2015 Obit: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes

Subject: RE: 2015 Obit: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Nov 21 - 04:12 AM

(((All Mike's Lovies)))

-S-

Subject: RE: 2015 Obit: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 May 21 - 07:19 PM

Mike Miller's name came up in discussion today. I thought I'd refresh this thread in his memory. He was a good guy.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: 2015 Obit: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: GUEST,peter j. curry
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 01:48 PM

Mike knew a zillion folk songs. I used to listen to him sing at the Gilded Cage Coffeehouse in the late '50s. Then I'd go home, get out my copy of Folk Song USA by John A. and Alan Lomax, and practice the songs I heard Mike sing, now that I knew how they went. I especially liked to hear him sing "The Kretchma" (sp?), and "What shall we hunt, said Risky Rob?" (Sorry I forget the title.)I believe Mike spent a lot of time entertaining at children's hospitals in Philadelphia. Great guy. A mainstay of the Philadelphia folk music scene in its formative years.

Subject: RE: 2015 Obit: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 30 Mar 15 - 11:17 AM

Another sad loss to folk music. I have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread. My condolences to all who know and love him.

RIP

Peter

Subject: RE: 2015 Obit: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: GUEST,Banjo Paul
Date: 26 Mar 15 - 01:29 PM

Mike and I sang harmony to the last 4 songs as we packed up at midnight at the "Last Friday" folk sing at Jim and Penny's. How haunting to have just rediscovered him after many years and now, only a couple weeks later, he's gone. He will be sorely missed.

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: SaulBro
Date: 20 Mar 15 - 10:55 PM

Mike was one of a kind. He was my mentor when I started frequenting the Gilded Cage coffeehouse in Center City Philadelphia, and he encouraged me to play harmonica when I was just a novice at it.   A group us, including Mike, Jerry Ricks, and I would catch Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry shows whenever they'd come to Philly, and hang out to jam with them all night. Mike, I like to say, was Brownie to my Sonny.         

I'll never forget Mike's leading hundreds of campers at Second Beach during the 1964 Newport Folk Fest. He was the ultimate song leader, and could entertain audiences of all types and ages.

Not one to hustle for many out-of-town gigs, he preferred to work locally, and it seemed he could set up gigs where none had existed before. He really knew the Philly scene inside out.   Occasionally he would spend time away in such places as Ireland, Israel, California, and Florida.

Thanks, Mike....somehow we'll carry on without you.

Saul Broudy

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: GUEST,Vince
Date: 19 Mar 15 - 08:48 AM

Memorial Service Sunday 3/22 1:30PM

Congregation "Or Ami"
Social Room,
708 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444.

For those who see "Holub's Lawn", it's right next door.


As should be, preceeded in death by so very many talented musicians,

Succeeded in life by even more students and influenced musicians.

All-in-all a definite net gain.

He will be missed.

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: DebC
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 10:54 AM

Oh. This makes me so sad. He and I had corresponded for years and was a huge supporter of my music. He came to every gig I did or did with John within his travel distance. He also reviewed my music and was generous in his praise.

We have lost a real good un' with his passing.

Debra Cowan

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 02:37 AM

To me, Mike was folk music in Philadelphia. We corresponded on a number of occasions, and he was always knowledgeable and generous.
May he rest in peace.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 17 Mar 15 - 12:25 AM

Met him on several occasions at gigs. A very knowledgeable man about folk/Irish music, and we had a few acquaintances in common.He was also one of the nicest curmudgeons you could meet.
He did me the honour of reviewing (favourably) a couple of my CDs.
I'm sorry to hear of his passing.

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: Bert
Date: 16 Mar 15 - 11:35 PM

Bye old fellow. Rest in peace. Nah, get along up there with all the other good 'catters and have a great jam.

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: Rog Peek
Date: 16 Mar 15 - 07:41 PM

Didn't know Mike, but had a conversation on this forum in connection with Phil Ochs. Very sorry to hear of his passing. RIP.

Rog

Subject: RE: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 15 - 01:05 PM

Our musicmic? The reviewer and all around great guy? We'd lost touch. RIP.

~S~

Subject: Mike Miller of Philadelphia passes
From: GUEST,Vince Brennan (oldmusicproject.com)
Date: 15 Mar 15 - 09:00 AM

Sadly, Mike Miller - a frequent and knowledgeable contributor to this site - has passed from us. He'd broken a leg and in the process of having it repaired there were discovered some problems with his heart. After the fracture was reduced and pinned they were exploring reparative procedures for him, but he passed on the table.

A friend and contemporary of so many British Isle and Celtic musicians, as well as the entire "beatnik music", protest and other folk genres, Mike was singing in the mid-late '50's and has never stopped. Born in 1940, he was in precisely the right place at the right time to benefit from Lomax and the Weavers as a send-off to his career and musical education.

I can think of only one or two others who had the knowledge, talent and musical ability that blessed Michael, and he used it unselfishly to entertain, encourage and publicize the many causes in which he was involved.

I wrote the following in 2001 as an acknowledgement for my website. It still holds a strongly now as it did then.

       ***** Michael A. Miller of Philadelphia *****

Finally, the one man most responsible for getting me
interested in and from whom I learned the majority of
my Irish Tradtional repetoire: multi-genre musician,
performer, teacher, raconteur, and friend.

Thank you.
       *****                                  *****


Adieu, Mon Frere!