{{Short description|American singer and bassist (born 1961)}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = Biscuit Miller | image = | caption = | alt = | image_size = | birth_name = David Leon Miller | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|12|30}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, United States | origin = | death_date = | death_place = | instrument = Bass guitar | genre = Electric blues, funk<ref name="thebradentontimes1">{{cite web|url=http://thebradentontimes.com/community-bluesman-dave-biscuit-miller-kicks-off-blues-bar-buzz-events-p13273-158.htm |title=Community Bluesman Dave Biscuit Miller Kicks Off Blues Bar Buzz Events at Ace's Friday |website=Thebradentontimes.com |date=2015-07-22 |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref> | occupation = Bassist, singer, songwriter | years_active = 1980s–present | label = | website = {{URL|http://www.biscuitmiller.com/index.html|Official website}} }}
'''David Leon "Biscuit" Miller''' (born December 30, 1961)<ref name="Eagle">{{cite book|author1=Bob L. Eagle|author2=Eric S. LeBlanc|title=Blues: A Regional Experience|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZNfAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA133|date=1 May 2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-34424-4|page=76}}</ref> is an American electric blues bassist, singer and songwriter. He writes most of his own material, and has released four albums to date. In 2012 and 2017, Miller won a Blues Music Award in the 'Instrumentalist - Bass' category.<ref name="Wishbone"/><ref name="BMA">{{cite web |url=https://www.americanbluesscene.com/2017/05/2017-blues-music-awards-winners/ |title=2017 Blues Music Awards Winner List |website=Americanbluesscene.com |access-date=2017-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512112617/https://www.americanbluesscene.com/2017/05/2017-blues-music-awards-winners/ |archive-date=2017-05-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
His best known songs include "Lay It On Down", " Bottle of Whiskey Bottle of Wine", "Going Home", "One More Mile", "Monday Morning Blues", and "Wishbone".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/artist/Biscuit+Miller/a/albums.htm |title=Biscuit Miller Discography at CD Universe |website=Cduniverse.com |date= |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref> Miller performed at the Bradenton Blues Festival in December 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bradentonbluesfestival.org/dave-biscuit-miller/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927093517/https://www.bradentonbluesfestival.org/dave-biscuit-miller/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=September 27, 2020 |title=Dave "Biscuit" Miller – The Bradenton Blues Festival |website=Bradentonbluesfestival.org |date= |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref> ''Down Beat'' described him as "a real crowd-pleaser."<ref name="thebradentontimes1"/>
==Life and career== Miller was born in South Side, Chicago, Illinois, United States, and was raised by his grandmother. His childhood nickname of 'Biscuit' was acquired when just before supper, Miller ate a pan of his grandmother's biscuits.<ref name="Smile"/> He found a four string electric bass guitar belonging to his friend's elder brother and immediately was inspired to try to play the instrument.<ref name="Smoke"/> Miller discovered the blues via his connection to Willie Dixon. "I went to school with Willie's kids," Miller said, "and Willie did one of the first blues programs in Chicago. Once, he brought in this little kid named Lucky Peterson" and Miller noted "hearing the band play excited... and made me want to play music."<ref name="Smile"/> Miller formed his first band named Clever with his cousin, Ivan Wallace, and they jointly relocated to Minneapolis in 1982.<ref name="Smoke"/>
Miller went on to work with Sonny Rodgers, from whom he learned a great deal about playing the blues and they recorded an album, ''They Call Me the Cat Daddy''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/they-call-me-the-cat-daddy-mw0000429663/credits |title=They Call Me the Cat Daddy - Sonny Rodgers | Credits |website=AllMusic |date=1999-12-25 |access-date=2017-05-26}}</ref> It won Rodgers a Handy Award for Best New Artist, although he died before he could accept his award. Miller moved on to backing George "Mojo" Buford and Lady Blue (a backing vocalist for Ike & Tina Turner).<ref name="Smoke"/> During this time, he was asked if he could step in for one night to play the bass behind another Chicago born blues musician, Lonnie Brooks.<ref name="Bourbon"/> His tenure lasted for over ten years in Brooks backing band, including playing at the second inauguration of Bill Clinton.<ref name="Smoke"/> In 2000, he formed Biscuit and The Mix to fill in time between commitments to Brooks and they recorded Miller's debut album, ''Come Together'' (2002).<ref name="Wishbone"/> Miller also played informally with Anthony Gomes, before joining his band as a full-time member in time to record ''Sweet Stringin' Soul''. During his five-year stint with Gomes, Miller contributed to the studio albums ''Sweet Stringin' Soul'' (2000), ''Unity'' (2002), and ''Music is the Medicine'' (2006).<ref name="Smoke">{{cite web |url=http://www.smokestacklightnin.com/Bios/Dave%20Biscuit%20Miller.htm |title=Dave "Biscuit" Miller |website=Smokestacklightnin.com |date= |access-date=2017-05-25 |archive-date=2016-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311064355/http://www.smokestacklightnin.com/Bios/Dave%20Biscuit%20Miller.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
