FRANKIE MILLER
BIOGRAPHY
Frankie Miller, a native of Victoria, Texas, was born on December 17, 1931.
Frankie organized a band called the Drifting Texans and began making regular
visits to local radio station KNAL in his teen years. He also did some guest
spots at KLEE Houston, where he met Hank Locklin, who helped him get a
contract with Gilt Edge Records, a subsidiary of Four Star.
Frankie had five singles released from a session made in 1951 and then
military service halted his musical career for two years. Frankie served
with distinction in the Korean conflict, receiving the Bronze Star and
attaining the rank of sergeant.
Back from the war, Frankie Miller renewed his career by signing with
Columbia. Between July 1954 and November 1955, he cut a dozen numbers in Jim
Beck's Dallas studio including "Hey Where Ya Goin?" and "It's No Big Thing".
Frankie continued to appear on the Cowtown Hoedown on Fort Worth radio and
played shows in Texas, recording one single each for the Cowtown Hoedown and
Manco labels.
In 1959, Frankie signed with Starday Records. Frankie's first cut,
"Blackland Farmer" with "True Blue" on the backside became one of Starday's
biggest sellers. It appeared on the Country charts initially in April 1959,
went to Top 5 and subsequently came back in 1961 to peak in the Top 20 and
made the pop charts as well. In 1971, Sleep LaBeef had a Top 70 chart entry
with the song.
A second single, "Family Man", also made the Top 10. Two other releases,
"Baby Rocked Her Dolly" (Top 15, 1960) and "A Little South of Memphis" (Top
40,1964), also made the Country chart. Over a period of seven years, Frankie
had nearly 50 songs released on Starday.
Cash Box Magazine selected him as "Most Promising Country Artist" in 1960
and for a time he appeared as a regular on the Louisiana Hayride and guested
on both the Grand Ole Opry and the Ozark Jubilee.
During the time, Frankie toured with several artists that would become
country music icons including Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Buck Owens, Lefty
Frizzell and Willie Nelson."
The first major tour that I was ever on was with Frankie Miller,"
Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson said. "Frankie was the star and I was
just opening for him at that time. He was always a very kind artist
and gave me some great advice."
By 1965, Frankie had cut a pair of singles for United Artists, but decided
to return to the Dallas-Arlington-Ft. Worth area. In 1968, he had a single
on the Stop label.
Bear Family records has reissued several of his songs from Gilt Edge,
Columbia and Starday on three albums in recent years.
Frankie has recently gone back on tour throughout Texas and headlined the
Rhythm Riot in England in November of 2003. He is frequent performer at the
Ernest Tubb Record Shop in the historic Ft. Worth Stockyards.
Frankie signed with Heart of Texas Records based in Brady, Texas, in 2005.
"The Family Man" was released on March 25, 2006. The album contained a
couple of rerecorded gems from Miller including "Blackland Farmer" "Pain"
"Just Two Lips Away" (a duet with Leona Williams) and "Family Man" while
concentrating on new material for Miller including "Pickin Time" "I Flew
Over Our House Last Night" and "The Old Side of Town."
"I plan to continue to sing and play Country Music for anyone that will
listen," Frankie Miller recently said. "I love Country Music and the
Country Music fans-they are the best in the world."
Heart of Texas Records 1701 South Bridge Street Brady, Texas 76825 (325) 597-1895
www.heartoftexascountry.com
Photos Copyright by Bob Cannella