LISA DAWN MILLER

THE DAUGHTER OF LEGENDARY MOTOWN SONGWRITER RON MILLER FORGES AN EXCITING, MULTI-FACETED PATH OF HER OWN AS VOCALIST, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER AND ENTERTAINER
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Blessed With “The Voice Of An Angel,” The Singer Produced Her Critically Acclaimed Debut ‘Fly Away' And Has Won Raves For Her Performances In “The Sandy Hackett & Lisa Dawn Miller Show,”
Which She Developed With Her Comedian/Producer Husband Sandy Hackett
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Miller Is Currently Working On A Musical About Her Father's Life And The Impact His Songs Have Had On The World, Tentatively Titled ‘For Once In My Life: A New Musical About Old Songs'

 

No matter how hard she tried and how far she ran, Lisa Dawn Miller thankfully couldn't escape her own musical destiny. The daughter of legendary songwriter Ron Miller—playfully dubbed “the only white guy at Motown”—Miller grew up watching her dad produce artists we all know by first names (Barbra, Stevie, Diana) as they sang the songs that defined an era: “For Once In My Life,” “Touch Me In The Morning,” “Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday,” “Heaven Help Us All,” “Someday At Christmas,” “I've Never Been To Me,” and “If I Could”.

When she came of age, however, she shunned the limelight of the entertainment industry in favor of a securing a strong background and foundation in the business world. Immersing herself in the financial realm during the bull market of the early 90s, she spent years as a very successful stockbroker, financial planner, stock portfolio/wealth management advisor and retirement planning specialist focusing on 401k retirement plans.

At least she'll know how to invest her money now that she's finally decided to share her immense musical talents with the world and turn her attention to singing, songwriting, producing and entertaining. She self-produced her critically acclaimed, recently released debut album Fly Away, which features her stunningly beautiful interpretations of originals (the title track), standards (“Smile,” “Over The Rainbow”) and brilliant well known and not so well known songs by her father (“You Were There,” “Life Saved You For A Rainy Day”). The collection also includes duets with Vegas legend Clint Holmes, pop classical tenor Michael Amante and her husband, comedian, actor, writer director, producer (and singer!) Sandy Hackett. Hackett is the son of legendary comic Buddy Hackett.

Jeff Rossen, Chicago Editor/Recordings Reviewer, Cabaret Scenes Magazine raves, “Take a collection of songs of exceptional quality and breadth, set them in striking arrangements and then turn the lyrics and melodies over to a singer whose voice can cut straight through the heart, and you've got one heck of a dazzling debut.” Jerry Fink of The Las Vegas Sun adds that she's a “stunningly beautiful, naturally talented vocalist.” Miller and Hackett have earned similar critical accolades from Vegas to Dallas and Florida with their unforgettable “The Sandy Hackett & Lisa Dawn Miller Show,” officially billed as “a night of unbelievable song and hysterical laughter.” The show combines the comic's hilarious bits with Miller's stunning performances of originals, standards and classics penned by her father.

Miller is currently developing a musical about her dad and the impact his work has had on the world, tentatively titled For Once In My Life: A New Musical About Old Songs. Over the years, Ron's songs have been recorded by thousands of artists including Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Celine Dion and Michael Bolton. “Heaven Help Us All,” the last song ever recorded by Ray Charles, won a Grammy Award in 2005; Bennett and Stevie Wonder won Grammys this year for their collaboration on “For Once In My Life.”

For all that, Miller didn't realize the power or impact of what her dad had accomplished. “I've been contacted by people all over the world who have expressed how my father's songs have meant so much to them,” she says. “His songs have been the fabric of their life, of all our lives. It's an amazing feeling. My father is an inspiration, not only to me but to so many people. He writes lyrics that mean something, lyrics that touch and move people in deep ways.” Miller adds, “I also learned so much from my Dad about singing. People often ask me where I got my vocal training. I tell them from watching my father produce Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and many others. Those recording sessions were where I learned how to express and interpret a lyric. I also find writing songs very rewarding. When you pen the words and/or compose the music, you have a deep understanding of how to interpret it. I'm also starting to produce other artists, which I love, and I've produced some video shorts as well. It's all very exciting.”

The turning point in Miller's life came when an L.A. real estate agent heard a demo she was playing for a friend and hooked her up with longtime CBS record executive Ed Matthews. Matthews heard Miller sing a few songs and immediately wanted to book her  for a one night engagement at the Starbright Theatre in Summerlin, near Vegas. Matthews knew the theater booker, Sandy Hackett—who booked her sight unseen on Matthews recommendation.  Miller tells the romantic story of how she actually met Sandy when she was seated in the front row during his performance as Joey Bishop in his long running show “The Rat Pack Is Back.” It was love at first sight. They made eye contact during Hackett's monologue. Sandy jumped off the stage and into Miller's lap during the show! They've been together ever since!

Hackett and Miller married in April 2005 and have a 17-month-old daughter, Ashleigh; Miller also has a son, six-year-old Oliver, from her previous marriage. “Sandy and I are so in tune with each other, it's something you can't articulate,” she says. “The passion and devotion we have for each other naturally extends to all of the creative endeavors we're involved with. It's a blessing and gift to share so much personally and professionally as well. Sandy is my biggest fan and supporter.”

When asked about the challenges involved with being the offspring of a legend, Miller says, “I make no apologies for being Ron Miller's daughter. In fact, I embrace and cherish his genius. Being exposed to that kind of brilliance, growing up, set the bar pretty high. It's what inspires me. It's all I know. It's part of who I am and if I'm lucky enough, it will shine through my own work in abundance. I'm confident enough in my own talent to let it!”