Steven Haworth "Steve" Miller (born October 5, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, known as leader of the Steve Miller Band. He began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more pop-oriented sound which, from the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of highly popular singles and albums. Miller was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of their class of 2016.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Miller received his first exposure to music from his mother, Bertha, whom he described as a remarkable jazz-influenced singer, and his physician father, George, known as "Sonny" who, in addition to his profession as a pathologist, was a jazz enthusiast and accomplished amateur recording engineer. Guitar virtuoso Les Paul and his musical partner Mary Ford were regular visitors at the Miller house. Dr. and Mrs. Miller were best man and maid of honor at the December 1949 wedding of Les Paul and Mary Ford. Les Paul heard Steve, who was four, on a wire recording made by Dr. Miller, as the youngster was "banging away" on a guitar given to him by his uncle, Dr. K. Dale Atterbury. Paul encouraged Miller to continue with his interest in the guitar ... and "perhaps he will be something one day."