Wikipedia

Steve Miller Band

TheSteve Miller Bandis an Americanrockband formed inSan Francisco,Californiain 1966. The band is led bySteve Milleronguitarand lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles that are staples ofclassic rockradio, as well as several earlierpsychedelic rockalbums. Miller left his first band to move to San Francisco and form the Steve Miller Blues Band.[3]Shortly after Harvey Kornspan negotiated the band's contract withCapitol Recordsin 1967, the band shortened its name to the Steve Miller Band. In February 1968, the band recorded its debut album,Children of the Future.It went on to produce the albumsSailor,Brave New World,Your Saving Grace,Number 5,The Joker,Fly Like an Eagle,andBook of Dreams,among others. The band's albumGreatest Hits 1974–78,released in 1978, has sold over 13 million copies. In 2016, Steve Miller was inducted as a solo artist into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Steve Miller Band
Steve Miller Band in 2009
Steve Miller Band in 2009
Background information
Also known as
  • Steve Miller Blues Band (1966–1967)
  • The Miller Band (1967)
  • The Steve Miller Band
OriginSan Francisco,California,U.S.
Genres
Years active1966–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websitewww.stevemillerband.com

History

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Steve Miller performing atInterlochen Fine Arts Campon July 20, 2009

In 1965, after moving to Chicago to play theblues,Steve Miller and keyboardistBarry Goldbergfounded the Goldberg-Miller Blues Band along with bassist Roy Ruby, rhythm guitarist Craymore Stevens, and drummer Maurice McKinley. The band contracted toEpic Recordsand recorded a single, "The Mother Song", which they performed onHullabaloo,before Miller left the group and moved to San Francisco.[4][5]

Miller then formed the Steve Miller Blues Band. Harvey Kornspan, managing partner, wrote and negotiated the band's contract ($860,000 over five years as well as $25,000 of promotion money that was to be spent at the band's discretion) with Capitol/EMI Recordsthen-presidentAlan Livingstonin 1967. Shortly after, the band's name was shortened to the Steve Miller Band at the recommendation ofGeorge Martinin order to broaden its appeal. The band, consisting of Miller, guitarist James Cooke, bassist Lonnie Turner, drummerTim Davis(who replaced the departing Lance Haas) and Jim Peterman on Hammond B3 organ, backedChuck Berryat a gig at theFillmore Auditoriumthat was released as the live album,Live at Fillmore Auditorium.[6]GuitaristBoz Scaggsjoined the band soon after and the group performed at theMagic Mountain Festival(festival was held June 10/11, 1967) and the following week at theMonterey Pop Festival(festival was held June 16/17/18, 1967).

In March 1968, while in England, the band recorded their debut album,Children of the Future,at Olympic studios withGlyn Johnsas engineer/producer. The album did not score among the Top 100 album chart. The visit itself got off to a poor start also as the group and their entourage were arrested for 'importing drugs and possession of a dangerous firearm'. Kornspan's wife had called Johns asking if he would appear as a character witness in the magistrate's court the day after the arrest and, hopefully, stand bail for them. Johns agreed and the group was released on condition that Johns would 'stand surety for their good behavior' for the rest of their time in England. Both accusations were dropped. The 'dangerous firearm' turned out to be a non-working flare gun that was being used as a wall decoration in the house where the group was staying. The 'imported drugs' happened to be some hash that was buried in the middle of a large fruitcake that had been sent to the group by a stateside friend, unbeknownst to anyone in the group.[7]

The second albumSailorappeared in October 1968 and climbed theBillboardchart toNo. 24.Successes included the single "Living in the USA".Brave New World(No. 22,1969) featured the songs "Space Cowboy" and "My Dark Hour".Paul McCartney,credited as "Paul Ramon", played drums, bass and sang backing vocals on "My Dark Hour". This was followed byYour Saving Grace(No. 38,1969) andNumber 5(No. 23,1970). In 1971, Miller broke his neck in a car accident. Capitol Records released the albumRock Love,featuring unreleased live performances and studio material. This is one of two Steve Miller Band albums not to be reissued on CD until 2022, the other beingRecall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden.In 1972, the double album compilationAnthologywas released, containing 16 songs from five of the band's first seven albums.

