Ronnie’s Induction Into the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame 2013
(link for mobile browsers)
 

Ronnie Warming Up for the 2012 Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree with Billy Martin
(link for mobile browsers)

Ronnie performing with Charley Pride and Carolyn Dawn Johnson on the Grand Ole Opry
(Ronnie’s solo at 1:39) Link for mobile browsers

Ronnie Miller – Texas Steel Guitar Association Player of the Year 2011 Link for mobile browsers

Brothers Legends & Friends

Price: $15.00

Although payments are processed by PayPal, a Paypal Account is not required. Any major credit card is accepted.

Featured Vocalists: Charley Pride ♦ Vince Gill ♦ Daryle Singletary ♦ Laney Hicks ♦ Billy Martin

This album is also available for digital download on iTunes and Amazon.com.

Song Titles

1. Sawed Off Shotgun
(Rocky Caple) (BMI)

2. A-11
Vocals: Daryle Singletary
(Hank Cochran) (BMI)

3. Look at Us
(Max D. Barnes, Vince Gill) (BMI)
Vocals: Vince Gill

4. I Can See Clearly
(Johnny Nash) (ASCAP)

5. Conway Twitty-John Hughey Medley
Vocals: Daryle Singletary
Includes excerpts from:
Hello Darling (Conway Twitty) (BMI)
Fifteen Years Ago (Raymond Smith) (BMI)
Next in Line (Wayne Kemp / Curtis Wayne) (BMI)
I Love You More Today (L. E. White) (BMI)
To See an Angel Cry (Carlton Haney / Conway Twitty / L.E. White) (BMI)
How Much More Can She Stand (Harry Compton) (ASCAP)

6. Spinning Wheel
(David Clayton-Thomas) (BMI)

7. Cry Cry Cry
(Shirley Wood) (BMI)
Vocals: Laney Hicks

8. Lost in the Feeling
(Lewis Anderson) (BMI)
Vocals: Daryle Singletary

9. What a Fool Believes
(Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins) (ASCAP)

10. What a Way to Live
(Willie Nelson, Hank Craig) (BMI)
Vocals: Billy Martin

11. Steelin’ Corn
(Norm Hamlet, Roy Nichols) (BMI)

12. Charley Pride Medley
Vocals: Charley Pride
Includes excerpts from:
Mountain of Love (Harold Kenneth Dorman) (BMI)
The Snakes Crawl at Night (Fred Burch /Mel Tillis) (BMI)
Kiss an Angel Good Morning (Ben Peters) (BMI)
Just Between You and Me (Lee Cathy / Jack Clement / Jack Keller) (BMI)
Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger (Doris Clement / Jerry Crutchfield/ Don Robertson) BMI/ASCAP)
I’m So Afraid of Losing You Again (Dallas Frazier / A. L.. Owens) (BMI)
All I Have to Offer You (Dallas Frazier / A. L. Owens) (BMI)
Wonder Could I Live There Anymore (Bill Rice) (ASCAP)
Kaw Liga (Fred Rose / Hank Williams) (BMI)

Brothers Legends & Friends is Ronnie’s first steel guitar instrumental album. It is dedicated to John Hughey.

Produced by Ronnie Miller
Recorded by Jeff McLeod at McLeod Audio Services – Flower Mound, TX
Mixed and Mastered by Greg Cole at The Cole Mine Studio – Smyrna, TN
Charley Pride appears courtesy of Music City Records

Musicians:
Ronnie Miller: Steel Guitar
Ron Jones: Bass, Acoustic Guitar
Derek Spigener: Drums/Percussion
Reginald Rueffer: Fiddle
Danny Hutchins: Piano
Billy Martin: Electric Guitar on Charley Pride Medley
Terry Downs: Electric Guitar on Steelin’ Corn
Kenny Vaughan: Electric Guitar on Sawed off Shotgun
Scott Moody: Piano
Jerry (Boo) Massey: Electric Guitar
Steve Howard: Trumpet

Background Vocalists:
Danny Hutchins
Dawn Sears
Ronnie Miller
Billy Martin
La Donna Brewer – Capps

Art Direction & Design: Terry Downs
Photography: Todd Pickens

Background information on each track:

1 SAWED OFF SHOTGUN – This is a Rocky Caple tune from the original Pridesmen instrumental album. It features the Pridesmen and Kenny Vaughan. Ronnie plays this at the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree every year.

