Terry Lee McMillan

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Terry Lee McMillan (born October 12, 1953 in Lexington, NC, died February 2, 2007 in Pigeon Forge, TN). In his early years he began playing drums but later learned piano and harmonica. In 1973, he became a member of Eddy Raven's band in Nashville, and worked with Eddy until 1975. He then started working with Chet Atkins playing harmonica with his touring show. Later, he toured with Jerry Reed and Jeannie C. Riley before becoming a very in-demand session musician. In the 1970s, he appeared on many albums including the recordings of Mickey Newbury and Gary Stewart. He was a solo artist for RCA Records in the early 1980s, but returned to being a session musician, appearing live with, and on numerous albums for, artists including Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Kenny Chesney, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Waylon Jennings, J.J. Cale, Trisha Yearwood, and many others. In 1993 he played at President Bill Clinton's inaugural ball, giving a historic solo harmonica performance of "Amazing Grace". After suffering the loss of property in a house fire in 1992, an event which nearly cost him and his family their lives, Terry became a born-again Christian. He recorded an album for Step One Records in 1993, with Nashville's Christ Church Choir. McMillan became one of country music's most popular session musicians on harmonica and percussion.