Hazel Miller

Hazel Miller is an American blues, pop and gospel singer. Originally from Kentucky, she has performed in the Denver, Colorado area since 1984.

Miller singing The Star-Spangled Banner at Mile-High Stadium in 2014.

Early life

Miller was born in Louisville, Kentucky as one of seven children. She began singing professionally at the age of 15 and featured prominently in the Louisville music scene. She sang backup for Al Green, and opened for Mel Tormé and Lou Rawls. Her band was the first African American band to play regularly at the Louisville Hyatt Hotel.^[1]

Career

In 1984, while relocating to Los Angeles with her two children, Miller's rental truck broke down in Denver, and she decided to stay.^[2] Since then, she has performed in Colorado and beyond. A review in the Rocky Mountain News called her ‘a force of nature’, and described her voice as "moving and powerful".^[2] She played at the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater near Denver, at the White House for then President Bill Clinton, and for the Denver Broncos after their 1998 Super Bowl win.^[1] Miller has toured with the military five times, including playing at Iwo Jima.^[3] She has been a regular performer on the ETown Radio Show, airing on NPR's national affiliate stations. Her recorded voice greets visitors taking the trains to the main terminal at Denver International Airport.^[2]

In 2008 she launched Hazel Miller Entertainment and became a booking agent.^[4] She has sung with or opened for Julian Lennon, Peter, Paul & Mary, Charlie Musselwhite, James Taylor, James Brown, the Temptations, and many others.^[2][5] In addition, she toured for five years with Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and has performed at major jazz and music festivals throughout Colorado.^[6]

Discography

Albums

• 1995: Hazel Miller and the Caucasians (Live at the Fox)
• 2001: I'm Still Looking (USA 1 Stop label)
• 2001: Live at the Fox (Hapi Skratch Records label)
• 2006: Icons (Hazel Miller label)^[7][8]

Contributions

• 1995: KBCO Studio C Vol. 5
• 2004: KBCO Studio C Local Edition
• 2014 Blues Master 3^[9][2]

Awards

• 1995, 1996, 1997: Westwood Readers Poll Best Blues/R&B band^{[citation needed]}
• 2002: National Independent Music Award for Best Independent Blues-R&B Recording^{[citation needed]}
• 2008: Recognized as one of the 150 people who make Denver a better place to live^{[citation needed]}
• Local award^{[by whom?]} for "Best Local Star in a Theatrical Production", for her appearance in a Colorado production of The Vagina Monologues^[2]
• 2023: inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame^[10]