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Terry McMillan Biography

terry-mcmillan
  • Born: October 12, 1953 in Lexington, NC
  • Years Active: 1990s
  • Genre: Country

Harmonica player Terry McMillan was a noted session musician with a distinctive bluesy style; he was also a talented drummer. He began his professional career in 1973 with a touring band. They disbanded in Nashville, and he got a job in Eddy Raven's band at the King of the Road. A year and a half later, Jimmy Dean introduced him to Chet Atkins, who hired him to play harmonica. McMillan was still inexperienced and couldn't play melodies, but Atkins saw great potential and helped him switch from the blues he had been playing to the Nashville style. McMillan later moved on to work for Jeannie C. Riley and Jerry Reed. He stopped touring in 1976 after getting married and began doing session work throughout the rest of the '70s for such performers as Steve Young and Mickey Newbury. In the early '80s, McMillan signed as a solo act with RCA Victor. Though a charismatic and highly energetic live performer, his solo recordings went nowhere and he went back to studio work, where his talent as a drummer was discovered. Over his long career as a session man, McMillan played for major artists from Elvis Presley to Neil Young. In addition to recording gigs, he also appeared as a sideman in many television specials. In 1992, a house fire nearly claimed the lives of McMillan's wife and children, which caused him to reflect on his life and priorities and become a devout Christian. The following year he released his first solo album, I've Got a Feeling, an inspirational record featuring backing by Nashville's Christchurch Choir. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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