Steve Miller, one of the most successful and influential rock artists of all time, celebrates his 80th birthday today. Miller was born in Milwaukee in 1943 and grew up surrounded by music. His father, Dr. George Miller, was an amateur recording engineer and a friend of guitar legend Les Paul, who was also Miller's godfather and mentor. Miller recalls that Paul taught him his first chords when he was six years old and inspired him to pursue a career in music.
Miller started playing professionally in Chicago, where he immersed himself in the blues scene and played with legends like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Buddy Guy. He then moved to San Francisco in the late '60s and formed the Steve Miller Band, which blended blues, rock, pop and psychedelia into a distinctive sound that appealed to millions of fans. Some of his classic hits include "Livin' in the U.S.A.", "Fly Like an Eagle", "Rock'n Me", "Take the Money and Run", "Jet Airliner" and "Jungle Love". His Greatest Hits 1974-78 album is one of the best-selling albums of all-time, with over 13 million copies sold in the U.S. alone.
Miller was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, where he delivered a memorable speech that criticized the music industry and praised his fellow musicians. He also performed some of his hits with his band and special guests, including Ringo Starr and Sheryl Crow.
Miller now lives in New York, where he is involved in various musical projects and causes. He is a board member of Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he supports the education and preservation of jazz music. He also continues to perform live and release new music. Last month, he released a 50th anniversary edition of his 1973 album The Joker, which features rare and unreleased tracks, as well as new mixes by Miller himself. The album includes the iconic title track, which Miller performed with John Mayer on stage at New York's Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]