{{short description|American jazz trumpeter (1894–1971)}}
'''Ernest Miller''', also known as '''Punch Miller''' or Kid Punch Miller (June 10, 1894 – December 2, 1971),<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1695/6}}</ref> was an American traditional jazz trumpeter.
Miller was born in Raceland, Louisiana, United States.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He was known in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was based from 1919 to 1927, when he moved to Chicago.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> In New Orleans he headed the Crescent City Orchestra since 1919, when he took over it from Jack Carey.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jack Carey (1889-1934) – The Syncopated Times |url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/jack-carey-1889-1934/ |access-date=2022-07-31 |website=syncopatedtimes.com |date=26 April 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref> In Chicago he worked with various bands, including those of Jelly Roll Morton and Tiny Parham, and appeared on a number of recordings.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He is also confirmed to be the cornettist on the Gennett recordings of the obscure ensemble King Mutt and his Tennessee Thumpers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/king-mutt-his-tennessee-thumpers-mn0001719366 |title=King Mutt & His Tennessee Thumpers |author=Dave Lewis |website=AllMusic |access-date=August 27, 2007}}</ref>
His lifestyle and the decline of Dixieland Jazz led to his falling out of the limelight. This changed with the rising importance of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and he returned to national attention.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/punch-miller/ |title=Punch Miller |author=Andy Senior |website=The Syncopated Times |date=29 May 2020 |access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref>
He returned to New Orleans, playing at Preservation Hall and leading a band under his own name, in addition to playing with other groups.
In 1963, he toured Japan with the clarinetist George Lewis.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
Miller was the subject of the television documentary ''Til the Butcher Cuts Him Down''.<ref>{{IMDb title|qid=Q128925093}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07E7D9103BF930A3575AC0A965948260 New York Times on the film] *[http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/bio/0,,468175,00.html#bio Artist direct] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219201425/http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/bio/0,,468175,00.html#bio |date=2012-02-19 }} *{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p105826|label=Ernest Miller}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Punch}} Category:1894 births Category:1971 deaths Category:Dixieland jazz musicians Category:Jazz musicians from New Orleans Category:American jazz trumpeters Category:American male trumpeters Category:Savoy Records artists Category:20th-century American trumpeters Category:People from Raceland, Louisiana Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:American male jazz musicians Category:Preservation Hall Jazz Band members {{US-jazz-trumpeter-stub}}