Pain may seem to be an unusual subject to explore musically, but Scottie Miller sees it differently. He recalled how a close friend and mentor/guru inspired him to record his new album, Hello Pain.
“I came to him with some health issues,” Scottie related. “I had a nerve injury in my neck. My right arm was out of commission. It could have been the end of my career.”
Instead of offering the sympathy Scottie was seeking, his friend simply said, “Hello pain!”
His friend wasn’t being dismissive. Far from it. The comment enabled Scottie to see some levity in the situation, empowering him to deal with it in a better frame of mind.
“It was really helpful to me to buck up,” he said. “It found its way into the song.” The song is the title track “Hello Pain.” The concept of “greeting the pain,” if you will, then found its way into the title and the album itself.
Hello Pain explores the various aspects of pain. The first half – side one of the vinyl album – delves into the pain associated with relationships. For example the leadoff track, “Just Checking In,” is about resisting the urge to contact an ex even though the breakup is fairly recent and space is what is needed. “Underneath the Black Oaks” investigates the theme of destiny – sometimes the person is right but the time is wrong and when the time seems right the person is no longer available.
The second half of the album turns the corner to discover how to live life on life’s terms. Take the song “Balance,” for example.
Scottie said, “I was going through a period where I was just trying to find my balance. I was trying to stay chill even though things were stressful. I was busy touring. Busy working on this orchestral album. It was a lot of heavy lifting and I was just trying to stay sane. I was trying to find my balance.”
“Awake And Willing” is the next step for someone who has gone through a breakup. Eventually that person decides it is time to get back out there, though that can be a painful process in itself.
One of the most important songs on the album, according to Scottie, is “Mercy.” It was inspired by an incident that occurred the night before the Blues Music Awards in Memphis in 2024. Hanging out on Beale Street, Scottie stepped outside to have a smoke while artists were jamming inside the bar. A homeless gentleman came by and they shared a smoke.
According to Scottie, “It was really cool. We both got to talk a little bit. Ask each other how he was faring with everything. He said, ‘It sucks! I have cancer and nobody cares.’ But the cool thing was we were just able to chill down, hang out, and share a cigarette. It was really cool. We were able to have a quiet time together.”
But then a storm blew in with lightning and thunder. A good old Memphis downpour. The homeless man ducked inside the bar. Not for long as it turned out.
“I’m outside, watching the thunderstorm when the security guards just chuck him out, across the sidewalk, and into the street. Two big guys. It just hit me so hard. I just felt so bad for him.”
The homeless man took off running. Scottie never saw him again but the memory stayed with him. “Mercy” was written two nights later.
Hello Pain is, in Scottie’s words, a bit of a left turn for him musically. It was recorded with an orchestral background courtesy of the Budapest Scoring Orchestra, a world-class orchestra known for its work in scoring films. His previous work had been seated in blues, rock, funk, soul, and jazz. Hello Pain is his first foray into a fully orchestrated album.
The recording process was different for him as well. Scottie and his core band recorded their part – online – at Wild Sound Recording Studio in Minneapolis. The BSO recorded their part at Rottenbiller Studios in Budapest with a 40-piece string ensemble, woodwinds and French horns. It was a process that could have had a number of obstacles.
“It went off without a hitch,” Scottie noted with gratitude.
Gratitude is a good way to describe Scottie Miller’s outlook on life. “Not that I am some peaceful messiah,” he says. “I’m human, too.” Yet, he candidly expressed gratitude for the many things he has in life, starting with his recovery and sobriety. He credits his friend – whom Scottie wishes to remain anonymous – with achieving that goal and for his outlook on life.
Scottie also is grateful for the numerous people who made the album possible. In no particular order, they are:
- Ruthie Foster with whom he has performed for many, many years, and who provided encouragement for the album;
- The anonymous female acquaintance who provided tremendous help with the fundraising necessary for the project;
- Cierra Alise Hill who orchestrated the album – “Without her I couldn’t have done it.”;
- Balint Sapszon, Director and Manager of the Budapest Scoring Orchestra
- Greg Schutte on drums, Dan Carpel on acoustic bass, Tom Brooks on guitar, Cierra Alise Hill on violin and viola, Shane Cox on trumpet and trombone and Erik Schee on orchestral percussion;
- Steve Kaul at Wild Sound Recording Studio;
- Greg Reierson at Rare Form Mastering in Minneapolis;
- William Phelps for art design;
- And many others too numerous to mention.
Chances are if you know Scottie Miller he is grateful for being part of his life.
Hello Pain dropped on May 29, 2026. It is available in vinyl and cd through his website. It is also available via streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
