Dale Miller

"In the fall of 1960 Miller entered the New Mexico Military Institute where he eventually took up guitar, inspired by Peter, Paul and Mary and Bob Dylan . After graduating Junior College in 1964, Miller spent the summer working at the New York World's Fair and living in Greenwich Village where he realized that it was possible to live an alternative life style. Around this time he discovered the recordings of John Fahey, the principal figure in establishing the steel string guitar as a solo concert instrument. He began to work towards playing solo guitar tunes."

"As a student at the University of Texas, Miller fell in with the rich musical scene in Austin. Musicians he jammed with, listened to and/or learned from included: Lightnin' Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, Janis Joplin, Toad Andrews, Allen Damron , Bill Moss, Bill Neeley, Kenny Threadgill, Powell St. John, Kerry Rush and The 13th Floor Elevators. His first professional gig was at the ID Coffeehouse. He listened to all types of recorded music and studied method books by Stefan Grossman, Happy Traum and others."

Dale's OM style guitar "has Koa wood back, sides and top, a mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard and bridge and a strip of rosewood vaneer on the headstock. "

"It was built in Eric Schoenberg's small manufacturing facility in Littleton, Massachusettes between 1996-1999. The main luthier there was Julius Borges. He had two to four other workers during this time including John Slobod and Steve Ryder."

"Miller bought this excellent instrument from Schoenberg at his Tiburon store in 2005."


Photo by Chuck Rogers.

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