Blake Mills to play Ryman Auditorium July 12th

At 25, Blake Mills has accomplished more than most singer-songwriters achieve in a lifetime.

Starting out with the group Simon Dawes (which later became Dawes after Mills’ departure), he honed his guitar skills alongside this California-based rock outfit. Soon after their 2006 debut, Carnivore, Mills called it quits and took to the road with hopes of becoming a session guitarist. In an effort to show studio-owners and artists his capabilities, the then 23 year old compiled nine songs into a record titled Break Mirrors. Little did he or anyone else realize what started out as a sonic resumé quickly became a critically-acclaimed segway to notoriety.

It has been two years since Break Mirrors debuted, and Mills has shown no signs of stopping. From sitting in as a session guitarist for Lucinda Williams and Kid Rock to producing Billy Gibbons, he has quickly (and effectively) carved his own path with nothing less than meticulous musicianship.

However, if there is one nugget to take away from Mills, it is his ability to combine songwriting with virtuosity. While it’s hard to discover songwriters with equally strong backgrounds in instrumentation and lyricism, and even more challenging to find a guitar virtuoso not dripping in gaudy gimmicks, his blending of the two creates an originality unto itself, and that alone is worth the ticket.

Blake Mills will be opening for Fiona Apple in Nashville this coming Friday, July 12th, at the historic Ryman Auditorium, and tickets can be purchased here. Also, check out the recently-released mini-documentary on Blake Mills from Record Collection and Red Bull Sound Stage’s Sound & Vision series below. Featuring musicians ranging from Conor Oberst to Tom Petty, the twelve-minute short film takes a look at Mills’ life and the unforgettable ride it has been thus far.

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