HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Emmett Miller

Born on 2 February 1900 in Macon, Georgia, comedian falsetto, Emmett Miller, was a blackface minstrel show performer during his early career, also working vaudeville. The jazz that he would record included yodeling. DAHR and Tom Lord list him performing vocals to 'Anytime' on 25 October 1924 and 'The Pickaninnies' Paradise' on November 7 in New York City for issue on Okeh 40239. Miller recorded another issued version of 'Anytime' in August of 1928, that with 'St. Louis Blues' on Okeh 41095. A third version went down in September of 1936 (Bluebird B-6577).

'Anytime' Emmett Miller w Walt Rothrock (piano) First recording

Recorded 25 Oct 1924 in NYC Okeh 40239-B

Composition: Herbert Happy Lawson

'Pickaninnies' Paradise' Emmett Miller w Walt Rothrock (piano) Second recording

Recorded 7 Nov 1924 in NYC Okeh 40239-A

Composition: Sam Ehrich / Nat Osborne

Lord and DAHR have Miller in Ashville, NC, for tracks on 1 September 1925 yielding 'You're Just the Girl for Me' / 'I Never Had the Blues (Until I Left Old Dixieland)' on Okeh 40545 and 'Big Bad Bill Is Sweet William Now' / 'Lovesick Blues' on Okeh 40465. Miller's backup band had been his Georgia Crackers. They began getting label credits in 1928 on titles gone down in NYC on 12 June: 'I Ain't Got Nobody'/'Lovesick Blues' (Okeh 41062), 'Lion Tamers' (Okeh 41205) and 'God's River Blues' (Okeh 41438). Miller's Georgia Crackers had at times employed Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Gene Krupa and Eddie Lang. His brick in the wall of music history is due more to the jazz musicians who passed through his Crackers than his own impact on popular music. His complete catalog consists of only 39 titles [Red Hot Jazz], his last being four from a session on 1 September 1936 in matrix order: 'I Ain't Got Nobody' (Bluebird B-6550), 'The Gypsy' (Bluebird B-6577), "Anytime' (Bluebird B-6577) and 'Right Or Wrong' (Bluebird B-6550).

'Lovesick Blues' Emmett Miller w Walt Rothrock (piano)

Recorded 1 Sep 1925 in Ashville NC Okeh 40465

Composition: Cliff Friend / Irving Mills

'Lovesick Blues' Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers

Recorded 12 June 1928 in NYC Okeh 41062

Trumpet: Leo McConville Trombone: Tommy Dorsey

Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey Piano: Arthur Schutt

Drums: Stan King Vocal 2: Dan Fitch

Composition: Cliff Friend / Irving Mills

'Big Bad Bill is Sweet William Now' Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers

Recorded 5 Sep 1929 in NYC Okeh 41305

Trumpet: Leo McConville Trombone: Tommy Dorsey

Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey Piano: Arthur Schutt

Guitar: Eddie Lang Bass: Joe Tarto Drums: Stan King

Composition: Jack Yellen / Milton Ager

'Sweet Mama' Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers

Recorded 12 Sep 1929 in NYC Okeh 41342

Trumpet: Leo McConville Trombone: Tommy Dorsey

Clarinet / alto sax: Jimmy Dorsey Piano: Arthur Schutt

Guitar: Eddie Lang Bass: Joe Tarto Drums: Gene Krupa

Music: Fred Rose Lyrics: George Little / Peter Frost

'I Ain't Got Nobody' Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers Vocal 2: Gene Cobb

Recorded 1 Sep 1936 in NYC Matrix BS-0277 Bluebird B-6550

Composition: Roger Graham / Spencer Williams / Dave Peyton

'Anytime' Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers Vocal 2: Gene Cobb

Recorded 1 Sep 1936 in NYC Matrix BS-0279 Bluebird B-6577

Composition: Herbert Happy Lawson

Miller's career fades into obscurity in the latter thirties, though it's known that he returned to blackface even after its decline, touring with a minstrel show that he called 'Dixieana' to as late as 1949. Miller appeared in the minstrel film, 'Yes Sir, Mr. Bones', as late as 1951 [Bad Spit / IMDB]. He died back in his birthplace in Macon on 29 March 1962.

Sources & References for Emmett Miller:

Richie Unterberger (All Music)

VF History (notes)

Wikipedia

Charles Wolfe (Native Ground)

Audio of Miller: Emmett Miller Collection

Recordings by Miller: Catalogs:

45 Worlds

Discogs (Miller)

Discogs (Miller & His Georgia Crackers)

RYM

Recordings by Miller: Compilations: