He won fame as a "blues shouter", a singer whose voice was powerful enough, without microphone amplification, for an auditorium—even with big band accompaniment.
As a vocalist, Miller first rose to national prominence at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival where he appeared with a group led by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer.
This led to a New York session with Brookmeyer's ensemble that was released on a well-reviewed LP, The Kansas City Sound, which has since been re-released on CD.
[5] He became a Canadian citizen in 1973[2] and lived there for the rest of his life, working with local musician Tommy Banks, and covering "Big Yellow Taxi" with the song's composer, Alberta-born Joni Mitchell.
Miller played a major role in the growth of the Edmonton Jazz Society, which began in the late 1970s, and taught at the Banff Centre for Fine Arts.