True traditional country from one of the genre’s best proponents
By Preshias Harris
Alex Miller stands head and shoulders above the flock of current artists in the field of neo-traditional country. And not just physically – although his boyishly handsome face smiles down from his impressive 6’ 6” frame. Miller occupies a pinnacle as the real deal when it comes maintaining an unswerving journey that few of his contemporaries can match.
April 10, 2026 sees the release of Miller’s highly-anticipated new album, More Country Than You (Billy Jam Records). The ten tracks on the project include six co-written by Miller who has proved himself a prolific and reliable songwriter. Miller leapt into the spotlight, galvanizing viewers with his appearances on the 2021 season of American Idol. (Watch the video here of Miller’s first appearance on Idol at age 17, as Luke Bryan jumps in to duet with him.)
With a manager and booking agent post-Idol, Miller became an in-demand performer with a full calendar of dates but found time to record and release his debut album, the aptly-named Miller Time that generated three popular singles “I’m Over You, So Get Over Me,” “Don’t Let The Barn Door Hit Ya,” and “Through With You.” Then, in 2023, came his highly acclaimed EP, Country, that included the smash single “Puttin’ Up Hay” and the 2024 EP My Daddy’s Dad.
All of which has led him to the April release of his latest project. It doesn’t get much more traditional country than More Country Than You, and that’s just the way Miller likes it. As he says: “I’m never gonna run from who I am. I’m country as cornbread. But I’m always trying new things and exploring the boundaries of what Country music means to me.”
Pre-add / pre-save More Country Than You here. In the belief that “you don’t change what ain’t broke,” Miller again teams up with producer Jerry Salley for the new project.
With a nod to Daryle Singletary, Miller hits the ground running with the album’s opening track, Singletary’s 1995 smash hit, “Too Much Fun.” Listen/play Miller’s take here, a raucous stomper that has been called a “blow-your-doors-off tale of youthful exuberance and camaraderie.”
Then it’s the title track, “More Country Than You,” that finds Miller and rising country star (and The Voice alum) Emily Ann Roberts in a good-natured duel to determine which of them is the “countriest” of all. Every true country album needs at least one heart-tugging tearjerker and Miller delivers with a gem titled “As Far As His Mem’ry Lets Her Go” – written three decades ago by producer Jerry Salley and A.L. ‘Doodle’ Owens but never recorded until now. (The late ‘Doodle’ Owens, a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, wrote numerous number one hits for Charley Pride among others.)
“Just A Mom” is a piano-driven tribute to the often-undervalued role that mothers play in the world today. Miller dedicates the song to his own mom, having previously given a tip of the hat to his grandfather with the song “My Daddy’s Dad.”
A standout track on the album is “The Byrd,” a song that Miller wrote alongside produce Salley and not only pays tribute to Tracy Byrd, one of Miller’s favorite artists from country music’s ‘classic’ era, but also features Byrd’s voice.
Here is the full track list for More Country Than You:
- Too Much Fun (Jeff Knight, Curtis Wright)
- More Country Than You (Alex Miller, Emily Ann Roberts, Bill Whyte)
- As Far As His Mem’ry Lets Her Go (Doodle Owens, Jerry Salley)
- Just A Mom (Wood Newton, Steve Williams)
- The Byrd (Alex Miller, Jerry Salley)
- Why Does My Heart Ache (Alex Miller, Jerry Salley)
- Money Well Wasted ((Robert Arthur, Alex Miller, Conner Sweet)
- Secondhand Smoke (Alan Jackson, Jim McBride)
- Memories And Gin (Alex Miller, Bill Whyte)
- The Ones That Take Me Home (Mark BonDurant, Alex Miller, JerrySalley)
Since bursting onto the scene, Alex Miller has opened for or shared the stage with the likes of Hank, Jr, Josh Turner, Lee Brice, Shenandoah, Brooks & Dunn, Jamey Johnson, Chris Janson, Chapel Hart, Drake Milligan, Noah Thompson, Diamond Rio and Sawyer Brown, Dillon Carmichael, HunterGirl, Emily Ann Roberts and Tracy Byrd, among others.
If you are a fan of neo-traditional country – the way it sounded back then – you’ll want to give a listen to this fine set from Alex Miller. Pre-save / pre add More Country Than You here. More about Alex Miller, including tour/ticket info, at his website; find music, merch and more at this LinkTree; and follow Miller on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
Preshias Harris is an advocate for songwriters and a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com. @PreshiasHarris #PreshiasHarris