Mike Miller

Wrote my first song when I was six, about my grandmother after she died. She was a American Native Indian from central Louisiana. My dad died when I was 12 and we moved from St. Louis , where I had been in the Bryan Hill drum and bugle corp, re-locating to Homer, Louisiana. Was the first chair snare drummer in high school band from 9th grade until 12th. Won several snare competitions at State. Had a Sears Polaras drum set when I was 15. Louisiana Tech Marching band as snare drummer. During college, began playing as drummer with Mike Matthews in Sibley, Louisiana, cut Kristopherson's "Me and Bobby McGee" in studio for radio air play promotion for Moose Lodge in Farmersville, Louisiana. I began playing guitar a little at this time, and took class piano. Played drums with bass player, Rick Talbert, cousin to Jerry Lee Lewis, who is a great bass and guitar player with Sky (rock/blues band) during college, as drummer, playing Beatles, Almond Bros., Big Billie Bronzy, Clapton, Marshall Tucker, ZZTop, Stones, etc., playing at Frat and Sorority parties including the annual riverboat party Sorority event. Played informally with Fred Cale and Allen Roark, who had jammed with some of the Linda Ronstadt circle of friends.Studied percussion with Gary Cook from Northwest U, now at Arizona, and has put together a nationally known book on percussion methods. Took class piano and guitar with John Ford who worked with Kix Brooks. Played with the Richardson Brothers Band in Ruston, Louisiana. Joe currently works in Austin as the Joe Richardson Express. Played with Richardson brothers in Monroe, Ruston, Shreveport, and Homer, Louisiana at Cherry Hill, where someone got their A whoped everynight. Played with Roy Davenport and Silk n Steel as backup drummer in Ruston, LA. Played with Kix Brooks Goodtime band in Shreveport, and was in music classes with Kix. Got married and had to quit playing out, but continued to write songs, while I ran a resume writing service in north Dallas for five years. Went back into music and played drums with the Freeze Brothers band and the Jeff Camp groupStudied voice with Tim Tucker and Jeanine Crader, from Broadway, as well as percussion with Ron Fink at UNT. Jazz Theory with Dan Hearle at UNT.Worked with various musicians at Cedar Valley Commercial Music college, while I was an English teacher at Tarrant County College. Got divorced and went to work with industry after leaving teaching. Played drums with Danny and The Dinosaurs briefly, but I didn't drink enough beer. Played drums with excellent guitar player Steve Gentry, whose west Texas band had opened for ZZ Top once, and hard rocker singer/songwriter Greg Guysinger while working at Verizon. Began doing open mics in Dallas/Fort Worth and Denton in 2004, and have been fortunate to meet some great musicians in the area, who have taught me a lot. Played Club Dada, Fallout and McHenry's. Play percussion for the Mister Joe band in Denton at Banters on Thursdays. Have played percussion for Felix Flores, Hippy Mike, Ryan and Eli of Backflap, Bone Doggie, Ken Nicolson, Howard Musick, who is also an pin and ink artist. I play all the tracks, using Garageband on a Mac, with my inexpensive instruments. 2007, play at Andy's open mic, Banter's, and recently played at the Garage. Currently working in the gas fields as well.