The style and personnel of the band changed radically withThe Joker(No. 2,1973), concentrating on straightforward rock and leaving the psychedelic blues side of the band behind. The title track, "The Joker",became aNo. 1single and was certified 5× platinum, reaching over five million sales. It was awarded agold discby theRIAAon January 11, 1974.[8]

Three years later, the band returned with the albumFly Like an Eagle,which charted atNo. 3.Three singles were released from the album: "Take the Money and Run"(No. 11), "Fly Like an Eagle"(No. 2) and their secondNo. 1success, "Rock'n Me".Miller credits the guitar introduction to" Rock'n Me "as a tribute to theFreesong, "All Right Now".[9]

Book of Dreams(No. 2,1977) also included three successes: "Jet Airliner"(No. 8), "Jungle Love"(No. 23) (later becoming the song played over the opening credits of the 8th season of the sitcomEverybody Loves Raymond), and "Swingtown"(No. 17). 1982'sAbracadabraalbum gave Steve Miller his thirdNo. 1success withthe title track.Miller's hit pushedChicago's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry"out of theNo. 1spot, just as his "Rock'n Me" had knocked Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now"out of theNo. 1spot in 1976.[9]

Released in 1978,The Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits 1974–78has sold over 15 million copies.[10]

Bingo!,an album of blues andR&Bcovers, was released on June 15, 2010.Let Your Hair Down,a companion release toBingo!,was released 10 months later, on April 18, 2011.[11]

Founding member Tim Davis died from complications due to diabetes on September 20, 1988, at the age of 44. Long-time band memberNorton Buffalodied fromlung canceron October 30, 2009. John King (drummer during "The Joker" era) died after a short bout withkidney canceron October 26, 2010. James Cooke died from cancer on 16 May 2011. Original bassist Lonnie Turner died from lung cancer on April 28, 2013. His time with the band led to songs such as Jet Airliner, Swingtown, Take the Money And Run, Jungle Love and many more. Blues guitarist Jacob Petersen officially joined the band before the Spring 2011 tour. Following Petersen joining the band, longtime guitarist Kenny Lee Lewis switched instruments to become the band's full-time bassist. In 2014, Steve Miller Band toured with fellow San Francisco rock bandJourney.[12]

When it was announced that Steve Miller would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist without his band, Miller toldRolling Stone,"It wasn't my decision, and I didn't have any input into any of it. If they had asked me what do, I think I would have said, 'Here's a list of everyone that was ever in my band. They all ought to be here.'"[13]

Members

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Current members

  • Steve Miller– lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards (1966–present)
  • Kenny Lee Lewis – bass (1983–1987, 2011–present), guitar (1982–1983, 1987–1988, 1994–2011), backing vocals (1982–1988, 1994–present)
  • Joseph Wooten– keyboards, backing vocals (1993–present)
  • Jacob Petersen – guitar, backing vocals (2011–present)
  • Ron Wikso – drums (2021–present)

