on brick n mortar.