By 2009, Miller had formed his own band.<ref name="Wishbone"/> Miller noted that "I was getting on up in my 50s... I'd done all this playing with everybody else, and it just seemed like time. I can play this bass fairly well and I can sing a little bit and I know how to smile."<ref name="Smile">{{cite web|url=http://www.wvgazettemail.com/News/201312180127#sthash.wsBIF0pq.dpuf |title=Mixing it up with 'Biscuit' Miller |website=Wvgazettemail.com |date=2013-12-18 |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref> ''Blues with a Smile'' was released in 2010.<ref name="Bourbon">{{cite web |author= |url=http://illinoistimes.com/article-10148-biscuit-miller-and-the-mix.html |title=Biscuit Miller and the Mix |website=Illinoistimes.com |date=2012-06-21 |access-date=2017-05-25 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Guest performers included Billy Branch on harmonica, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Shawn Kellerman on guitar and Andrew "Blaze" Thomas on drums. They played alongside Miller's regular backing outfit, the Mix.<ref name="Blast">{{cite web|url=http://www.thebluesblast.com/bluesartists/biscuitmiller.htm |title=Blues Blast Magazine : Blues CD Review|website=TheBluesBlast.com |date= |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref> In 2012 Miller gained his first Blues Music Award, whilst ''Blues with a Smile'', received airplay on Sirius XM Radio.<ref name="Wishbone"/> In 2013, Miller performed at the Daytona Blues Festival.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://snaptwig.com/day-two-2013-daytona-blues-festival/ |title=Day Two — 2013 Daytona Blues Festival |website=Snaptwig.com |date=2013-02-04 |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref>
His recording ''Wishbone'' (2016), was where the title track was inspired by Miller's two grandsons being excited about making a wish on the turkey wishbone during their Thanksgiving dinner. In May 2017, Miller won his second Blues Music Award in the 'Instrumentalist - Bass' category.<ref name="Wishbone">{{cite web |url=http://www.biscuitmiller.com/biscuit.html |title=Biscuit - Biscuit Miller |website=Biscuitmiller.com |date= |access-date=2017-05-25 |archive-date=2017-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207110614/http://biscuitmiller.com/biscuit.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="BMA"/>
He currently resides in Highland, Lake County, Indiana, but is based in Indianapolis.<ref name="Eagle"/>
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || Title || Record label |- | 2002 || ''Come Together'' || style="text-align:center;"|Blue Bass Entertainment |- | 2010 || ''Blues with a Smile'' || style="text-align:center;"|Blue Bass Entertainment |- | 2016 || ''Chicken Grease'' || style="text-align:center;"|Blue Bass Entertainment |- | 2019 || ''Wishbone'' || style="text-align:center;"|American Showplace Muisc |}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/3135046-Dave-Biscuit-Miller |title=Dave "Biscuit" Miller Discography |website=Discogs.com |date= |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/biscuit-miller-mn0000425508 |title=Biscuit Miller | Album Discography |website=AllMusic |date=2002-03-11 |access-date=2017-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Diard Erick |url=https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/biscuit2 |title=Biscuit Miller | Blues with a Smile | CD Baby Music Store |website=Store.cdbaby.com |date= |access-date=2017-05-25 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==See also== * List of electric blues musicians
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.biscuitmiller.com/index.html Official website] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT2mjsVtb7o Video footage on YouTube] *[http://digital.livingblues.com/publication/index.php?i=380117&m=&l=&p=53&pre=&ver=html5#page:52,issue_id:380117 ''Living Blues'' article]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Biscuit}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Electric blues musicians Category:Blues bass guitarists Category:American blues guitarists Category:American male bass guitarists Category:American funk bass guitarists Category:21st-century American bass guitarists Category:American blues singers Category:American funk singers Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:21st-century American singers Category:Singers from Chicago Category:Guitarists from Chicago Category:Songwriters from Illinois Category:20th-century American bass guitarists Category:20th-century American male singers Category:21st-century American male singers Category:African-American songwriters Category:African-American guitarists Category:21st-century African-American male singers Category:American male songwriters