Miles From Nowhere

Miles From Nowhere was formed in the summer of 2004 when Merrol Ray decided he was through with being a guitar for hire and knew it was time to do his own thing. With a few phone calls, the genesis of what would become Miles From Nowhere was conceived. Merrol found himself a drummer then called his younger cousin Adam. He knew Adam would be interested because he would occasionally bring his guitar over and sing parts of songs that he had learned. Practicing in Merrol's Dad's welding shop, they began auditioning bass players with none quite working out. Finally a phone call that Merrol had placed weeks before, paid off. Joey showed up, played one song, Merrol said, “You’re in for life; quit, and I’ll kill you.” After only five months the original drummer left the band so Merrol called Wesley Joe to play drums. Disappointment turned into joy, Miles From Nowhere was born.

Buck Owens' Christmas album, that was it, man. The one that started it all. My mom and dad say I knew every word to every song with every voice inflection. I still remember a few words to one song on that album. From there, it was mom's Buddy Holly's Greatest Hits and Creedence Clearwater Revival's Cosmos Factory albums.

I got my very first guitar for Christmas at 2 years old or so--got pictures of it. It seems like I got a guitar every Christmas after that. Thank God for mom and dad. The very first song I ever really learned to play was Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne. I'll never forget that feeling. Mom said she was "just glad to hear music coming out of that room."

The first band I ever played in was Fried Righteous, and boy, were we ever! It was Mike Benningfield, my old high school algebra teacher, that gave me my first shot at playing clubs, though. Thanks, Mike. Right now, I'm married to one of the most wonderful human beings I've ever met, Mona Sue, and playing in MFN, the best band I've ever played in.

P.S. I believe.

I was born November of 1978, in Paris, Texas. I was raised in the small town of Blossom, Texas. I was brought up on Gospel, Country and Southern Rock. You could say I’ve always had a bounce in my step and a little bit of soul in my heart. Music has always been my getaway-from the 8 track and records of Merle, Willie and the Oakridge Boys to the foot tapping, beat movin’ Michael Jackson (During that time I thought he was bad ass). In the later part of the 80’s I was into Whitesnake, Beastie Boys, and Skid Row.

It wasn’t until I was 14 that I learned my first chords on the guitar-I wish like hell I had stuck with those chords and gotten serious-I didn’t take the talent that God had given me seriously until the past three years. Growing up, I always loved to sing-whether it be by myself spinning 45 records in my room or in my church.

I remember playing outside and hearing the echoing sounds of Ozzy and some AC/DC and his own little riffs coming out of that Peavey amp-the tunes ringing through our little neighborhood, the Devils Music (or that’s what the old ladies probably thought). That skinny, long, black haired punk playing the “Devils Music” was my cousin Merrol Ray. I never would have thought 20 years later I’d be playing in a band with him.

I was attending A & M Commerce Fire Academy and Merrol stopped by my house one day-he was wanting to know if I’d be willing to give it a whirl playing music in a band that he was trying to get together. We would meet across Highway 82 from our parents’ houses in Merrols dad’s shop (the heat index was about 150 degrees). We made music and it was a struggle-but if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

I got my first guitar at age 5, my aunt traded some "S&H Green Stamps" for an old Stella Harmony (I still have it). My experience started with churches and community center dances when I was just a young teenager. My first paying gig was with a fellow by the name of Billy Swain and his "Lightning Ridge Band" back in 1985, I was only 16. It don't feel like 20 years yet.

I grew up with old Bob Wills records and Willie Nelson 8 tracks. Merle Haggard has a whole section in those 33 LP's, right along side of some Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis records. You could find ZZ Top, Hank Jr, and Dwight Yoakum blasting in my car runnin' round Loop 286 back in the day.

My music came to a slow down for a while when I was serving my Country in both the US Marine Corps and US Army (14 total years). But I managed to get myself back in the groove here in recent years. You might have seen me in bands like "Southern Lites" and "Crossfire" or even running a Karaoke show down at the local watering hole. This "Miles From Nowhere" has got to be the best group I've ever worked with. Bar none!!

I want to say thanks to all the "MFN" fans out there. You folks are the greatest, you make it all worthwhile. Thanks to Merrol, Adam and Wesley Joe for making it like family. Thanks to all the musicians who had the guts to put up with me over the years, there are just too many to mention. And a special thanks to my parents Thomas and Barbara Jordan, for not always telling me to "turn it down", I've hope I've made you proud.

My first memories of music come from riding in my old man’s pickup on the back roads going fishing. I can remember listening to Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, Sr. After I got to be about 13 or 14, I started listening to the Misfits, No FX, The Ramones, Bob Dillon, and almost any band that came out of the Velvet Underground. That’s when I began playing drums. My first band was a heavily influenced punk band but my beats and roots have always been country, (not that shit on CMT.) I fell in with Miles From Nowhere and I knew that this band was where I belonged.