ALEX MILLER- Puttin' Up Hay - Billy Jam Records

Since appearing on American Idol in 2019, Kentucky native Alex Miller has unapologetically delivered his neo-traditional style to an audience who’s clamoring for a fresh take on a classic feel, igniting a honky-tonk essence that’s turned an industry buzz while satisfying the itch for the many who are gravitating toward the uber-popular, 90’s country sound.

While songs such as the heart-tugging “Through with You” and the tender-kissed “Girl, I Know Guy” drew couples in closer to one another as they soft swayed on the hardwood dancefloor, “Don’t Let the Barn Door Hit Ya” and his brand-new single “Puttin’ Up Hay” have each struck a refreshing two-steppin’ chord to keep boot heels clicking.

This new song, co-written by Miller, Larry Cordle, and Jerry Salley and being released alongside his COUNTRY EP on Friday October 6, 2023, leans into a blush filled lyric that pulls nostalgic memory from a time back when he worked a summer on big Bill Ladd’s farm, bailing hay by day and heating up the loft with the boss’s daughter by dusk.

“I learned life on the farm was really great,” Miller sings in the second verse with a wink-wink nudge nudge, fully encompassing the playful nature of the lyric while walking the fine line of inuendo through his retelling of youthful exploration. 

Outlined by the refreshing saw of fiddle, Miller’s boy next door charm shines through his irresistible drawl and infectious smile as he paints the picture of the tractor-driving, mind-distracting Daisey Bell; “she sure filled out that tied up shirt, in cutoff jeans and red pig tails.”

“When work was through the two of us would stay…” he leads out the second verse with, punching into the chorus as he turns up the heat to recapture the flirty innocence of when they’d would work up a sweat together “puttin’ up hay” out in the barn, admitting with sly nod through reddened cheeks, “the work was hard but it sure was worth the pay!”

While Alex Miller has intrigued with each subsequent release since first bursting onto the country music scene, his consistency in wanting to find a unique richness within his overall aura has seen him continually fine crafting his sound to perfect all the signature characteristics that make him who he is as a songwriter and artist, finding a modern era flash while never losing sight of his strong traditional influences.

As he now flips the pages into his exciting new chapter with the release of his 5-song EP, “Puttin’ Up Hay” acts as a strong exclamation point on what is the right here and right now for the rising star, while expertly gripping the listener to entice them into heightened anticipation of what’s next!

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

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