Doors 4pm, Music 7pm
David Michael Miller
David grew up mostly in the country, south of Buffalo, NY, in Allegany County. At a very young age he began singing in church, surrounded by gospel music, which has impacted his writing to this day. Growing up through the 70's and 80’s, he was exposed to all different styles of music, learning piano, sax and eventually, guitar. Blues, R&B and soul music always inspired him though he never embraced those forms until much later in life. He was composing from a very early age and was recording his own church albums at the age of 12. In college he did a short internship in Nashville and was somewhat disillusioned by the music industry. Not long after, he was married to his high school sweetheart, started a family and got away from pursuing music for a few years.
Church kept him connected to music, and round 1995 he started a band called Painted By Moses out of Buffalo, influenced by the Seattle scene, releasing a couple albums of songs he had written that sold over 2500 copies in a couple years. They had radio airplay all around the United States on college and niche stations, playing several large festivals in Western New York through Chicago.
After several more years of almost exclusively playing gospel music, his thoughts on religion evolved and he began writing differently, and finally letting his blues and soul influences rise to the surface. Inspired by Buffalo artists such as Tommy Z, he started a band called Beautiful Bones with his son Joshua, his nephew Nick Peterson and the legendary keyboard player, Jim Ehinger, writing and performing blues and soul all around WNY. They had the privilege of opening for several national acts including Joe Bonamassa and David Allen Coe.
With changes in direction of the members of that band, he joined with members of the Todd Eberwine band to form Dive House Union (DHU), a 6 piece jam band, fusing rock, blues, soul and funk. With DHU, he was the lead singer and primary writer, contributing most of the material for two live albums, one recorded at Kleinhans Music Hall and another at the Aurora Theater. With DHU, he also had the privilege of sharing the stage with many national acts such as Tedeschi Trucks, Jonny Lang, Gary Clark Jr., Bobby Blue Bland, Jimmie Vaughan and many others. DHU has toured regionally and competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, making it to the semi-finals.
More recently, his work on a solo album, Poisons Sipped, has afforded him unexpected international airplay, accolades, chart positions on the Roots Music Report. He had the opportunity to do a separate solo album, Same Soil, with Grammy nominated producer, Mike Brown, released July 1st 2016. Same Soil was recorded with the help of some of the incredible musicians here in WNY, tracked in Temperamental Studios in Geneseo, NY, with 50% of the album recorded with pre WWII instruments. That album is dedicated to the memory of his grandfather, Myron Miller.
Since then, he’s formed “Miller and The Other Sinners”→ www.millerandtheothersinners.com and released 3 albums with a group of amazing musicians, and is now back working on several solo album projects.
PRESS:
“David Miller's music is earthy and soulful. A bluesy rock style, a rich voice and guitar, along with years of experience, it adds up to a musical pilgrimage that attracts attention and stimulates a crowd. People get interested, and that's golden!” - Holt Vaughn, Founder and CEO of the Award Winning group of media companies TheEastcoGroup.com
"Miller is one of the finest soul-based singers in our region, and throughout “Poisons Sipped,” he proves he’s also one of our most vibrant songwriters. Elements of gospel, R&B, electric blues and singer-songwriter leanings collide here to form a collection of elegant, stately and eminently grooving songs, delivered with consistent passion. This is incredibly spirited stuff, and it represents a new high-watermark for Buffalo-born recordings.” - Jeff Miers, Buffalo News
"Dave has a great soulful voice that may be the best sounding to have come out of WNY since Billy McEwen, his songs are catchy, funky, full of meaning as is his tasty guitar work." - Tommy Z, International Recording Artist
"Poisons Sipped is a perfect cocktail of Blues, Soul, and Gospel flavors! Do yourself a favor and treat your ears to one of the best albums of the year!” - Selwyn Birchwood, Alligator Records Recording Artist
“From “old-school” blues/ rock to sweet soul and gospel David Miller knows his stuff. A singer/songwriter and storyteller singing from what he has experienced, Miller is one of those guys who plays it from the heart. The notes falling from his guitar are drenched with passion and, when he opens his mouth and begins to sing, you know it’ nothin’ but the pure unadulterated truth. David Michael Miller is the real deal. If I had to label Miller, I would most likely call him a soul singer but, he is so much more. With each time that I listen to Poisons Sipped, I hear something new. This is an album that is destined to become a classic, passing down through the ages as one of those things that we all come to know and love.” - Bill Wilson, Reflections in Blue
HONORS and HIGHPOINTS:
2014 and 2015 Buffalo Night-Life Magazine - Best Male Blues Vocal
Represented WNY Blues Society at International Blues Challenge 2013 and 2014
Participates in the Blues in the Schools Programs
Semi-Finalist, 2013 International Blues Challenge w/ Dive House Union
Poisons Sipped debuted at #24 on RMR Blues Chart
Over 36 consecutive weeks in RMR Top 15 Blues Rock Albums
Performed at Artpark, Kleinhan’s, Aurora Theater, Harbor Concert Series and many local venues, bars and festivals
Residency with members of The Campbell Brothers at Central Park Grill
Shared the Stage with Tedeschi Trucks, Gary Clark, Jr., Jonny Lang, Bobby Blue Bland, Jimmie Vaughan, Shemekia Copeland, Joe Beard, Joe Bonamassa, Devon Allman and many, many more.
Accomplished Songwriter, Singer, Guitarist, Producer
Co-founder of the DHU Strand Theater and DHU Productions, LLC
2015 Spark Award Winner - "Best New Artist of The Year"