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From Wisconsin to Nashville: Grammy-winning artist shares part of his life story

Posted at 9:33 PM, Nov 17, 2022
and last updated 2022-11-17 22:33:03-05

The Tennessee Titans came from Nashville to Green Bay for football.

Going the opposite direction, a man from northeast Wisconsin went to Nashville, and made it big in music.

Bill Miller is a Grammy-winner, and played the flute on the Vanessa Williams version of "Colors of the Wind," from the "Pocohontas" movie soundtrack.

"First part of my life was in Neenah, [I] was born in Neenah," Miller said.

"In junior high, we moved to Shawano."

He started playing guitar at age nine.

Later in life, as he spent more and more time with musicians, "They said, 'You gotta come to Nashville,' I ended up in Nashville," Miller said.

His genre of music is Native American.

NBC 26 talked with Miller at Island Music in Neenah.

Asked for advice for anyone thinking of moving to Nashville for music, Miller said, "I'd say, you need to do it."

"Quit dreaming about it, quit reading about it, quit looking on TV, [and] see what happens."

Miller lives in Nashville, but said his beginnings in northeast Wisconsin still influence his music.

"I miss it a lot, it's in my blood."

Speaking of northeast Wisconsin, Miller said his life might come full-circle.

"I'm going to eventually move back, I think... I'll get back here again."