Steve Miller’s 2019 was one for the record books – he released a second volume boxset of his collected vinyl, opened his vaults for the first time ever, releasing the acclaimed Welcome to the Vault Boxset, performed live in over 50 cities, played “Fly Like an Eagle” with The Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, did two nights at Jazz at Lincoln Center performing “Cannonball Adderley and the Blues,” and more. Now in 2020, the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer who is also now confirmed to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June, is showing no signs of slowing down and is ready to hit the road again this summer for an amazing evening of original American music with special guest Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives plus the comedy and music of Gary Mule Deer.
Steve Miller was a mainstay of the San Francisco music scene that upended American culture in the late ’60s. With albums like Children of the Future, Sailor and Brave New World, Miller perfected a psychedelic blues sound that drew on the deepest sources of American roots music and simultaneously articulated a compelling vision of what music-and society-could be in the years to come.
Then, in the ’70s, Miller crafted a brand of rock ‘n’ roll music that was polished, exciting and irresistible, and that has dominated radio through today. Hit followed hit in an endless flow: “The Joker,” “Livin’ in the USA,” “Take the Money and Run,” “Rock’n Me,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Jet Airliner,” “Jungle Love,” and “Abracadabra” among them. To this day, these songs are instantly recognizable when they come on the radio-and impossible not to sing along with. Running through Miller’s catalogue is a combination of virtuosity and song craft along with melodic vocals and signature guitar riffs. His parents were jazz aficionados — Les Paul was his godfather — so as a budding guitarist and singer, Miller absorbed valuable lessons from their musical tradition. When the family moved to Texas, Miller deepened his education in the blues, meeting T-Bone Walker and learning to sing and play listening to him and Jimmy Reed. Miller then moved to Chicago where he played with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Buddy Guy and Paul Butterfield.
Steve Miller Band has played to more than 20 million people in the last 20 years. In addition to touring with his band, Miller is also contributing his time to serving on the visiting committee of the Department of Musical Instruments of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and as a board member of Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he curates and hosts shows at both institutions celebrating blues, jazz and early American music. From 2015 – 2017, Miller and guitar legend Jimmie Vaughan presented seven sold out shows at JALC: “Ma Rainey Meets Miles Davis,” “T Bone Walker – A Bridge From Blues to Jazz,” and, with along with harmonica virtuoso Charlie Musselwhite, “The Blues Triangle: Memphis, Texas and Chicago.” In 2018, Miller with Marty Stuart presented two sold out shows called “Music from Appalachia.” In 2019, Miller joined forces with the Patrick Bartley Sextet and vocalist Brianna Thomas to bring “Cannonball Adderley and the Blues” to the JALC stage.
Kemptville Live Music Festival tickets on sale now at www.kemptvillelivemusicfestival.com
