The Ben Miller Band

Name: Ben Miller

Instrument: Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica, Foot Percussion
Birthday: 4-10-1979
Hometown: Curlew, Washington
Current Residence: Joplin, Missouri
Years with the Band: 5Music Career

History: I wrote songs/poems from a very young age, but took no interest in playing an instrument until guitar at the age of 16. Even then, he rarely played it. When he left home, his interest in Country and Delta Blues began. He listened to those old recordings non-stop and began to emulate the music.

Music Influences: Favorite Bands/Music Genre:
Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, Bukka White, Charlie Patton, Son House, Mississippi Sheiks, Cannon’s Jugstompers, Roscoe Holcomb, Tom Waits, Beck.

Hobbies/Favorite Past-times:
Learning, Bike riding

Favorite Event/ Show locations/Favorite Band Story:
“I can’t point my finger at a show or moment that I enjoyed the most. I know when I feel connected with an audience. I know when I am conveying my heart. I know when I am communicating my feelings. That is what I like the best. I feel like I’m all of the way there, and at the moment, yet somehow transcended.

Favorite Fan Story:
I usually feel uncomfortable when people give me compliments, it makes me suspicious.

Extra Comments/ Something Special for the Fans to Know:
I’m grateful to be able to do what I do.

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Biography: Scott Leeper

Scott started playing drums at age seven.

At age ten, he began playing and singing professionally in his family’s band at local clubs from 1970 to 1980. After that Scott and his brother Verne continued working as a duo and in various local bands. In the early 1990’s he had a one man country act. From years 1997 to 2002, Scott played drums for hill country blues legend Lightning Malcolm and began playing wash tub bass. In 1999 Scott and Malcolm played at the Howling Wolf Memorial Festival and were invited by Mrs. Wolf to play at the annual Wolf family picnic in Chicago. Scott then began a single act singing and playing country blues guitar. In 2004 Scott started playing wash tub bass with The Ben Miller Band.

Scott has performed with blues legends Jesse May Hemphill, T Model Ford, country legend Jana Jay, and opened for artists Pat Boone, John Hammond, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Junior Brown, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, the North Mississippi Allstars and Three Dog Night.

Musical Influences: R.L. Burnside, Jr. Kimbrough, Son House, Fred McDowell, Lightning Malcolm, Lightning Hopkins, Howlin’ Wolf, Eric Clapton, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, George Jones and Ben Miller.

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Name: Doug Dicharry

Instrument: Washboard, T-bone (sackbutt), trumpet, drums, mandolin
Birthday: 3-24-1980
Hometown: Joplin, Missouri
Current Residence: Joplin, Missouri
Years with the Band: 5

Music Career History: I started playing trombone in sixth grade. I played all the way up to two years of college. Also, I played in an 8-piece ska band through high school called the “RowSkabouts”, which did very well in the regional area. All the while, teaching myself the drums. Then I had the opportunity to play in a studio band, called Freakflag. It was an ambient soundtrack band. Around this time I saw Big Smith perform, and witnessed an amazing washboard player. I inquired how to get one and how to make washboard gloves. After I had constructed my new instrument, I went to show it off to my friend and organ player. He told me to never play it again. So, I didn’t, ’til one day, a friend told me to go to this open mic in Neosho to jam trombone with some awesome blues guitarist. That’s when I met Ben. Ben also had a washboard. I had gloves and the sound just worked. I followed Ben to all his open mic’s, until he had to hire me. Now I play with the Ben Miller Band on a regular basis, and have recently joined forces with some members of Speakeasy (a Springfield, Missouri band) and formed an awesome cover band called Greasy Chair, who perform every Wednesday in Springfield at Patton Alley Pub.

Music Influences: Favorite Bands/Music Genre:

Any band I’ve been in has had a great influence on me. I also like the Avett Brothers, the Meters, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Tyranasaurus Chicken, The Crumbs, Mountain Sprout, Speakeasy, Fishbone, The Toasters, Nirvana, Brave Combo, Mr. Bungle, just to name a few.

Hobbies/Favorite Past-times:
Bike riding, yoga, canoe, hike, soccer

Favorite Event/ Show locations:

• George’s in Fayetteville
• Patton Alley Pub in Springfield, Missouri
• Festivals!
• Favorite Band Story:
• I got stuck on “My Tea Kind”’s bus, wasted, during Hurricane Ike at the Harvest Festival

Another Band Story:
We went to get a hotel. Ben and I stood at the desk and Scott went to sit on the couch behind us. While the gentleman at the desk turned around to get some paperwork, Ben covered his hand in hand sanitizer. I pulled out my lighter and lit Ben’s hand on fire. WHOOSH! Ben put his hand out and we both played it cool, like nothing happened…we were doing a pretty good job of keeping it quite…until Scott busted out laughing! It smelled horrible!

Ben Miller Band “Come Together