By Brandy Miley

Songs that cut across generations. Songs that have the ability to bring us all together. Songs that show things that bind us to our sense of place, both the good and bad. Keith Miles wrote these kinds of songs that are now featured on his debut album, What it was they became.

Miles has been writing songs since his college years at ETSU. After hitting 50 and bringing in some old friends, he sifted through 30 years of material and developed an album of 12 songs, that came out in spring 2007, some about his life experiences and other telling a great story.

“The songs are like my children,” Miles said. "I can’t say I like one more than the other. Each was written at a different time in my life. I was enormously pleased with the way they came out.”

Miles has co-written songs that were covered by Kenny Rogers and Great Plains. “Keith is an amazing poet,” Jack Sundrud, producer of what it was they became and former member of Great Plains, said. “His lyrics are descriptively simple. He has a way of conveying a whole storyline with a minimum of words. Musically, Keith comes from the Appalachia, by way of New Orleans.”

Miles has expressed much appreciation and gratitude toward everyone that helped him with the album, especially a few of his longtime friends. “We worked weekends and at night to get the album done,” Miles said. “It was very special to me that Alan Webb was able to come to Nashville and be a part of this process. We’ve played throughout East Tennessee and some in Nashville together.

“Sue Braswell and I went to the same high school. We loved playing music for each other in a living room or on a front porch. And Sundrud has this tremendous ability to sense what needs to happen on a song. It would not have been possible without him.”

In the late 1980s, Sundrud, Braswell and Miles were in a string band called The Crows. “The Crows was a wonderful group,” Sundrud said. “We remain close friends. We threaten to get together again quite often. Our voices have a natural blend and Sue’s songwriting is a nice complement to Keith’s.”

Even before the Crows, while attending ETSU for a degree in journalism, Miles performed in the Tri-Cities, particularly at Down Home. “I have known Keith for a long time, since he began playing music,” said Ed Snodderly, owner of The Down Home in Johnson City. “He did a great job with the CD. It’s better than a lot out there. We have played some of those songs for years. He holds his own in writing a song and singing that song.”

Although he has made Washington, D.C., and now Nashville his home, the Tri-Cities hold many of his favorite stops, as well as his family and friends. “I miss stopping by the Shamrock for lunch and a barbecue sandwich from the Red Pig,” Miles said. “And, of course, I miss hanging out at the Down Home.”

Miles performed at the Down Home for its 30th anniversary. “It’s like playing for your family,” Miles said. “You want to do your best. It is a different kind of intimidation from Nashville.”

Although he does not perform much anymore, Miles said recording was a real thrill with such talented musicians lending their time and ideas. Sundrud produced the what it was they became CD for Miles. “We had truly nothing but a good time doing Keith’s album,” Sundrud said. “The musicians loved it and gave their best, the studio and the engineer were top notch and also Brent Truitt added mandolin, creative input and humor. The atmosphere throughout was one of creativity and discovery. I don’t think it could have been more right.”

“What is was they became” received radio play and positive reviews overseas in the Netherlands, Great Britain, Belgium and Sweden, as well as in Miles “homeland.” “Very strong songwriting, remarkable performances and a very healthy attitude,” said Peter Holmstedt, a Swedish reviewer. “Simply put the best disc in this genre in a long, long time.”

Mark T. Goud, Soundwaves said, “In it, you will hear early echoes of Dylan’s talkin’ blues style, particularly with ‘Nolichucky Idyll,’ which may be one of the best song titles of all time. “It’s all together a very personal, individual sounding album.”

While Miles said he would be sticking to his day job at McNeely Piggott and Fox Public Relations firm, the largest PR firm in Tennessee, he says that the future might hold another album. “I am always writing songs,” Miles said. “I might do another project because it was so fun to do.”

“What it was they became” is available on the Web at www.cdbaby.com/cd/keithmiles or for a preview, log on to www.keithmiles.com.