2 A-11 – Ronnie’s instrumental version of the Johnny Paycheck version. Daryle Singletary sings on this one.

3 LOOK AT US – This Vince Gill classic had John Hughey playing a pivotal role in the song with his steel guitar. Ronnie puts his spin on the classic as an instrumental, with Vince Gill singing part of the song with him.

4 I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW – Ronnie’s instrumental version of the Johnny Nash favorite, inspired by Lloyd Green.

5 CONWAY TWITTY – JOHN HUGHEY MEDLEY – The medley was assembled by Ronnie to pay tribute the all those great steel licks played by John Hughey on the Conway Twitty hits. Daryle Singletary sings on this medley.

6 SPINNING WHEEL – Ronnie’s instrumental version of this Blood Sweat & Tears classic. It is quite unique for a steel guitar application.

7 CRY CRY CRY – Ronnie’s instrumental version of the Connie Smith hit. Laney Hicks sings on this one.

8 LOST IN THE FEELING – This is a Conway Twitty song that had more steel guitar on it than any I ever heard. John Hughey was the original player. Of course being a huge fan of John Hughey, Ronnie has included it as an instrumental with a few lines sang by Daryle Singletary.

9 WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES – Another truly unique steel guitar instrumental version of the Doobie Brother’s smash hit.

10 WHAT A WAY TO LIVE – Ronnie’s instrumental version of the Johnny Bush favorite. Billy Martin sings on this song.

11 STEELIN’ CORN – This instrumental is from Merle Haggard’s Strangers instrumental album. It is a steel guitar/electric guitar harmony track originally recorded by Roy Nichols and Norm Hamlett. Terry Downs transcribed the guitar and steel guitar notes and included it on “The Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols” guitar instructional DVD. Ronnie had always loved that song and has included it here with Terry Downs playing the guitar part.

12 CHARLEY PRIDE MEDLEY – The medley was assembled by Ronnie to pay tribute the all those great steel licks played by Lloyd Green and others on the Great Charley Pride hits. Charley Pride sings on this medley.

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Ronnie Miller Biography

Ronnie Miller was born in San Diego, California. His mother loved the sound of the steel guitar, so she enrolled Ronnie in lessons from age five to fourteen. When Ronnie would complain about having to practice while his friends were outside playing, she would say, “Someday you will thank me for making you practice”. Boy was she ever right. He has continued to master this fascinating instrument.

In 1965, Ronnie lived in Ocean Beach, California, near San Diego. He shared an apartment with childhood friend Jerry Penrod, (the original bass player for Iron Butterfly). Ronnie decided to spend Christmas with his parents who were living in Denver. He packed up and drove to Denver only returning to San Diego years later to visit.

Circa 1967, Ronnie met two brothers with a country band, and he started playing around town with them. At this point he met Dick and Lois Meis. Dick taught pedal steel at Don Edwards Guitar City on West Colfax. Dick had pedals on his steel, which Ronnie had seen but not tried. Mesmerized by the sound, Ronnie was officially bitten by the pedal steel guitar bug. He traded his Fender double neck String master for a Fender 1000 Pedal Steel, and started taking weekly lessons from Dick Meis at Guitar City.

Ronnie’s first pedal steel playing job was with Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame (CCMHOF) inductees John Munson and his brother-in-law, Cal Morris. It was a weekend gig at a club on South Broadway called The Interlude. Ronnie was only getting paid in tips but was happy to sit in and learn. After six months, Ronnie was offered a six night a week job playing with CCMHOF member Dewey Knight. After only one week he felt he was not ready for that so he returned to the Interlude. John told him “You need to go get yourself a job with a band that will pay you”. So Ronnie found a job playing weekends with CCMHOF member Curtis Willis. Ronnie then met CCMHOF member Joe Diamond at Ollies Round-Up. Joe introduced Ronnie to club owner Archie Granberry, and a few weeks later they offered Ronnie a seven night a week gig playing at Ollies. Ronnie later moved on to play for a year with Mike Hogan & Bobbe Kay at Club 70. There were a lot of dynamics in the club scene in that area. Ronnie also worked at Mitch’s Supper Club with CCMHOF members Randy King and guitarist Jerry Ladner. Johnny Ray played bass. That club burned down, along with all of their equipment. Don Edwards gave Ronnie a guitar, amp and a job at Guitar City until he could find another sit down gig.

