BUCKLEY MILLS
From child prodigy to mainstream jazz violinist, Buckley Mills is
quickly raising the already high jazz violin standards set by such
legends as Joe Venuti and Stephane Grappelli.
At the age of three, Buckley, yearning for his father’s attention,
ran into his office, but his father, a professional musician, was
tutoring a student. Young Buckley listened intently for a moment,
then high-tailed it into the next room. He picked up a violin and
quickly learned to pluck the notes he had just heard. After mastering
the song, he proudly walked back into the other youth’s music lesson,
and distinctly played “Sweet Georgia Brown” for his father. In that instant, a violin virtuoso
was born. Under the tutelage of his father, Buckley’s talent continued to emerge.
At fourteen, Buckley became the youngest member of the Sioux City
Symphony, with his Dad as his stand partner. Unfortunately,
the pairing was short-lived. His father was diagnosed with cancer,
and Buckley had to proceed alone.
And proceed he did, playing with bands of all genres, from country
and rock to classical and jazz. Buckley traveled
throughout the United States playing for up to twenty-thousand people and
performed with or on the same bill as Itzhak Perlman, Willie Nelson,
Joshua Bell, Dr. John, Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, and countless others.
His propensity for “perfect pitch,” (confirmed by the University of California at
San Francisco and documented by the media worldwide in 2007 including Reuters, Yahoo,
and ABC News) only enhances the perfection of his performance.
In 2002, seeking inspiration and new challenges, Buckley relocated to
Nashville, Tennessee. Although he was born in Illinois and raised in
Iowa, he comments, “I didn’t move here, I just came back home.” Being
surrounded by the creative energy of other musicians, singers,
songwriters, and entertainers, has stimulated Buckley’s own artistry,
as evidenced by his debut CD, "VIOLIN ON FIRE".
For this release on Chacra Music, Buckley selected twelve well-known
songs that he has personally connected with over the years, including
that first song he performed for his father, “Sweet Georgia Brown.”
The album is an intense melodic ride down an old familiar road.
The combination of Buckley’s custom-made Anton Krutz Signature Model
violin and his innate musical flair glides music through the air in a
smooth yet characteristic sound. His endorsement deal with Anton Krutz
only signifies the depth of his talent.
Buckley is a gifted conversationalist as well and loves to talk about
vintage Fender guitars and Jazz music over a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
A down-to-earth, humble man, with his feet firmly planted on the
ground, he states, “Music is my gift, it’s from God.”
In addition to being an accomplished musician, he also has an
entrepreneurial and educational spirit. Tapping into his knowledge of instruments
he opened a violin business in 2002 and sold over twenty-thousand violins,
violas, cellos, and basses in a six year period before calling it quits in 2008 to
turn his attention to finishing his college education by registering to Harvard University and
collecting vintage Fender guitars of which he has acquired some
of the rarest including a 1950 Fender Broadcaster
prototype that is definately one of the few holy grails of vintage Fender guitars.
But Buckley knows that his true calling is the violin.
"I'm going to sell out every Orpheum in America. Just like Joe Venuti."
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