His voyage through the blues started by listening to the blues covers by the British and American bands of the ’60s. Then he heard John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Lightin’ Hopkins and Howlin’ Wolf. Searching for the roots of the blues, he discovered Robert Johnson, Son House, Charlie Patton, and many more great bluesmen and women of the 20’s and 30’s.
Miller picked up a steel resonator guitar and a slide and started working on playing the blues of the Mississippi Delta. He also plays a parlor guitar and a cigar box guitar. Now, Blair Miller is a confirmed bluesman. He says,” I want to share and keep the blues alive. No music reaches me as deeply as Delta Blues.”
Being a performer in many different settings I’ve learned to adapt my performance to the settings. At a festival or concert I’m the focus of attention, at a reception or private party I’m there to add interest and ambiance to the gathering. If I’m playing a bar or microbrewery I’m there to add to the fun of the customers and create a blues roadhouse experience!
At concerts and festivals, I like to provide some historical background on the blues masters and their great works leading to playing one of their blues. In all settings my National Resonator guitar and cigar box guitar generate a lot of interest and I’m happy to talk to people about the origins of these instruments.
I’m passionate about keeping the delta/roots blues alive. Venues seeing and hearing how their customers like my style and music repeatedly rebook me. I’m frequently told by venues ‘ your music is a great fit for us”.