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Jimmy Miller
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James 'Jimmy' Miller (23 March 1942 - 22 October 1994 [1]) was a Brooklyn born record producer, who produced albums for The Spencer Davis Group (and co-wrote the song "I'm A Man" with Steve Winwood, as well as the lyrics for the Traffic song, "Medicated Goo"), Traffic, Blind Faith, Bobby Whitlock, Kracker and The Rolling Stones (all albums from Beggars Banquet to Goats Head Soup), New York City's shock/punk rockers The Plasmatics and Motörhead. Among his last productions were three tracks on the 1992 Wedding Present project, Hit Parade 2. He also latterly worked with Primal Scream.
Most fans and critics seem to agree that the first four Rolling Stones' albums produced by Miller, brought out the best in the band.
Himself a percussionist, Miller was known for a distinctive drum sound, especially with the Rolling Stones. He sometimes played percussion on their recordings, including the famous opening cowbell on "Honky Tonk Women" and the drums on "You Can't Always Get What You Want", "Happy" and "Shine a Light". The Stones stopped working with Miller after 1973's Goats Head Soup.
Additionally, Steve Winwood gives Miller credit for playing the percussive piano parts in a few of Traffic's live shows, particularly those in the compilation album, The Last Traffic Jam.
Miller's father, Bill Miller, was a Las Vegas entertainment director and the man who booked Elvis Presley into the International Hotel for his 1969 return to live performance.
Jimmy Miller had a daughter, rock singer Deena Miller, with Gayle Shepherd, a member of the singing group the Shepherd Sisters, a son Michael with second wife Geri, who died at age 33 and a step son Steven who is a news photographer living in Connecticut. His second wife Geri died of breast cancer three years before his death of liver failure in October 1994, at the age of 52.