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Clarence Horatio "Big" Miller was an American jazz and blues singer and bassist, chiefly associated with the Kansas City blues style.
Miller spent his younger years in Sioux City and Topeka Kansas and studied the trombone initially before switching to the bass. His proximity to Kansas City influenced his style and his first full time professional job was with the Jay McShann orchestra. It was during this time that his vocal talents began to be recognized. He won fame as a "blues shouter", a musician whose vocal force was powerful enough that it could be heard in an auditorium with a big band behind it even without using a microphone. He also occasionally performed on trombone. He recorded for Savoy Records early in his career, including with The Five Pennies as backing musicians. His jazz activities also included work with Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
As a vocalist, Miller first rose to national prominence at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival where he appeared with a group led by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer. This led to a New York session with Brookmeyer's ensemble that was released on a well-reviewed LP, The Kansas City Sound that has since been re-released on CD.1 After performing with John Hendricks's revue, The Evolution of the Blues, Miller signed with Columbia Records and released several full-length albums. He had a short side career as an actor, appearing in Big Meat Eater, A Name for Evil, and a cameo in the comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
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