Schedule

Recordings

Brian Miller (guitar, backing vocals, flute)
Brian's website: www.evergreentrad.com

Brian Miller started playing Irish music as a 17-year-old in his decidedly non-Irish hometown of Bemidji, Minnesota. His first experiences with the music came through singing and playing guitar with The Gaels, a band he started with two friends who, like him, had no experience with Irish music. 

Miller quickly dove deep into the Irish tradition. Since 1998, he has lived in Minnesota’s Twin Cities where a vibrant and supportive community of Irish musicians has nurtured his evolving musicality. County Offaly accordion player Paddy O’Brien and County Derry guitarist and singer Daithi Sproule (both long-time residents of the Twin Cities) have been big influences. More inspiration and encouragement has come from plenty of time spent in his other adopted home of Cork, Ireland. Miller’s primary instrument has always been the guitar and over the years his backing style using the DADGAD tuning has earned him a strong reputation throughout the US and in Ireland. Rambles magazine praises Miller as a guitarist “who really understands the music and doesn’t just play the chords”.  He began playing the flute in 2000 while studying Irish music in Cork where his first teachers were Padraig Kelleher and Conal O’Grada.  Also a strong traditional singer, he is the founder of the Traditional Singers Club of the Twin Cities.

As a member of a number of traditional Irish music groups and duos including The Tommie Cunniffe Trio, Norah Rendell and Brian Miller, Bua, The Doon Ceili Band, 5 Mile Chase and Laura and the Lads, Miller has performed throughout the US and in Canada and Ireland. In Ireland he has been featured on TG4, RTE television and RTE radio and back home he has performed on Minnesota Public Radio. He has been a guest lecturer on The Irish song tradition at University College Cork and he is currently a flute, whistle and guitar teacher at the Saint Paul based Center for Irish Music.

Brian Miller’s Discography:

The Gaels, Rince, 1998
The Gaels, Whack Fol La Di La, 1999
The Gaels, Bachelor's Quay, 2002
Asher Gray, Kitty's Revenge, 2002
Laura MacKenzie, Tis The Season: Celtic Christmas, Compass Productions, 2002
Five Mile Chase, 5 Mile Chase, 2003
Laura MacKenzie, Laura and the Lads, New Folk Records, 2003
Laura MacKenzie, Evidence, New Folk Records, 2003
Laura MacKenzie, Lifescapes: Bagpipes of Scotland, Compass Productions, 2004
Five Mile Chase, Your Town, 2005
Irish Traditional Music from University College Cork (compilation), 2006
The Doon Ceili Band, Around the World for Sport, Shanachie Records, 2006
Gan Bua, Live at Martyrs, 2006

Tommie Cunniffe, Unbuttoned, 2007

Norah Rendell and Brian Miller, Wait There Pretty One, 2007
The HiBs, The 40 Acre Notch, New Folk Records, 2008
Bua,  An Spealadóir, Mad River Records, 2009