Ronnie remembers going with Don & Jean Edwards to an upstairs club on East Colfax in Aurora called The Kings Loft to hear a new band” The Billy Thompson Show”. CCMHO member Ray Cobb was in that band. Billy invited Ronnie to sit in, and Ronnie was soon hired. From there, that band minus Billy and the drummer, moved to the Zanzabar club down the street. They worked for three to four years. That band was called High Country, and consisted of Ray Cobb, Steve Macasky, drummer Don Ivy, and Ronnie. Back then the Z-Bar was very a popular place in town. That is were Ronnie first met several other CCMHOF members, including Rudy Grant, Lee & Burt Sims and Ronnie Ray.

In the 1970’s, in addition to doing a lot of the studio work in Denver, Ronnie spent ten years teaching pedal steel guitar at Guitar City. The other teachers at Guitar City at that time were Dick Meis and Rusty Young, both notable and successful steel players.

In 1983, after working the Denver area clubs for several years, Ronnie started his own band called Whirlwind. They played the club circuits in Colorado, and the surrounding states. They were really busy, sometimes playing 7 nights a week. About that time they started doing the Trail Dust Steak House. That took four or five months of steady 6 nights a week out of the calendar. This continued until Ronnie left in January of 1993. During his time with Whirlwind, they had the opportunity to open for many name artists including Vince Gill, Pure Prairie League, Southern Pacific, Moe Bandy, Ricky Van Shelton, Restless Heart, Lorrie Morgan, Jerry Reed, & Sweethearts of the Rodeo. Whirlwind is still together today.

In January of 1993, Ronnie moved to Dallas and became the steel player for Charley Pride. Six months later Ronnie’s wife Ginger and son Nick joined him in Dallas. He has since toured many parts of the world as a Pridesmen.

Working with Charley Pride has been an amazing career for Ronnie. With Charley, he has performed at least 150 Grand Ole Opry shows, various Country Music Association (CMA) shows, and Academy of Country Music (ACM) shows. Ronnie has appeared on major country music US television shows including Nashville Now, as well as Crook and Chase. He has also appeared on television shows on the BBC, as well as networks in Ireland, Canada, and Australia. One quintessential performance was the show at Carnegie hall in 2005. To mark Carnegie’s 80th anniversary, the Grand Ole Opry arrived at America’s most famous concert hall. The remarkable historic event featured Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Little Jimmy Dickens, Trisha Yearwood, Charley Pride, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Ricky Skaggs, Brad Paisley, Bill Anderson, Martina McBride, and Alan Jackson. Ronnie recalls a funny story about the Carnegie hall event. Ronnie went to New York a few days early because he had a good friend there who played steel. Ronnie planned on using his friend’s single neck Mullen steel guitar in the show. The Pridesmen were going to be all over the town so Ronnie didn’t want to try to keep up with his guitar. When Ronnie met up with his friend, he checked out the steel guitar he was going to use on the show. Ronnie said it looked like the strings had not been changed since 1952. He cleaned it up and changed strings, and played it for a while. It had the Emmons pedal set up, and Ronnie plays the Jimmy Day setup (for you non-steel guitarists, this means the pedals are reversed). Ronnie says “I think I had a clam on the video cause I zigged when I should have zagged”. Also, all the steel players had to use a Fender Twin amplifier with no time for change over. Ronnie exclaimed, “My tone sucked”. Another milestone performance was at The London Palladium. Ronnie loves the international tours. He has toured Canada, England, Ireland, and Scotland many times. He has toured with Charley in Australia three times as well. Those Australian tours lasted seven weeks, five weeks, and four weeks respectively. Ronnie’s favorite audience is the Irish. They know all the Charley Pride lyrics by heart, and they sing along. Charley would stop and everyone is the house would still be singing.

When Ronnie is not on tour with Charley, he works with some of the local Dallas area bands. Ronnie also attends and plays numerous Steel Guitar shows, including Dallas, Knoxville and the International Steel Guitar Association Jamboree in St. Louis. In 2000, Ronnie was inducted into the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was the “Player of the Year” at the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree.

Ronnie and Ginger have one daughter and three sons. Their daughter Dawn, son in-law Dave & granddaughter Briana live in Costa Rica. The eldest son Michael lives in Charlotte. Middle son Dustin, wife Crystal and granddaughters Merit & Abbie, live in the Charlotte area. Their youngest son, Nick, lives at home. Ronnie and Ginger enjoy travel, visiting family, cruising, and spending a few weeks each year in Europe.

Ronnie’s Chord Pedal Arrangement (Copedent)

See Ronnie’s Copedent [PDF Format]    – What is a copedent?