Josie Lockhart

Aaron Miller introduced his Josie Lockhart moniker with the 2021 release of Santa Rosa, mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, Grizzly Bear, Future Islands), the album went on to be featured on the BBC, NPR, American Songwriter, Obscure Sound and Fresh On The Net, as well as picking up radio-play in the US, UK, Australia, Spain, and Brazil.

For his sophomore effort, What Golden Hues, Miller enlisted the help of producer Modern Medicine (Wild Child, Lauren Lakis), and brought in session musicians from Austin and Nashville. The bulk of the album was recorded at Lockhart, Texas’s Club Sound Machine studio. Steve Christensen (Khruangbin, Leon Bridges, Steve Earle) was tapped to mix and give the album its warm, lived-in feel.

What Golden Hues takes Santa Rosa’s americana thread and runs with it. The album features steel guitar, wurlitzer, and saxophone on a bed of analog synth; heartland rock with a modern touch. Miller’s lyrics are earnest, and the melodies and harmonies soar. The album art features a childhood photo of Miller in full cowboy regalia, signifying a return to his roots. “I wanted to draw from the well of music I grew up listening to, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Townes Van Zandt,” Miller says. The playing is masterful and the production shines. Where Santa Rosa introduced an artist, What Golden Hues reveals a songwriter in his prime, an artist fully formed.