Brian Miller Evergreen Trad Irish Music

Promo Photos of Brian (right click and save to download big versions):

Brian Miller started playing Irish music as a 17-year-old in his decidedly non-Irish hometown of Bemidji, Minnesota. Since 1998, he has lived in the Twin Cities where a vibrant and supportive community of Irish musicians has nurtured his developing musicality. County Derry guitarist and singer Daithi Sproule and County Offaly accordion player Paddy O’Brien (both long-time residents of the Twin Cities) have been big influences. More inspiration and encouragement has come from many months spent in his other adopted home of Cork, Ireland. Brian’s primary instrument has always been the guitar and over the years his backing style using the DADGAD tuning has earned him a strong reputation throughout North American Irish music circles. Esteemed Irish music critic Earle Hitchner writes: “The backing of Miller on guitar flexes not just muscle but a fully complementary style.” Also a strong traditional singer, he is the founder of the Traditional Singers Club of the Twin Cities. He added the Irish flute to his arsenal in 2000 while studying Irish music in Cork where he learned his first flute tunes from Conal O’Grada and Padraig Kelleher.

As a member of a number of traditional Irish music groups and duos including Bua, Norah Rendell and Brian Miller and The Two Tap Trio, Brian has performed throughout the US, and in parts of Canada and Ireland. He has been featured on RTE television and RTE radio in Ireland as well as the Irish language TV station TG4. He has also performed on CBC Radio in Canada and on Minnesota Public Radio.

A diligent student and teacher, Brian has been a guest lecturer on The Irish song tradition at University College Cork and he is currently a flute, whistle and guitar teacher at the Saint Paul based Center for Irish Music. In 2008 he was awarded two grants for his work with the songs of early Irish immigrants in Minnesota logging camps.

Brian Miller’s Discography:
The Gaels, Rince, 1998
The Gaels, Whack Fol La Di La, 1999
The Gaels, Bachelor's Quay, 2002
Asher Gray, Kitty's Revenge, 2002
Laura MacKenzie, Tis The Season: Celtic Christmas, Compass Productions, 2002
Five Mile Chase, 5 Mile Chase, 2003
Laura MacKenzie, Laura and the Lads, New Folk Records, 2003
Laura MacKenzie, Evidence, New Folk Records, 2003
Laura MacKenzie, Lifescapes: Bagpipes of Scotland, Compass Productions, 2004
Five Mile Chase, Your Town, 2005
Irish Traditional Music from University College Cork (compilation), 2006
The Doon Ceili Band, Around the World for Sport, Shanachie Records, 2006
Gan Bua, Live at Martyrs, 2006
Tommie Cunniffe, Unbuttoned, 2007
Norah Rendell and Brian Miller, Wait There Pretty One, 2007
The HiBs, The 40 Acre Notch, 2008
Bua, An Spealadoir, 2009