Skip Miller
Encyclopedia
Alvin "Skip" Miller was an American recording industry executive. He worked for 17 years at Motown Records
(1971–1988) and served as the label's last president before the company was sold to MCA. While at Motown, he was credited with developing Rick James
, DeBarge
and the Commodores
. After the sale of Motown, Miller worked for a decade at RCA Records
, where he was credited with rejuvenating the label's black music division and helping to develop the rap
genre. He later worked as the manager of Lionel Richie
's solo career.
with a degree in chemistry. Miller joined the U.S. Army in 1968 and served in the Vietnam War
.
's Music Executive of the Year award in 1980 and became the president of Motown Records in 1987. He remained president of Motown until the company was sold to MCA in 1988. In his 17 years at Motown, Miller has been credited with being a key to the success of numerous artists, including Rick James
, DeBarge
and the Commodores
. He also worked with Stevie Wonder
, Smokey Robinson
and Diana Ross
.
, Me Phi Me
and Stacy Earl
. He also helped develop to the rap genre, working with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith
), Kool Moe Dee
, Too Short and KRS-1.
's solo career. In 2004, he established Panda Entertainment Group, a talent management company where he worked with Richie, R. Kelly
, Lina, Nathan Stone and Megan Peeler.
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
(1971–1988) and served as the label's last president before the company was sold to MCA. While at Motown, he was credited with developing Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
, DeBarge
DeBarge
DeBarge was a sibling music group of American origin whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group from 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing from...
and the Commodores
Commodores
The Commodores are an American funk/soul band of the 1970s and 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour...
. After the sale of Motown, Miller worked for a decade at RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, where he was credited with rejuvenating the label's black music division and helping to develop the rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
genre. He later worked as the manager of Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
's solo career.
Early years
Born in New York City, Miller was the son of a fireman. He graduated from Hofstra UniversityHofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
with a degree in chemistry. Miller joined the U.S. Army in 1968 and served in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Motown
Miller began his career in the recording industry as a stock clerk for Motown in 1971. He was promoted through the ranks at Motown to positions in sales, marketing and artist relations. He received the Recording Industry Association of AmericaRecording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
's Music Executive of the Year award in 1980 and became the president of Motown Records in 1987. He remained president of Motown until the company was sold to MCA in 1988. In his 17 years at Motown, Miller has been credited with being a key to the success of numerous artists, including Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
, DeBarge
DeBarge
DeBarge was a sibling music group of American origin whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group from 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing from...
and the Commodores
Commodores
The Commodores are an American funk/soul band of the 1970s and 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour...
. He also worked with 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...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
and Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana 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...
.
RCA Records
After the sale of Motown, Miller worked for a decade at RCA Records. He was the senior vice president of black, jazz and progressive music at RCA, where he was credited with rejuvenating the label’s black music division. He discovered and developed SWVSWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
, Me Phi Me
Me Phi Me
Me Phi Me is a multiplatinum selling American rapper from Flint, Michigan. Me Phi Me is both the name of the musical group and the name of its lead performer....
and Stacy Earl
Stacy Earl
Stacy Earl grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and is a female dance/pop singer who had a string of Top 40 hits in 1992. Her singles "Love Me All Up", "Romeo & Juliet" , and "Slowly" all reached the Top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. She released her self-titled debut album, which featured...
. He also helped develop to the rap genre, working with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
), Kool Moe Dee
Kool Moe Dee
Mohandas Dewese , better known as Kool Moe Dee, is an American Hip Hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was born in Manhattan, New York...
, Too Short and KRS-1.
Lion Tracks and Panda Entertainment Group
In 1998, Miller he took over Lion Tracks, where he was the manager of Lionel RichieLionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
's solo career. In 2004, he established Panda Entertainment Group, a talent management company where he worked with Richie, R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
, Lina, Nathan Stone and Megan Peeler.