We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonny Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonny, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I am a highly sensitive, extremely expressive person. Art and music have always been a part of me. I exist to make art and I feel so deeply that I don’t know how I would get by without singing or expressing myself somehow. If we didn’t live in this economic system I would not be concerned with profit and I would sing and make art all day. Though it’s difficult to constantly figure out a way to monetize these skills, the alternative is spending all day with a song in my heart that goes unsung, and that is a life not worth living. That would be the suffocation of my soul.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Downtown Riverside. The first thing I would do is take them for a walk through the old streets lined with Victorians, Craftsman bungalows, and Spanish colonial revival houses. We’d visit the Fairmont Rose Garden and picnic on a bench beside Lake Evans at Fairmount Park, and watch the ducks wade in the water. We’d enjoy Lebanese food at Fufu’s in the Food Lab and we’d grab a coffee and catch a local band perform at Back To The Grind. We’d admire the architectural design of the Mission Inn and sneak up on the roof to admire the downtown skyline and the city lights at night. We could go for a long bike ride down Victoria Avenue and peak at the past agricultural history of Riverside, and we could end this bike ride by strolling through an orange grove, laying out a blanket and watching the sunset, painting the distant San Gabriel mountains purple.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate a shoutout to my sister, Danielle Cornell, a fellow artist & Folk singer, who always strives to live her authentic, expressive self, and encourages me to embrace my sensitivity. I’d also like to thank my bandmates and long time friends, Mike Wilson & Adam Heller. They are my suns, bright shining orbs that light up my existence. These folks my guideposts, always bringing me back home to myself.

Website: jonnymillerjr.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/Jonnymillerjr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonnymillerjr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonnymillerjr/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/blackbearjonnymiller

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4XslFOKrDeF1DdmxPTtwMN

Image Credits
Photos by Danielle Cornell

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