Born October 5th,1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Steve Miller's career is distinguished not only by successful album sales that spans decades and genres but also by the company he has kept since he first learned guitar from Les Paul as a child.

Miller was influenced by his father, a pathologist. Miller's father was not a musician, but knew many stars like Charles Mingus and Les Paul and would often have them in his house as guests. At the age of twelve Miller formed his first band, 'The Marksmen Combo', with friend Boz Scaggs playing the blues.

The two would collaborate again in the band 'The Ardells', later renamed 'The Fabulous Night Trains'. Miller and Skaggs even attended University of Wisconsin together. In 1964 Miller moved to Chicago, teaming up with Barry Goldberg to play in the local blues scene. Two years later he moved again, this time to San Francisco, were he formed the first incarnation of the 'Steve Miller Band' featuring James “Curly” Cooke, Lonnie Turner and Tim Davis.

Miller's new band built up a local following by playing free concerts and even backed up Chuck Berry at a 1967 Fillmore performance that was later released as a live album. Later that same year Skaggs appeared in San Francisco and joined the band, replacing Cooke, in time for the band to appear at the Monterey Pop Festival. The band was signed by Capitol almost immediately after the show.

Although, the band continued to gain popularity as an FM rock band, Millers' albums rarely made much impression on the Pop charts. The bands lineup changed frequently and the material got weaker as the seventies started out. In 1972 Miller broke his neck in a car accident and developed hepatitis as a complication. He spent most of 72 and 73 recuperating.

He emerged reinvented, returning to his blues roots for inspiration on his next rock album 'The Joker'. The album was an almost instant success, going platinum with the title track hitting the number one spot on the Pop charts. Following the success of 'The Joker', Miller took some down time.

He took three years off from music, bought a farm, and built his own studio. He returned in '76 stronger than ever, releasing some of his best music on 'Fly Like an Eagle' and shortly thereafter 'Book of Dreams'. None of the albums he subsequently released sold very well, with the exception of 1981's 'Abracadabra'. In 1994 Miller composed a box set that covered the span of his music career.

sources
www.cdnow.com

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.