Chuck Miller (musician)
Encyclopedia
Charles Nelson "Chuck" Miller (30 August 1924 - 15 January 2000) was an American
singer and pianist who had a US top ten hit in 1955 with his version of "The House of Blue Lights
".
He was born in Wellington, Kansas
, and learned to play piano as a child. By the mid 1940s he was working as a singer and pianist in clubs in Los Angeles
, before forming his own trio with bass player Robert Douglass. Miller was signed by Capitol Records
in 1953, and began recording with arranger and saxophonist Dave Cavanaugh
. His early recordings were middle-of-the-road pop and novelty numbers, influenced by Dean Martin
and Bing Crosby
, but his later recordings for Capitol, including "Idaho Red" and the self-penned "Hopahula Boogie", showed a more lively style.
In 1955 he moved to Mercury Records
, and his recording of "The House of Blue Lights", arranged by Douglass, and first recorded in 1946 by Ella Mae Morse
and Freddie Slack
, became his most successful recording, reaching # 9 on the US pop chart. However, his immediate follow-ups, "Hawk-Eye" (written by Boudleaux Bryant) and "Boogie Blues" were less successful. He then recorded more upbeat numbers in New York City
with producer Hugo Peretti
, including "Bright Red Convertible", "Baby Doll", and his second hit, "The Auctioneer", which reached # 59 on the chart in late 1956. His other recordings included "Vim Vam Vamoose", "Cool It Baby!", "Down the Road A-Piece
", and a version of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love". He also recorded an album for Mercury, Songs After Hours, which contained a mixture of swing era covers and more upbeat rock and roll
numbers.
After being dropped by Mercury, he recorded one unsuccessful album for Imperial Records
, Now Hear This! Songs Of The Fighting 40s, before gradually fading into obscurity. He and his trio had a residency in Boise, Idaho
for a while, before Douglass left and Miller moved to Anchorage, Alaska
, and later to Maui
. He died there in 2000 at the age of 75.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and pianist who had a US top ten hit in 1955 with his version of "The House of Blue Lights
The House of Blue Lights (song)
"The House of Blue Lights" is a popular song published in 1946, written by Don Raye and Freddie Slack. It was first recorded by Freddie Slack with singer Ella Mae Morse, and was covered the same year by The Andrews Sisters....
".
He was born in Wellington, Kansas
Wellington, Kansas
Wellington is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,172.-19th century:...
, and learned to play piano as a child. By the mid 1940s he was working as a singer and pianist in clubs in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, before forming his own trio with bass player Robert Douglass. Miller was signed by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1953, and began recording with arranger and saxophonist Dave Cavanaugh
Dave Cavanaugh
David Cavanaugh, also known as Dave Cavanaugh or occasionally Big Dave Cavanaugh, , was an American composer, arranger, musician and producer.-Early career:...
. His early recordings were middle-of-the-road pop and novelty numbers, influenced by Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
and Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, but his later recordings for Capitol, including "Idaho Red" and the self-penned "Hopahula Boogie", showed a more lively style.
In 1955 he moved to Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
, and his recording of "The House of Blue Lights", arranged by Douglass, and first recorded in 1946 by Ella Mae Morse
Ella Mae Morse
Ella Mae Morse , was an American popular singer. Morse blended jazz, country, pop, and R&B.-Career:Morse was born in Mansfield, Texas, United States. She was hired by Jimmy Dorsey when she was 14 years old. Dorsey believed she was 19, and when he was informed by the school board that he was now...
and Freddie Slack
Freddie Slack
Frederick Charles Slack was an American swing and boogie-woogie pianist and bandleader.He played with the Jimmy Dorsey Band in the 1930s and was a charter member of the Will Bradley Orchestra when it formed in 1939...
, became his most successful recording, reaching # 9 on the US pop chart. However, his immediate follow-ups, "Hawk-Eye" (written by Boudleaux Bryant) and "Boogie Blues" were less successful. He then recorded more upbeat numbers in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with producer Hugo Peretti
Hugo Peretti
Hugo E. Peretti was an American songwriter and record producer.Born in New York City, Hugo Peretti began his career as a teenager, playing the trumpet in the Borscht Belt in upstate New York...
, including "Bright Red Convertible", "Baby Doll", and his second hit, "The Auctioneer", which reached # 59 on the chart in late 1956. His other recordings included "Vim Vam Vamoose", "Cool It Baby!", "Down the Road A-Piece
Down the Road a Piece
"Down the Road a Piece" is a boogie-woogie song written by Don Raye. In 1940, it was recorded by the Will Bradley Trio and became a top 10 hit in the closing months of the year...
", and a version of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love". He also recorded an album for Mercury, Songs After Hours, which contained a mixture of swing era covers and more upbeat rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
numbers.
After being dropped by Mercury, he recorded one unsuccessful album for Imperial Records
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
, Now Hear This! Songs Of The Fighting 40s, before gradually fading into obscurity. He and his trio had a residency in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
for a while, before Douglass left and Miller moved to Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
, and later to Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
. He died there in 2000 at the age of 75.