Quick Facts
Biography
Blake Mills (born September 21, 1986) is an American songwriter, guitarist, producer, and composer based in California.
Biography
Mills was born in Santa Monica, California, United States, and grew up in Malibu, where he attended Malibu High School with Taylor Goldsmith. Mills and Goldsmith began their musical careers in a band they co-founded called Simon Dawes. Simon Dawes released its debut EP What No One Hears in 2005, and its first LP Carnivore in September 2006 via Record Collection. After the band broke up in 2007, Goldsmith and his younger brother, Griffin, formed the band Dawes with Simon Dawes bassist, Wylie Gelber, and Mills went on to serve as a touring guitarist for Jenny Lewis. He went on to tour with Band of Horses, Cass McCombs, Julian Casablancas and Lucinda Williams. As a session musician, Mills has collaborated with Conor Oberst, Kid Rock, Weezer, The Avett Brothers, Paulo Nutini, Norah Jones, Carlene Carter, Jesca Hoop, Dixie Chicks, Zucchero, Pink, Lana Del Rey, Dangermouse and more.
In 2010, Mills released his first solo LP, Break Mirrors, via Record Collection. The original intent for the album was to serve as a calling card for Mills to get session work. Break Mirrors was touted as the album of the year by many websites and fellow musicians, despite its limited release. In late 2011, after spending back-to-back years on tour and in the studio playing on other people’s records, Mills made the decision to begin producing in order to explore musical concepts beyond guitar.Analog Edition Records released a Blake Mills double A side 7" in 2011, featuring the songs "Hey Lover" and "Wintersong" in 2011.
In January 2012, Mills appeared on Conan O’Brien for his first national televised performance as a solo artist. He covered Bob Dylan’s “Heart Of Mine,” which he had recently played at an Amnesty International benefit.Later that year, he went on to co-produce Jesca Hoop's album The House that Jack Built, produced Sara Watkins' album Sun Midnight Sun, wrote and produced "Sad Dream" on Sky Ferreira's latest EP Ghost and an additional two tracks on her upcoming LP I'm Not Alright. For the compilation album Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, he co-produced and played with Billy Gibbons and Matt Sweeney on the track "Oh Well". Mills also served as the opening act and guitarist for Fiona Apple during her 2012 tour through North America. Mills co-produced the track "Artifact 1" on Conor Oberst's album, Upside Down Mountain, which was released in May 2014. He also produced the forthcoming untitled release from Jesca Hoop and Mt. Egypt's III.
Mills released his second full length album, Heigh Ho, on September 16, 2014. This self-produced album combines a range of genres. Along with friends and inspirations including Fiona Apple, Jim Keltner, Don Was, Benmont Tench, Jon Brion, and Mike Elizondo, Mills recorded Heigh Ho at the legendary Ocean Way Recording studios in a room built for Frank Sinatra. He also produced the sophomore release from Alabama Shakes. Recording took place at Sound Emporium in Nashville, a studio originally built for Sun Records house producer Cowboy Jack Clement.
In 2015 Mills was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for his work on Alabama Shakes breakthrough album Sound & Color.
In 2016, Mills is touring with Mumford and Sons, as an opening act, occasionally joining them on stage during their set, such as when he appeared with them in St. Paul, MN on April 21, 2016 to cover Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" in honor of that artist's death earlier that day.
Mills' 2016 producer credits include albums from former bandmates Dawes, along with upcoming albums from John Legend, Laura Marling and Jim James.
Mollusk sessions
From time to time Mills hosts invite only musical performances at Mollusk Surf Shop, in Venice, California. Previous shows have seen Mills accompanied by musicians such as Jackson Browne, Billy Gibbons, Matt Sweeney, Cass McCombs, Jenny Lewis, Charlie Sexton, Benmont Tench, Dave Rawlings, Val McCallum, Tal Wilkenfeld, Mike Einziger, Danielle Haim, Smokey Hormel, Michael Elizondo, Anthony Wilson, and Xavier Mas.
Discography
Solo
- Break Mirrors (2010) Record Collection
- Heigh Ho (2014) Verve Records / Record Collection
Simon Dawes
- What No One Hears EP (2005) Record Collection
- Carnivore (2006) Record Collection
Compilation
- Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International (2012) - Track 4 Disc 2 -"Heart of Mine" - Amnesty International distributed by Fontana
Production credits
- Co-Producer - Jesca Hoop - The House That Jack Built (2012) Bella Union
- Producer - Sara Watkins - Sun Midnight Sun (2012) Nonesuch Records
- Producer - Sky Ferreira - Ghost EP (2012) Capitol Records
- Co-producer - Billy Gibbons - "Oh Well" - Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac (2012) Hear Music
- Producer - Mt. Egypt - "III" (2012) Record Collection
- Producer - Conor Oberst - "Artifact 1" - Upside Down Mountain (2014) Nonesuch Records
- Producer - Fiona Apple - "Container" - "The Affair" (2014) Showtime
- Co-producer - Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color (2015) ATO Records
- Producer - Brittany Howard - "I Feel Free" - Joy (2015) 21st Century Fox
- Producer - Dawes - "We're All Gonna Die" (2016) HUB Records
- Co-producer - Jim James - "Eternally Even" (2016) Capitol Records / ATO
- Producer - John Legend - "Darkness & Light" (2016) Columbia Records
- Producer - Jesca Hoop - "Memories Are Now" (2017) Sub Pop
- Producer - Laura Marling - "Semper Femina" (2017) More Alarming Records