Terry McMillan (musician) explained

Terry McMillan
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Terry Lee McMillan
Birth Date:12 October 1953
Birth Place:Lexington, North Carolina, U.S.
Death Place:Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation:Musician
Years Active:1973–2007
Label:RCA, Step One, Giant
Past Member Of:Eddy Raven Garth Brooks Amy Grant Larry Carlton

Terry Lee McMillan (October 12, 1953 – February 2, 2007) was an American country music singer, harmonica player, and percussionist. In 1973, he became a member of Eddy Raven's band in Nashville, and worked with Raven until 1974. McMillan then started working with Chet Atkins, playing harmonica with his touring show. Later, he toured with Jerry Reed and Jeannie C. Riley before becoming a very in-demand session musician. In the 1970s, McMillan appeared on many albums, including the recordings of Mickey Newbury and Gary Stewart. He was also featured many times on Trinity Broadcasting in the 1990s.

Career

Chet Atkins signed Terry as a solo artist for RCA Records in the early 1980s, charting at number 85 on Hot Country Songs with "Love Is a Full Time Thing".[1] He returned to being a session musician, appearing live with, and on numerous albums for, artists including Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Don Williams, Garth Brooks, George Jones, Hank Williams Jr., Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Roy Orbison, Kenny Chesney, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Waylon Jennings, Brooks & Dunn, J. J. Cale, Trisha Yearwood, Amy Grant, Gaither Homecoming and many others. In 1993, he played at President Bill Clinton's inaugural ball, with David Pack's (Ambrosia) All Star Band, giving a solo harmonica performance of "Amazing Grace". He recorded an album for Step One Records in 1993, with Nashville's Christ Church Choir. McMillan became one of country music's most popular session and in demand musicians on harmonica and percussion of all time.[2] [3]

After his family's house was destroyed in a 1992 house fire, McMillan became a devout Christian and focused extensively on inspirational music. In 1993, he released his first album, I've Got a Feeling, on Step One Records. He also released an album for Giant Records, Somebody's Comin in 1997. In the years that followed, he became a frequent guest on Christian television programs.He died of congestive heart failure and pneumonia on February 2, 2007, and is buried in Smoky Mountain Memory Gardens in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Discography

Albums

TitleDetails
I've Got a Feeling
Somebody's Comin

Singles

YearSingleUS CountryAlbum
1981"All I Really Want to Do" - singles only
1982"Love is a Full Time Thing"85
1993"I've Got a Feeling" - I've Got a Feeling
1997"Somebody's Comin'" - Somebody's Comin

Collaborations

Notes and References

  1. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. 2008. 274. 978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. http://www.christchurchnashville.org/choir.htm Christ Church Choir
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20070206170143/http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1551563/02042007/brooks_garth.jhtml Harmonica Wizard Terry McMillan Dead at 53