Born in Houston, Texas, he moved to Chicago, where he studied under Captain Walter Dyett at the DuSable High School.
[1] He went on to join Milt Larkin's house band at the Rhumboogie in 1941, with Calvin Ladnier, Clarence Trice and Miller on trumpets, Arnett Sparrow and Streamline Williams on trombones, Frank Dominguez, Tom Archia (billed as Ernest Archey), Moses Grant and Sam Player on saxes, Cedric Haywood on piano, Lawrerence Cato on bass and Alvin Burroughs on drums.
[2] In 1942, he was a member of Earl Hines' orchestra featuring Billy Eckstine on vocals (with George Dixon, Pee Wee Jackson, Shorts McConnell, and Miller on trumpets, Jo McLewis, George Hunt, Gerry Valentine on trombones, Budd Johnson, Robert Crowder (tenor sax), Leroy Harris, Jr., Scoops Carry (alto sax), Hines on piano, Clifford Best on guitar), Truck Parham on bass, and Rudy Taylor on drums.
[3] He was in the following line-up when Sarah Vaughan joined it (with Dizzy Gillespie, McConnell, Miller and Gail Brockman on trumpets, Charlie Parker and Thomas Crump on tenor saxes, Andrew "Goon" Gardner and Carry on alto saxes, John Williams on baritone, Cliff Smalls (also on piano), Gus Chappell, Bennie Green and Howard "Scotty" Scott (later Mohammed Sadiq) on trombones, Wilson on drums, Connie Wainwright on guitar and Paul O. Simpson and/or Ted "Mohawk" Sturgis on bass).
[6] Miller's band at the time comprised Johnny Board, Argonne Thornton (Hadik Hakim), Rail Wilson and Hillard Brown.