I sat down with Alex Miller in Nashville to talk about his latest collaborations, including a brand-new duet with country legend Tracy Byrd and another hit song with Emily Ann Roberts. Miller, known for his deep love of traditional country music, shared his excitement about both projects and how they came together.
A Tribute to Tracy Byrd
Miller’s latest release, “The Byrd,” is a tribute to Tracy Byrd, and it dropped today via Billy Jam Records. The song tells the story of a country music fan introducing others to Byrd’s music by literally giving them “The Byrd”—a Tracy Byrd CD.
“The storyline is about these people having a big party next to this guy and they’re listening to other types of music, and he goes over and hands them a Tracy Byrd CD and says, ‘Start from here,’” Miller explained. “Later on, he’s out on a date and she doesn’t like country music, so he ‘gives her The Byrd’ again.”
The chorus cleverly references Byrd’s own music, stating, “You don’t have to be rich and famous to get into one of his shows, he’ll have you swinging after 10 rounds of Jose Cuervo.”
Miller co-wrote the song with Jerry Salley, who also produced it. The opportunity to record it with Byrd himself was a dream come true. “That’s what makes it real special,” Miller said.
He recalled the moment he first heard the mastered track: “We were flying down to meet him when I got the master of the song. It gave me chills—I was just as excited as I could be. I never thought I’d hear my voice with someone like that.”
The collaboration stemmed from a fair convention in Pennsylvania, where Miller met Byrd’s cousin, Jeff. When Jeff suggested a collaboration, Miller immediately thought of the idea for “The Byrd.” After writing the song, he sent it to Byrd, who liked it but wanted another opinion first. “Let me send it to somebody first,” Byrd told Miller.
That somebody? Blake Shelton. Byrd later came back and said, “Well, Blake Shelton said it sounded pretty good.” With the unofficial Blake Shelton stamp of approval, the collaboration moved forward.
Miller is thrilled about the release and its potential impact. “It’s really excitin’, and I think it’ll be a big move for me.”
A music video for “The Byrd” is set to drop next month, and Miller will also be opening some shows for Byrd. “It’ll be a lot of fun doing that song on stage with him,” he added.
Listen to “The Byrd” Now
A Duet with Emily Ann Roberts
In addition to “The Byrd,” Miller also recently released “More Country Than You,” a duet with former Country Evolution Artist to Watch, Emily Ann Roberts.
“That was the most fun I’d had recording a song to this point. I’ve recorded a lot of things that meant a lot to me, but this one’s really special,” Miller shared.
He described the song as reminiscent of classic country duets. “It reminds me a lot of George and Tammy, and I think that’s something that this world’s missin’.” He believes Roberts would agree.
The song quickly gained traction on social media, with several of their performance videos surpassing a million views. The response from fans was overwhelmingly positive.
“That song is us, it’s our personalities,” Miller said.
When asked if he and Roberts plan to collaborate again, Miller didn’t hesitate. “Oh yeah,” he said confidently.
What’s Next for Alex Miller?
With two exciting duets under his belt, Miller is keeping the momentum going. Between promoting “The Byrd,” performing with Tracy Byrd, and possibly working on more collaborations, he’s staying busy—and keeping country music alive in the process.
Stay tuned for the official video release of “The Byrd” next month and catch Miller on the road with Tracy Byrd soon!
