Country artists come and go, and Sawyer Brown has had its peaks and valleys after its massive success in the ‘90s. Mark Miller, a Dayton-area native, vocalist and founding member of Sawyer Brown with Gregg Hubbard and Joe Smyth, said the longevity comes down to several things, which he was reminded of while watching a new documentary on the band, “Get Me to the Stage on Time.”
These include having tough skin in an unpredictable business; getting past the low points by slugging it out; surviving and staying the course while trends and tastes in the genre change.
“That’s what we did – believe in what we did. The guys are really close and we have a goal to stay together and see it through,” said Miller. “And our fan base has carried us. We haven’t really been big on the charts in about 20 years, but we got fans early and kept them.”
Growing up a rock fan in the 1970s on Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beach Boys, Elton John and Billy Joel, Miller didn’t pay much attention to country music, but he also didn’t ignore it as his mom was a fan. When looking for a signature sound, he and his colleagues blended both influences.
“What I love about country is the stories, not so much the sound. With us, you get those lyrics and our control of the sound,” he said.
Miller was born and spent up until eighth grade in the Dayton area in Jefferson Township and went to Trotwood-Madison City Schools, with good memories of growing up on a farm before the family moved to Florida. Basketball rather than music was his passion and his skills earned Miller a scholarship to the University of Central Florida.
He eventually swapped the hardwood for the stage after catching the music bug at the school and co-founded Sawyer Brown in 1981. It took off two years later by winning the talent show “Star Search,” leading to a recording contract.
The band had success in the ‘80s, but really hit big in the ‘90s when country’s popularity blew up and gained more mainstream attention. Their number one hits included “Step That Step,” “Some Girls Do” and “Thank God For You” and were mainstays in the top 10 and 40 charts.
“We couldn’t believe what was happening, it was just incredibly exciting,” said Miller. “Country went from being a stepchild to the favorite and to be a part of it was fun. What critics liked was instead of making a sound change, we stayed the course and really made it work in the ‘90s.”
After chart success and awards, things cooled a bit in the new century, but the band persisted and Miller got into other areas of the business, including forming a record label and discovering the Christian band Casting Crowns, which became a huge success.
Now on the cusp of its 40th anniversary, Sawyer Brown is finding renewed energy, which Miller credits to the ‘90s being hot again. The band has recorded a new album, “Desperado Troubadours,” just like they did in the ‘90s and produced by Blake Shelton.
The band will perform the album’s first single, “Under This Ole Hat,” which was released last week, during their show here. But expect the band’s biggest songs.
“People want to hear the hits, and we’ve been blessed with a lot of hits,” Miller said. “When I go to concerts, I want to hear the hits and people can leave happy.”
While he gets up to the area to visit his family and friends who still live here, Miller is excited to play for them live in Springfield, where he’s never been. He hopes to pass the vibe on to the entire audience and they can continue to celebrate Sawyer Brown as it marks 40 years in 2024.
“Our reputation is we live pretty hard, we play live fast and energetic, and people come to see us with that reputation, and they’ll see it in Springfield,” he said.
HOW TO GO
What: Sawyer Brown
Where: Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 South Fountain Ave., Springfield
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12
Admission: $38-65 (convenience and handling charges will also be added)
More info: pac.clarkstate.edu/shows/2023-2024-season/
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