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Curley Miller
Born:  December 2, 1914
Died:  February 14, 1994
WIBC Jamboree
WWVA Original Jamboree
KDKA Pittsburgh, PA
WCHS Charleston, WV
WIBC Indianapolis, IN
WISR Butler, PA
WJAS Pittsburgh, PA
WKST New Castle, PA
WLS Chicago, IL
WNOX Knoxville, TN
WWVA Wheeling, WV

About The Artist

Curley Miller was with WLS back in 1945 / 1946 and for a while was host of the infamous "Smile-A-While" in late 1945. His well-known greeting was "Good Morning, Friends and Neighbors". He was a talented musician and also an accomplished announcer. But on top of that, he was also adept at training horses. By the end of 1946, they said he had left WLS to train horses.

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Marriage: Harriette Drake Miller — 1940's

As far as we can determine, one of Curley's wives was one who was a part of his show for several years in the 1940's. She was often billed as Hallie Miller. But there are promo ads listing her as Harriette Drake. That was the name she used when she was part of a female group called The Steele Sisters" that were part of a show called "Musical Steelmakers" that originated from Wheeling, WV. Members of the group were:

  • Lois Mae (Nolte) Davis
    B: February 22, 1922 — D:

  • Lucille Bell


  • Harriette Drake


  • Betty Jane Evans
    B: November 10, 1924 — D: April 10, 2001

  • Margaret June (Evans) Shane
    B: June 1, 1922 — D: December 21, 2012

Marriage: Gail Louise Crow — 1960's

Linnell Gentry included Curley in his Encyclopedia of Country Music books. The books, published in 1960's noted his wife at the time was Gail Louise Crow (she had a daughter, Gail Louise Rine, from a previous marriage). She had married Wilbur Lee Rine in 1948 in West Virginia. Mr. Gentry did not indicate when or where this marriage took place nor when they were divorced. But Gail may not have re-married as the picture of her gravestone on the Find-A-Grave website shows an image of a famale entertainer at a circus. She is buried in Hugo, OK. Her obituary was found in the Paris News of Paris, TX; published on February 15, 2011. It does not mention any husbands or marriages. She had moved to a small area in Powderly, TX. She was born on April 6, 1931 in Moundsville, WV.

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenora Ross - October 2, 1970
Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Promo Ad - Riviera Club - Newport, KY - Len Wade - Patti Morgan - Lenore Ross - The Entourage - October 10, 1970

Credits & Sources

  • A History and Encyclopedia of Country, Western, and Gospel Music (1st Edition); Linnell Gentry;
  • A History and Encyclopedia of Country, Western, and Gospel Music (2nd Edition); Linnell Gentry;
  • Curley Miller Back At WLS In Chicago; January 1946; National Hillbilly News; Orville & Jenny Via; Huntington, WV
  • Curley Miller; July 1946; National Hillbilly News; Poster Show Print Co.; Huntington, WV
  • Jamboree Jottin'; Dottie Thanos; November 30, 1954; Pickin' and Singin' News; Nashville, TN
  • Jamboree Jottin'; Dottie Thanos; January 15, 1955; Pickin' and Singin' News; Nashville, TN