Frankie Miller (born December 17, 1931, Victoria, Texas) is an American country singer, guitarist and songwriter.
Born in Victoria, Texas, neither of his parents were musicians but there was plenty of music around the Miller household. His older brother Norman taught him to play the guitar. Although singing came naturally, Frankie was more interested in sports than music early in his life. He actually enrolled in Victoria Junior College on a football scholarship, and even thought seriously about a career as a boxer. Eventually the lure of country music became too strong.
Before long, Frankie and Norman had formed a band and were playing local clubs. Their musical influences were pretty easy to spot. Like almost everyone in the business, they were affected by Hank Williams' style and sound. But they were Texans, and that meant more than just a little bit of Lefty Frizzell and Ernest Tubb.Like most barely professional musicians working local clubs, Frankie had to be a human jukebox. The patrons wanted to hear the songs they knew from records and radio. It was up to Frankie and the Drifting Texans, as he named the band, to provide those familiar sounds. Original material, if tolerated at all, was offered in very small doses. The band's popularity along the Gulf Coast was boosted by a daily radio show over KNAL in Victoria.
He also worked in Houston, where he gained a contract with the 4 Star subsidiary, Guilt Edge. Though he recorded several numbers in 1951, Miller soon left to serve in the Korean War. He returned two years later with a Bronze Star, and signed to Columbia in 1954. None of the dozen sides he recorded in the subsequent year placed on the charts, though. Miller appeared around Texas (including on Fort Worth's Cowtown Hoedown) during the late '50s and recorded occasional one-off singles for local labels.
Don Pierce, owner of the Starday label, had been of the few who appreciated Miller's Guilt Edge recordings, so he signed the young singer in 1959. Miller rewarded the label-owner's confidence that same year when "Blackland Farmer" hit the country Top Five and became one of Starday's most popular recordings. "Family Man" reached number seven in October 1959.
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| Miller, Patsy Cline & Ferlin Husky '60 |
Miller was tapped as Cashbox's Most Promising Country Artist for 1960 and for a time he appeared as a regular on the Louisiana Hayride and guested on both the Grand Ole Opry and the Ozark Jubilee. During the time, Frankie toured with several artists that would become country music icons including Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Buck Owens, Lefty Frizzell and Willie Nelson. Unfortunately, Miller had already reached the pinnacle of his success -- he hit the charts only three more times. "Baby Rocked Her Dolly" entered the Top 15 in 1960 and "A Little South of Memphis" hit number 34 in 1964, while a re-release of "Black Land Farmer" hit number 16 in 1961.
Between the years of 1959 – 1963 there was no stronger, no more powerful body of work in American country music than the songs recorded by Frankie Miller. Period. Admittedly, that's strong praise. Not every track Frankie cut during this period belongs on your desert island list. But many of them do. There are records here, created during this relatively brief period of time, that are simply among the best country music has ever had to offer. Frankie's best during this period is as good as it gets. That one man should produce so much good music in a very brief period of time is worth your attention. Miller recorded for United Artists in 1965 but retired from music to work at a Chrysler dealership in Arlington, Texas with one exception he had a single released on the Stop label in 1968.
Frankie reappeared in 2003 and toured throughout Texas and headlined the Rhythm Riot in England in November of 2003. He frequented the Ernest Tubb Record Shopand performed in the historic Ft. Worth Stockyards. He signed with the Heart of Texas Records based in Brady, Texas, in 2005. "The Family Man" was released on March 25, 2006. The album contained a couple of rerecorded gems from Miller including "Blackland Farmer""Pain""Just Two Lips Away" (a duet with Leona Williams) and "Family Man" while concentrating on new material for Miller including "Pickin Time""I Flew Over Our House Last Night" and "The Old Side of Town."
"I plan to continue to sing and play Country Music for anyone that will listen,” Frankie Miller recently said. "I love Country Music and the Country Music fans-they are the best in the world."
(Edited from Bear Family notes, AllMusic & frankiemillercountry.com)