Bruce Miller is a native of Detroit, MI, where he cut his teeth on the local jazz and R & B scene as a guitarist and saxophonist in his teens. He was in strong demand for much of the professional music scene including local showrooms featuring major acts, records, commercials, jazz clubs and whatever else was happening around town relating to the music biz. It was a result of one of these show bands backing Paul Anka that Bruce found himself breaking out of Detroit to go out on the road with Anka as his guitarist. Within the first year on the road, he found himself about to be drafted into the Army. This led him to audition for, and be accepted by a military jazz band based in Colorado Springs known as The NORAD Commanders. Bruce spent three years writing, and playing guitar and saxophone in this prestigious multi-service ensemble, performing at venues throughout the US and Canada. After his military obligation was fulfilled, the next step was to get back with Paul Anka as his musical director, living in New York and being involved with Anka’s musical affairs, as well as conducting the orchestra. After his three years with Anka, Miller’s experience and musical abilities began to catch the ear of many notables in the industry who’s encouragement brought him to the West Coast where he began working in Los Angeles.
Bruce Miller’s broad musical knowledge led him to doing orchestral arrangements for a long list of R & B artists including The Commodores, The Temptations, Rose Royce, and The Four Tops, as well as contemporary artists like Joss Stone and Rod Stewart. His first big break in scoring for television came when he contacted the composer for “Knots Landing”. Offering to write an updated arrangement for the theme song, Miller’s new version won over the producers who kept it for the rest of the series, and eventually included him in the composer roster for the show for the next five years. It was through this initial offering that Miller started to meet executives from Lorimar Studios as well as producers such as Harry Thomason and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. Obviously impressed, work came quickly for Miller, who’s credits include “Frasier”, “Becker”, “Designing Women”, “Wings”, “The John Larroquette Show”, and two “Bonanza” movies of the week, to name just a few.
His work with the Thomason’s (Designing Women”, Hearts Afire”) has continued throughout his television music career. It was through their close friendship with the First Family that Miller got involved with politics. The Democratic National Committee employed Miller’s musical talents for both Bill Clinton Presidential Campaigns, first in 1992 for a documentary called “A Man From Hope”, and in 1996 for another documentary entitled “A Place Called America”. In fact, “The Man from Hope” is credited as the media event with the most impact that enabled Clinton to win the election. He also scored the “Hillary 2000” film for Mrs Clinton’s NY Senate race, and “Legacy” for President Clinton’s farewell at the 2000 Democratic Convention.
Miller composed music for NBC’s hit show “Frasier”, which held an enviable reputation for it’s entire eleven year run. Hired by the shows creators and producers, David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee, Miller had been with the show since its inception in 1993. Fans of the show should note that it is Kelsey Grammer himself singing the end credit song, composed by Bruce Miller and Darryl Phinnessee.
In June 1997, through Thomason, Bruce Miller got involved as Musical Director with the G8 Summit in Denver, CO. Started in 1975, the Summit is an annual conference where the eight great economic super powers of the world assemble to discuss affairs that affect the international community as a whole. The music program during the conference, “Saturday Night at the Summit”, featured Miller as arranger and conductor of the 45 member orchestra. Among the top talent performing that night were Michael Bolton, Lyle Lovett, Amy Grant, Eartha Kitt, Chuck Berry, Crystal Gayle, Jennifer Holiday, Sounds Of Blackness, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Bruce Miller’s achievements have not gone unnoticed. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1989 for Best Arranger (Music Direction) for the Sammy Davis Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration”, and he garnered a second nomination in 1994 for Best Theme for “Frasier”. In addition, he has sixteen BMI TV and Film awards and seven SESAC television awards. His hip, quirky jazz music featured on “Frasier” has landed him many more shows of broad musical styles. Miller also boasts various gold and platinum records for work with The Mighty Clouds of Joy, The Temptations, The Commodores, Rev. James Cleveland, David Ruffin, Lenny Williams from Tower Of Power, Diahann Carroll, and Rod Stewart, among others.
Included among Miller’s many television shows is “Becker”, from Paramount Television and Dave Hackel Productions. The idea for an eclectic score and theme led Miller to suggesting a very hard- edged guitar solo over an urban, more sophisticated, stylized rhythm section. It seemed a perfect fit for Miller’s twenty-year-old son Jason, to be the guitarist for this show. The producers heard a particular raw edge from the original demo featuring Jason, that ended up as the sound for this complex, edgy character.
Bruce Miller continues to be active in the LA music scene and has become increasingly more involved in collaborations with his son, Jason. In addition to his busy television scoring schedule, he is again becoming increasingly active in the record industry, writing and arranging for artists of various styles........he’s got no plans of slowing down any time soon!
Education:
(the notable) Mumford High School in Detroit, Michigan
Wayne State University-music theory and composition
All those amazing mentors, from Don Costa to Bill Potts to Gene Page and on and on. (You can gain an awful lot of knowledge by just sitting in the Caesars Palace coffee shop asking questions!)
Military Service:
NORAD Commanders (Army/Navy/Air Force/Canadian Air Force) from 1968-1970.
(Multi-service jazz band stationed in Colorado Springs, CO)
*from a bio by Jon Burlingame
