Now, What’s Better than Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller?
There’s something timeless, comforting, and refreshingly authentic about Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller. They come across as old friends who’ve never quite lost their passion for the music that brought them together, and that love shines in every note they play. Whether it’s a quiet laugh shared on stage or the tender harmonies that wrap around their lyrics, they bring an element of humanity and heart that’s rare in today’s music world.
At NPR’s Tiny Desk concert, we get to witness this magic up close. The set they performed, from their collaborative album Buddy and Jim, is as much a celebration of music as it is of friendship. Boilen himself captured it perfectly: “There’s something endearing, old-timey, and almost vaudevillian about Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale — even the way they bill themselves as ‘Buddy and Jim.’”
Miller and Lauderdale aren’t just seasoned musicians—they’re pillars of the Americana genre. Buddy Miller’s guitar has graced the stage with legends like Robert Plant and Alison Krauss during their Raising Sand tour, while Jim Lauderdale’s songwriting has shaped the careers of country icons like George Strait and Patty Loveless. Their shared love of country music’s roots is palpable, weaving through bluegrass, blues, and even rock ’n’ roll, all with a good dose of humor and humility.
One of the highlights of their partnership is their Sirius XM radio show on Outlaw Country, where their rapport spills over into good-natured, corny jokes and musical banter. It’s this playful energy that made their Tiny Desk performance so memorable. As they joked with the audience between songs like “I Lost My Job [insert a dramatic pause here] of Loving You,” it became clear that they’re not just masters of their craft but also storytellers who find joy in life’s ups and downs.
Their music isn’t just about heartbreak or loss—it’s about life’s whole journey. Whether they’re singing about lost love or newfound hope, there’s a sincerity in their voices that pulls you in. It’s why their harmonies feel like home, familiar yet full of surprises, much like the country music they’ve helped shape over the decades.
Together, Buddy and Jim remind us that country music is more than just a genre—it’s a living, breathing tradition that grows and evolves with the people who play it. And few people play it with as much heart and soul as these two veteran musicians.
Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
Let The Music Play On & On (Ep 12) Jim Lauderdale, Ron Thomason & Heidi Clare
The twelfth installment of our exclusive web series featuring Jim Lauderdale and HSB royalty Ron Thomason & Heidi Clare. Laurie Lewis holds down hosting duties.
Over the last twenty years, for one weekend every October, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has brought together some of the most iconic and revered names in roots music for a free celebration in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. This year we took the show on the road to bring you even closer to artists with recordings and interviews from their hometowns. Please join us as we “Let The Music Play On & On.”
There’s something endearing, old-timey, and almost vaudevillian about Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale — even the way they bill themselves as “Buddy and Jim.” Both veteran musicians are in love with country music in all its many forms and influences; their music incorporates the blues and bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll, and a good deal of craft.
Buddy Miller is the guitar player to hire if you’re playing heartfelt, not-so-shiny country-rock songs. Ask Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, with whom Miller toured for their Raising Sand tour, or Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Patty Griffin, who named their tour together “Three Girls and Their Buddy.”
Jim Lauderdale writes award-winning country songs — hits for George Strait, Patty Loveless, and the Dixie Chicks. He’ll once again host the Americana Music Awards alongside Miller, with whom he shares a radio show on Sirius XM’s Outlaw Country Channel; that’s where the corny humor comes in. You’ll hear some of that in this Tiny Desk Concert, but you’ll also hear musical merrymaking and timeless harmonies, with songs from their first full-album collaboration, Buddy and Jim.
The songs they performed, at NPR’s offices and on the album, have titles like “I Lost My Job [insert pregnant pause here] of Loving You.” Some good fun to be had at the expense of heartbreak and life’s loves, both lost and found. –BOB BOILEN
Set List
“The Train That Carried My Gal From Town”
“It Hurts Me”
“I Lost My Job Of Loving You”
Musicans: Jim Lauderdale (lead singer, guitarist)
Buddy Miller (lead singer, guitarist)
Fats Kaplin (Fidler/Mandolin)
Marco Giovino ( US Post Office box (percussion),
Jay Weaver (bass)
https://www.coolmediallc.com/welcome/thats-how-i-got-to-memphis/