NASHVILLE — NEPA-native Mike Miz was shocked this week to find his latest single had been featured in a “Rolling Stone” magazine write-up.
“I was completely blown away,” Miz told a Times Leader reporter over a phone call on Tuesday afternoon. “I was kind of in shock. It’s like every childhood dream of playing rock-and-roll music and having a life in music came true with that article.”
The article in question was the magazine’s weekly list of best new country songs for the week. To Miz’s shock, southern rock-influenced “Virginia” was featured in the piece written by “Rolling Stone” writers Jon Freeman and Joseph Hudak.
A native of our part of the state — having spent some time variously in Scranton, Pittston and the Poconos — Miz recently found himself heading to Nashville after striking a deal with the newly-founded Electric 3 Records. “Virginia” is the first single he’s released through that deal, with another one to come in May.
A hard-rocking, bluesy jam, “Virginia” started life after Miz, whose real name is Mike Mizwinski, played a gig at a bar in Virginia and was inspired by a couple sitting near him.
Miz said, eventually, it turned into the first song he recorded in Nashville, and was actually one of two songs he recorded in the session. The songs were recorded in the same studio that Luke Combs recorded his most recent music.
Miz is joined on the track by vocalist Nicki Bluhm, who, as the “Rolling Stone” writers put it, provides “fiery harmonies” that punctuate the theme of a failing relationship on the track. Miz is also joined by guitarist Sol Philcox-Littlefield, who closes the track out with a savage guitar solo that calls to mind the greats of southern rock, like Lynyrd Skynyrd or Gov’t Mule.
Miz told the Times Leader that, in addition to the magazine’s feature, he’s grateful for supporters back home.
“The only thing I’d like to say is to, sincerely, thank all the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania who have cheered me on and supported me,” he said. “There are so many people in NEPA I owe so much to.”