Frankie Miller

Biography

Francis John Miller (born 2 November 1949) is a Scottish rock singer-songwriter and actor.
Miller wrote for and performed with many recording artists and is best known for his 1977 album Full House×Full House1977 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Be Good to Yourself3:00A2The Doodle Song2:45A3Jealous Guy4:40A4Searching3:47A5Love Letters2:57B1Take Good Care of Yourself3:15B2Down the Honkytonk3:12B3This Love of Mine3:47B4Let the Candlelight Shine2:57B5(I'll Never) Live in Vain2:55, the singles "Be Good To Yourself×Be Good to Yourself1977 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABe Good to Yourself3:00BDown the Honky Tonk3:06", "Darlin'" and his duet with Phil Lynott on the Thin Lizzy song "Still in Love with You".

Early life

Miller was born in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland in 1949.

1966–1972: Early career

Miller began singing professionally as a teenager with a Glasgow band called 'The Stoics'. In mid 1970, he moved to London to further his career. He performed with the band 'Howl' at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. He soon joined up with guitarist Robin Trower, ex-Stone the Crows bassist/singer James Dewar, and former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker to form the short-lived group 'Jude'. This outfit did not record and soon split.

1972–1974: First albums and collaboration with Thin Lizzy

Later in 1972, Miller signed a solo recording contract with Chrysalis Records, and recorded his first LP Once in a Blue Moon×Once in a Blue Moon1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1You Don't Need to Laugh (To Be Happy)3:33A2I Can't Change It3:11A3Candlelight Sonata in F Major2:36A4Ann Eliza Jane3:05A5It's All Over2:40B1In No Resistance3:02B2After All (Live My Life)3:44B3Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues4:04B4Mailbox3:15B5I'm Ready3:09, with record producer Dave Robinson. The album was an early example of pub rock, and featured backing by the pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz. Miller received consistently good reviews, although his singles and albums were not chart hits, Chrysalis continued to invest in his talent. In 1974 Miller sang "Still in Love with You", as a duet with Phil Lynott; the song appeared on the Thin Lizzy album, Nightlife. Miller's second album High Life×High Life1974 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1High Life (Filler)1:002Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)3:383Trouble3:334A Fool2:525Little Angel3:166With You in Mind3:217The Devil Gun3:378I'll Take a Melody4:369Just a Song2:5010Shoo-Rah2:5011I'm Falling in Love Again4:0712With You in Mind0:58, was produced and partly written by Allen Toussaint and recorded in Atlanta, Georgia during 1974. Although two album tracks, "Shoo Rah, Shoo Rah" and "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)", subsequently provided hits for Betty Wright and Three Dog Night respectively, the album was not a commercial success.

1975–1979: Subsequent albums and "Darlin'"

Miller's next album The Rock×The Rock1975 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1A Fool in Love3:05A2The Heartbreak4:00A3The Rock3:32A4I Know Why the Sun Don't Shine6:01A5Hard on the Levee3:16B1Ain't Got No Money2:51B2All My Love to You5:35B3I'm Old Enough4:50B4Bridgeton4:35B5Drunken Nights in the City3:51 (1975) was recorded in San Francisco using the producer Elliot Mazer, who had co-produced Harvest for Neil Young. The next album Full House×Full House1977 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Be Good to Yourself3:00A2The Doodle Song2:45A3Jealous Guy4:40A4Searching3:47A5Love Letters2:57B1Take Good Care of Yourself3:15B2Down the Honkytonk3:12B3This Love of Mine3:47B4Let the Candlelight Shine2:57B5(I'll Never) Live in Vain2:55 (1977), was produced by Chris Thomas. The lead off track "Be Good to Yourself×Be Good to Yourself1977 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABe Good to Yourself3:00BDown the Honky Tonk3:06" became Miller's first UK top 40 hit, peaking at No. 27 in the UK Singles Chart during June that year. In 1978 Miller hit the UK top 10 with the song "Darlin'", which peaked at No. 6 on 14 October 1978. "Darlin'" also made the Billboard "Bubbling Under" chart in the US, peaking at No. 103. The next single penned by Miller "When I'm Away From You" rose to No. 42 in UK, but failed to chart in US.
During 1979, Miller wrote the opening and closing songs on the film A Sense of Freedom, as well as performing on them. He diversified into acting. During 1979 Miller starred in Peter McDougall's TV film, Just a Boys' Game, directed by John Mackenzie.