Former members

  • Lonnie Turner – bass, guitar, backing vocals (1966–1970, 1975–1978, died 2013)
  • Boz Scaggs– guitar, lead and backing vocals (1967–1968)
  • Jim Peterman – keyboards, backing vocals (1966–1968)
  • Tim Davis– drums, backing vocals (1966–1970, died 1988)
  • James "Curley" Cooke – guitar (1967, died 2011)
  • Ben Sidran– keyboards (1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1987–1991)
  • Nicky Hopkins– keyboards (1969, 1970, died 1994)
  • Bobby Winkelman– bass, guitar, vocals (1969–1970, died 2023)
  • Ross Valory– bass, backing vocals (1970–1971)
  • Jack King – drums (1970–1972)
  • Gary Mallaber– drums, keyboards, backing vocals (1972, 1975–1987)
  • Roger Allen Clark – drums (1972, died 2018)
  • Dick Thompson – keyboards (1972–1974)
  • Gerald Johnson – bass, backing vocals (1972–1974, 1981–1983)
  • John King – drums (1972–1974, died 2010)
  • Les Dudek– guitar (1975)
  • Doug Clifford– drums (1975)
  • David Denny– guitar, backing vocals (1975–1978)
  • Norton Buffalo– harmonica, guitar, backing vocals (1975–1978, 1982–1987, 1989–2009, died 2009)
  • Greg Douglass– slide guitar, backing vocals (1976–1978)
  • Byron Allred – keyboards (1976–1987, 1990, died 2021)
  • John Massaro – guitar, backing vocals (1982–1983)
  • Billy Peterson– bass, backing vocals (1987–2011)
  • Bob Mallach – saxophone (1987–1996)
  • Paul Peterson– guitar (1988, 1991–1992)
  • Ricky Peterson – keyboards (1988, 1991)
  • Keith Allen – guitar, backing vocals (1989–1990)
  • Sonny Charles– backing vocals (2008–2011)
  • Gordy Knudtson – drums (1987–2021)

Timeline

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Discography

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Main article:Steve Miller Band discography
Studio albums

The group has been releasing albums and singles since 1968 and currently has released 18studio albums,sixlive albums,seven (official)compilation albums,and at least 29singles.

Awards

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Receiving their Walk of Fame star.

See also

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References

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  1. ^abHuey, Steve."Steve Miller Biography".AllMusic.Retrieved2023-07-18.
  2. ^"20 Albums Rolling Stone Loved in the Sixties That You've Never Heard".Rolling Stone.Retrieved9 April2015.
  3. ^Cava, Marco della (August 27, 2023)."Steve Miller recalls late '60s San Francisco music having 'a dark side' but 'so much beauty'".USA TODAY.Archived fromthe originalon December 8, 2023.RetrievedMay 30,2024.
  4. ^John Milward (2013).Crossroads: How the Blues Shaped Rock 'n' Roll.UPNE. p. xiviii.ISBN9781555537449.
  5. ^Lindsay Planer."Barry Goldberg / The Goldberg-Miller Blues Band Goldberg-Miller Blues Band 1965-66".allmusic.com.
  6. ^"Chuck Berry News".Chuckberry.us.Retrieved2014-08-23.
  7. ^Johns, Glyn (2015).Sound Man(First ed.). New York: Plume. pp.98–103.ISBN978-0-14-751657-2.
  8. ^Murrells, Joseph (1978).The Book of Golden Discs(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.332.ISBN0-214-20512-6.
  9. ^abBronson, Fred (2003).Billboard book of number 1 hits.Billboard Books.ISBN9780823076772.
  10. ^Jake Grove (2008-10-15)."The Steve Miller Band hits Littlejohn in Clemson".Independent Mail. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-01-16.Retrieved2014-08-23.
  11. ^"Steve Miller Band announce new album".Planet Rock. 2011-02-11. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-02-15.Retrieved2011-12-30.
  12. ^"Steve Miller Band Official Site".Stevemillerband.com. 2014-05-18.Retrieved2014-08-23.
  13. ^Greene, Andy (2015, December 17)."Steve Miller on Rock Hall Induction: ‘It’s Taken a Long, Long, Long Time’",Rolling Stone.Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  14. ^"ASCAP to Honor Steve Miller and Lionel Richie at 25th Annual Pop Music Awards".Ascap.com.Retrieved2014-08-23.
  15. ^"Steve Miller Band".IMDb.Retrieved2016-06-14.
  16. ^"The Steve Miller Band".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2016-06-14.
  17. ^"Steve Miller".Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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