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Leon Gibbs (Miller)
and the Miller Brothers Band
Born:  April 20, 1921
Died:  February 2, 2014
KFDX Wichita Falls, TX


About The Artist

The Miller Brothers started singing in front of audiences as far back as when they were in grade school - at school functions and civic events. On the weekends, they would at dances and with other show groups.

The 1955 version of The Miller Brothers group had been together sine 1940 and were continually doing the proverbial one-night stands. During the World War II period of 1943 and 1946, the group got split up a bit by serving in the military.

For much of the early part of their career, they were playing mainly in Texas and southern Oklahoma. But in 1950, they decided to branch out a bit and started appearing in places such as New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and occasionally over to Louisiana and Mississippi.

Leon Miller was the leader of the group, and was an instrumentalist and composer, too. In high school, he was a concertmaster of his junior and senior year orchestras. Lee Miller helped Leon organize the group and handled a lot of the business arrangements.

The group achieved a fair bit of fame in the mid-1950s. Billboard magazine named them the number 3 band in 1956. Downbeat magazine awarded them the number 4 spot in their new big bands contest. And they also got 29% of the vote as one of the most promising up and coming band in a Cash Box magazine survey. In Texas, they were rated the top Lone Star unit. In addition to their dance music, they also put on a bit of a floor show, trying to give their fans a bit entertainment for their admission price.

The band also owned their own place to play when they weren't making appearances elsewhere - the MB Corral in Wichita Falls, Texas. It was able to seat 1,000 folks and had a roomy dance floor.

The Miller Brothers did a radio show that aired twice a day over KFDX out of Wichita Falls, Texas. They also recorded for the 4 Star record label and had releases on "Rose of Tiajuana", "That's How Long I'll Love", "Alligator Rag", "Today Tomorrow" and "Nursery Rhyme Blues".

Timeline and Trivia Notes

Group members included:

  • Leon Miller
  • Lee Miller
  • Sam Miller
  • Bill Jourdan
  • Madge Suttee
  • Dutch Ingram
  • Bill Taylor
  • Dale Wilson

Credits & Sources

  • Cowboy Songs No. 41 (June 1955); American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT.
  • Cowboy Songs No. 54 (December 1957); American Folk Publications, Inc.; Derby, CT.

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Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
4 Star
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  1667 A Nursery Rhyme Blues
  1667 B Today, Tomorrow
  1673 A Fiddlin' Stomp
  1673 B Geronimo
  1678 A Trailways Blues
  1678 B Broken Hearted
  1680 A Denver Hop
  1680 B Alligator Rag
  1683 A Tulsa Baby
  1683 B As You Were Standing By
  1686 A Rudolph Junior
  1686 B Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus
  1694 A Hey, Pretty Baby
  1694 B Who's Gonna Know
  1699 A Loco Choo Choo
  1699 B Why Must It Be
  1702 A Under The Double Eagle
  1702 B Over The Waves
  1710 A Triflin' Kind
  1710 B Ill At Ease
  1722 A Riff Raff
  1722 B Send Me The Pillow
  1730 A Back Roads
  1730 B I Can't Get Started
  1736 A Back Roads
  1736 B I Want A Be Free
  X-88 A Tijuana Rose
  X-88 B That's How Long I Will Love You


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