Ron Miller (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Norman Miller was an American
popular songwriter
and record producer
, who attained many Top 10 hits with ballads written for Motown artists in the 1960s and 1970s.
Miller was born in Chicago
and was discovered playing in a bar by Motown founder Berry Gordy
.
He penned a number of songs for Stevie Wonder
, including four hit singles, in the period prior to 1971 when Wonder took control of his own recordings.
Miller's most famous hit song was Stevie Wonder
's "For Once in My Life
" which was written the night his daughter Angel was born. It is one of the most covered songs in pop history with more than 270 recorded versions. A version recorded by Tony Bennett
and Wonder won a Grammy Award
in 2007. A version of his song "Heaven Help Us All
" by Ray Charles
and Gladys Knight
won a Grammy Award for best gospel
performance in 2005.
Miller died on July 23, 2007, of cardiac arrest
at Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center, after a long battle with emphysema
and cancer
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, who attained many Top 10 hits with ballads written for Motown artists in the 1960s and 1970s.
Miller was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and was discovered playing in a bar by Motown founder Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
.
He penned a number of songs for Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, including four hit singles, in the period prior to 1971 when Wonder took control of his own recordings.
Miller's most famous hit song was Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "For Once in My Life
For Once in My Life
"For Once in My Life" is a pop song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Jobete publishing company in 1967 . The composition was originally recorded by Jean DuShon, while other artists, such as Tony Bennett and The Temptations, recorded slow ballad versions of the song...
" which was written the night his daughter Angel was born. It is one of the most covered songs in pop history with more than 270 recorded versions. A version recorded by Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
and Wonder won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in 2007. A version of his song "Heaven Help Us All
Heaven Help Us All
"Heaven Help Us All" is a 1970 soul single composed by Ron Miller and first performed by Motown singer Stevie Wonder. The song, which showcased a departure from Wonder's earlier works displaying an earthier, gospel-infused sound, continued Wonder's string of Top 10 singles on the pop charts...
" by Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
and Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
won a Grammy Award for best gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
performance in 2005.
Miller died on July 23, 2007, of cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
at Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center, after a long battle with emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
and cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
Selected list of Miller songs
- "A Place in the SunA Place in the Sun (song)"A Place in the Sun" is a 1966 soul single by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder. Written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, the song hit #9 on the Billboard pop singles chart, his third Top Ten hit since 1963, and one of Wonder's first songs to contain social commentary...
" (Ron Miller, Bryan Wells) – Stevie Wonder, 1966, US #9, UK #20 - "For Once in My LifeFor Once in My Life"For Once in My Life" is a pop song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Jobete publishing company in 1967 . The composition was originally recorded by Jean DuShon, while other artists, such as Tony Bennett and The Temptations, recorded slow ballad versions of the song...
" (Ron Miller, Orlando Murden) – Stevie Wonder, 1968, US #2, UK #3 - "Yester-Me, Yester-You, YesterdayYester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday"Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" is a 1969 soul song written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, released by American Motown singer-songwriter-musician Stevie Wonder on the album My Cherie Amour. The song continued Wonder's success on the pop charts...
" (Ron Miller, Bryan Wells) – Stevie Wonder, 1969, US #7, UK #2 - "Heaven Help Us AllHeaven Help Us All"Heaven Help Us All" is a 1970 soul single composed by Ron Miller and first performed by Motown singer Stevie Wonder. The song, which showcased a departure from Wonder's earlier works displaying an earthier, gospel-infused sound, continued Wonder's string of Top 10 singles on the pop charts...
" (Ron Miller) – Stevie Wonder, 1970, US #9, UK #29 - "Someday at Christmas" (with Bryan Wells) -Stevie Wonder 1967
- "Touch Me in the MorningTouch Me in the Morning"Touch Me in the Morning" is a popular song recorded by Diana Ross on the Motown label. It became her second solo number-one single in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973....
" (Ron Miller, Michael MasserMichael MasserMichael Masser , a former stockbroker, is a composer and producer of popular music. He attended the University of Illinois College of Law, but left to pursue his interest in music...
) – Diana RossDiana RossDiana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, 1973, US #1, UK #9 - "Don't Burn Down the Bridge" (Ron Miller) - Gladys Knight & the PipsGladys Knight & the PipsGladys Knight & The Pips were an R&B/soul family musical act from Atlanta, Georgia, active from 1953 to 1989. The group was best known for their string of hit singles on Motown's "Soul" record label and Buddah Records from 1967 to 1975, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight...
, 1973 - "I've Never Been to MeI've Never Been to Me"I've Never Been to Me" is a sleeper hit single performed by American singer Charlene Oliver née D'Angelo.-Chart history:Upon its initial release in 1977, the song reached number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In 1982, renewed interest in the song led to the single reaching Number 3 in...
" (Ron Miller, Ken Hirsch) – Charlene, 1982, US #3, UK #1, Canada #1, Australia #1 - "Put Me On" (Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Bertram Reid, W.Cunningham, N. Durham, Ronald Miller, Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
) - Mario, 2002. The album peaked at US #9. - "If I Could" (Ron Miller, Ken Hirsch, Marti Sharron) – Celine DionCeline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, 2004. The album Miracle peaked at US #4.