Robert Miller (bassist)

Robert Miller (born July 13, 1951) is an American musician, songwriter, podcaster and author. Miller is the band leader and the bassist, composer and a vocalist for the jazz-rock-latin fusion band Project Grand Slam.

Robert Miller
Born	(1951-07-13) July 13, 1951 (age 72) New York City, United States
Nationality	American
Musical career
Genres	Jazz, Rock Latin
Occupations	bassist, songwriter vocalist

Life and career

Miller was born and raised in New York City by his parents. His father was also a musician and played the trumpet. Miller has one younger brother.^[1]

Miller graduated from Martin Van Buren High School (NYC) in 1968 and from Boston University in 1972 with a degree in Broadcasting and Film.

Miller's youthful dream was to be a full time musician. He began playing piano at age 5, then switched to the trumpet, then taught himself guitar and bass as a teenager. At 19 he briefly studied the bass with Jimmy Garrison, John Coltrane’s bassist.

Miller returned to Boston in 1971 and began playing at all the local clubs and concert venues with his jazz-rock band Sagov while also working at WGBH, the public television station.

In order to support himself and his family he studied law and then practiced law and investment banking. It was only when he was in his 60s that he finally transitioned into a full time music career^[2][3]

In 1994 Miller recorded his first album, Child’s Play, and formed The Robert Miller Group.^[4] The band played at a number of clubs in NYC including the Blue Note and Birdland and at several festivals including the Telluride Jazz Festival.

In 2007, he founded the jazz-rock-latin fusion band Project Grand Slam.^[5][6][7] Miller leads the band and is also the band’s bassist and songwriter.^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]} In the same year Miller and the band had a featured role, including five of their songs, in an episode of NBC's Lipstick Jungle (TV series) starring Brooke Shields.^[14]

In 2015, Miller transitioned the band to include mainly his original vocal songs. Project Grand Slam has released 11 albums including a Billboard #1 (Trippin’ 2018).^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]}

The Shakespeare Concert was released in March 2022. It features 15 songs recorded 'live in the studio' without any overdubs or fixes. The album has received praise from a number of musicians including Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad), Jim Peterik (Ides Of March), Joey Dee (Peppermint Twist), Elliott Randall (Steely Dan) and Sarah Class (noted British composer.

The band’s 5-song EP, “Live At SteelStacks”, was released in October 2022. The EP was recorded at the SteelStacks venue in Bethlehem, PA. The EP has been praised by Tony Carey (producer for Joe Cocker, Eric Burden and John Mayall), Elliott Randall (Steely Dan), Alan Hewitt (Moody Blues), Melody Maker and Hollywood Digest.

On each album one of Miller's musical signatures is to take an iconic song from the British Invasion era of the 1960s and reimagine it completely in PGS's style. He has done this with songs by Cream, The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles.

Project Grand Slam has millions of video views and streams, and over 50,000 Facebook fans. Miller and the band have also shared the stage with other musicians over the years including Edgar Winter, Blues Traveler, Boney James and Mindi Abair.^{[25][26][27][28][29][30][31]}

Miller released his first solo album called Summer Of Love in 2020.^[32][33][34] His second solo album called Miller Rocks was released song by song in 2021 via his podcast, Follow Your Dream.^[35][36][37]

In March 2021, Miller started hosting a podcast called Follow Your Dream, with the goal of motivating others to pursue their dreams.^[38][39] The podcast currently is ranked in the Top 1% and has listeners in 200 countries, and has featured musicians, authors, broadcasters, actors and others as guests.

In August 2021, Miller released the Follow Your Dream Handbook to accompany the podcast.^[40][41] The handbook presents his own autobiographical account and experiences and is a step by step how-to. The Handbook immediately became an Amazon #1 Bestseller.^[42][43]