1980–1993: Later albums and "Caledonia"

In 1980, Miller released his seventh album, Easy Money×Easy Money1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Easy MoneyA2The Woman in YouA3Why Don't You Spend the NightA4So Young, So YoungA5Forget About MeB1Heartbreak RadioB2Cheap... ThrillsB3No ChanceB4Gimme LoveB5Tears. The lead single, "Why Don't You Spend the Night", was a minor hit in Australia. Miller later re-recorded the album's closing track, "Tears", as a duet with Bonnie Tyler on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night (1983). Miller moved to Capitol Records for his next album, Standing on the Edge×Standing on the EdgeJune 1982 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Danger Danger3:27A2Standing on the Edge3:08A3Zap Zap3:34A4To Dream the Dream4:04A5Don't Stop4:14B1Angels With Dirty Faces3:57B2Firin' Line3:30B3Jealousy4:14B4It's All Coming Down Tonight3:50B5On My Way3:33. It was noted by Newsday as a departure from the R&B influences on his earlier releases, sounding more like the music of rock bands Foreigner and Bad Company.
In 1986, Miller released his final studio album, Dancing in the Rain×Dancing in the Rain1986 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1I'd Lie to You for Your Love3:072Do It Till We Drop4:063That's How Long My Love Is2:514How Many Tears Can You Hide3:445Dancing in the Rain3:246Shakey Ground3:407The Boys and the Girls Are Doing It3:278Game of Love3:539Gladly Go Blind3:5910You're a Puzzle I Can't Put Down3:16. It was produced by John Jansen, and like its predecessor, the album was noted for its rock influences. Mark Deming of AllMusic compared it to Robert Palmer's single "Addicted to Love" and said that the album sounds more "dated" than his earlier work. It peaked at No. 39 on the Swedish Albums chart.
In 1991, Miller recorded an excerpt of "Caledonia×Caledonia1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksACaledonia3:38BI'll Never Be That Young Again4:17" for a Tennent's lager television advert. After a surge of requests from viewers, Miller recorded and released a full-length version as a single in 1992. It peaked at No. 45 on the UK Singles Chart. Later that same year, Miller recorded a second duet with Bonnie Tyler, titled "Save Your Love", for her album Angel Heart.
In 1993, Miller recorded "Why Don't You Try Me×Why Don't You Try Me1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Why Don't You Try Me4:132Why Don't You Try Me (instrumental version)4:13" with Sarah Bettens for the Belgian film Ad Fundum. The track was produced by Ry Cooder and peaked at No. 6 on the Belgian Flanders chart. "Where Do the Guilty Go?", which also featured in the film, later peaked at No. 46.

1994–present: Illness, recovery and tribute albums

In 1994, Miller formed a new band with Joe Walsh, Nicky Hopkins and Ian Wallace. He was writing music in New York City when he suffered a brain aneurysm on 25 August 1994. Miller was unconscious for five months, and when he woke up he found himself unable to speak or sing. He spent the subsequent years in physical rehabilitation.
In September 1998, a benefit concert was held at the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh featuring Jools Holland, Paul Carrack, Bonnie Tyler and a band of musicians with disabilities. The concert was filmed as part of the BBC Television documentary series Ex-S and broadcast in 1999. The episode was titled Frankie Miller: Stubborn Kinda Fella, and it documented Miller's road to recovery. The episode was nominated for Best Regional Documentary at the Royal Television Society awards.
A number of tribute albums have since been released, including A Tribute to Frankie Miller (2003), which features covers and duets with various artists, and 100% Pure Frankie Miller (2014) by Spike of The Quireboys.
In 2006, Miller released a new studio album, Long Way Home×Long Way Home2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Guilty of the Crime3:242Win Lose or Draw3:063You Always Saw the Blue Skies3:524Lovin's Too Easy5:075He'll Have to Go5:336You're the Star4:427Over the Line3:138The Rose3:029Baton Rouge3:2510Lies Tell the Best Truth of All2:5511It's a Long Way Home6:17, featuring vocals extracted from demos he recorded before his brain aneurysm. The tracks were produced by Bill Szymczyk, Will Jennings and David Naughton. Another album, Frankie Miller's Double Take×Double Take30 September 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Blackmail3:042Where Do the Guilty Go3:343Way Past Midnight3:434True Love4:115Kiss Her for Me3:546Gold Shoes3:297Sending Me Angels4:378Jezebel Jones3:379When It's Rockin'3:0310Beginner at the Blues4:3511To Be With You Again3:5712I Wanna Spend My Life With You3:5913The Ghost4:2014It Gets Me Blue3:1415Out on the Water3:1016It's a Long Way Home3:3817I'm Missing You3:0318I Never Want to Lose You3:2919I Do3:38, followed in 2016, featuring 19 demos remastered into duets with other artists. The album peaked at No. 11 on the Scottish Albums Chart.
In March 2022, Miller released the track "One More Step to the Rainbow" as a protest to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Live albums

BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert (1977/1978/1979 [1994])
Live at Rockpalast (1976/1979/1982 [2013]) 3-CD set