Biography

Gene and Gayla Mills play acoustic Americana—modern folk tinged with bluegrass and country, featuring Gene’s award-winning original songs. They offer “some of the best organic music you could hope to come across—killer stuff” (Chris Specter, Midwest Record).

Their new CD, If Stones Could Talk” reached #11 on the Folk DJ chart in August and #5 on the Roots Music Folk Chart from October 2011-January 2012.

Gene’s songs tell rich stories, many based on real people from Virginia--miners, farmers, lovers, and soldiers. His first CD Waiting for Rain garnered nationwide airplay, and he has won over a dozen country and folk songwriting awards. Gene is also an accomplished flatpicking guitarist. From melancholy to sweet, his songs are “for those who love fables of experience, tragedy, love and endeavor.” (Tim Carroll, Folkwords)

Gayla’s bass playing, solid, rhythmic, and melodic, is accompanied by tender harmonies. She is also the driving force behind the recording and promotion of Gene’s songs, which he first began writing and performing in the late 1970s.

Married over 25 years, Gene and Gayla have been playing as a duo since 2004. “The dynamic between the both of them is just beautiful. It’s a sweet thing to watch.” (Karen Atkinson, WHAN radio). They are often joined by Barry Lawson on mandolin, who also plays with the Honey Dewdrops.

“Take the cornerstones of acoustic Americana, add a touch of bluegrass, country and folk, mix together with dedication, superb musicianship and then add precise harmonies. If these songs don’t move you, then your soul is made of stone.”
(Tim Carroll, folkwords.com)

Gene and Gayla have played at the Crozet Music Festival, the Richmond Irish Festival, the Nashville Songwriter’s Festival, and the Fredericksburg Songwriters’ Showcase. They’ve also opened for the Honey Dewdrops and for Bill Evans and Megan Lynch.

Their influences include Townes Van Zandt, Claire Lynch, Crooked Still, Alison Kraus, Nickel Creek, Si Kahn, and Robin and Linda Williams.

On their latest CD, they are joined by Bill Evans (banjo), Ivan Rosenberg (dobro), Jim Skelding (fiddle), and Barry Lawson (mandolin.) Talking to a Stone, which has already won two first place songwriting awards, reached #9 on the Folk DJ Chart.