References

1. "Episode 53 Robert Miller". Qavah The Podcast | Stories Of Overcoming Difficulties. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
2. "ROBERT MILLER of acclaimed Project Grand Slam #Band on DARE TO DREAM podcast with DEBBI DACHINGER #music #billboard #musician". Spreaker. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
3. FM, Player (30 May 2021), Leaving Law Behind to Become a Musician - Robert Miller, retrieved 2021-12-09
4. Jazz, All About. "Robert Miller music @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz Musicians. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
5. "PROJECT GRAND SLAM". SGENT NATION. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
6. "Project Grand Slam - About". Project Grand Slam. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
7. "ROBERT MILLER'S PROJECT GRAND SLAM RELEASES THE SONG "TREE OF LIFE (DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS)" – VideoMusicStars". videomusicstars.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
8. Jazz, All About. "Robert Miller music @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz Musicians. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
9. "Robert Miller Project Grand Slam – 'The PGS Experience' – Skope Entertainment Inc". 17 July 2017. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
10. "Project Grand Slam new single 'The Rescue'". 29 June 2016. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
11. PopEntertainment (2016-08-15). "Master Bassist Robert Miller Makes Project Grand Slam His Mission". popentertainment. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
12. Nutt, Bill. "Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam at Mayo". Daily Record. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
13. Stories, Local (18 November 2020). "Meet Robert Miller of Project Grand Slam - Voyage LA Magazine | LA City Guide". voyagela.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
14. "Project Grand Slam". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
15. Papadatos, Markos (2018-07-25). "Robert Miller discusses new Project Grand Slam album, Woodstock (Includes interview)". Digital Journal. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
16. "BENEFIT CONCERT: PROJECT GRAND SLAM | Shakespeare & Company | Lenox, MA". www.shakespeare.org. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
17. "Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
18. "Shakespeare & Company Hosts Benefit Concert Featuring Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam". berkshireonstage.blog. 2021-07-21. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
19. Project Grand Slam: The PGS Experience - Robert Miller | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-12-09
20. mindymccall (2020-05-02). ""I'm Falling Off of the World" by Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam". IndiePulse Music Magazine. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
21. Magazine, Bass (20 May 2019). "Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam Announces New Album 'PGS 7'". Bass Magazine - The Future of Bass. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
22. "Groovin' with Project Grand Slam". Herald Community Newspapers. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
23. "Project Grand Slam: Celebrated Jazz Rock Latin Fusion Group Release New Album, "PGS 7"". PhaseGlobalRadio.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
24. Girard, Keith (2018-06-11). "Robert Miller, Project Grand Slam Fuse Rock, Jazz In Best-Yet Album 'Trippin'". Retrieved 2021-12-09.
25. "Turning Dreams into Reality – Robert Miller's Newly Released Book is a Manual for Success". www.ktvn.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
26. "The #SpeakEasy Podcast | Listen on JioSaavn #SaavnOriginals". JioSaavn. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
27. "Interview with Robert Miller | Project Grand Slam America's Favorite Jazz-Rock Band – Reach For The Stars While Standing On Earth!". 27 June 2018. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
28. Musician, Bass (2017-03-04). "Bass Player Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam". Bass Musician Magazine, The Face of Bass. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
29. "Project Grand Slam". Geoff Wilbur's Music Blog. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
30. Editor, Managing (2017-05-15). "ROBERT MILLER'S PROJECT GRAND SLAM". JazzMonthly.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
31. Fame 2021 (https://eastcoastmusichalloffame.org), East Coast Music Hall of (2020-02-26). "Robert Miller | 2022 Nominees | East Coast Music Hall of Fame | Giving Recognition to East Coast Artists". East Coast Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2021-12-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
32. "Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam Continues To Create During The Pandemic – Times Square Chronicles". 17 September 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
33. "Summer of Love is the first solo effort for Project Grand Slam's Robert Miller". NeuFutur Magazine. 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
34. "Robert Miller of Project Grand Slam Releases Debut Solo Album". indiemusicreviews.net. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
35. "Robert Miller Bio Index Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam". Robert Miller's Project Grand Slam. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
36. "Robert Miller To Release New Album"Miller Rocks"The 10 Songs On The Album Will Be Released One At A Time On Robert's Podcast, 'Follow Your Dream' – Times Square Chronicles". 20 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
37. "ROBERT MILLER OF PROJECT GRAND SLAM RELEASES SOLO LP". Hollywood Digest. 17 October 2020.
38. "Will Call #73 — NTRVW: Robert Miller of Project Grand Slam • The Greylock Glass". The Greylock Glass. 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
39. Cristi, A. A. "Robert Miller's FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS Podcast To Launch With VIP Guests". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
40. "Robert Miller's Bio". Follow Your Dream Podcast. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
41. "ProfesionalmakeupartistFollow your dreams podcast interview". Christina Flach Makeup Artist. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
42. Cristi, A. A. "Robert Miller's "Follow Your Dream Handbook" to Be Released This August 3". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
43. "Musician Robert Miller's 'Follow Your Dream' Podcast Spawns Book". All Access. Retrieved 2021-12-09.