Jacob Miller | Artist

Jacob Miller died in 1980 at the age of 27, tragically joining that illustrious group of brilliant yet ill-fated artists known as the "27 Club"

Jacob Miller was a Jamaican reggae artist born 1952 in Mandeville, Jamaica. Miller, who was a renowned vocalist, is best known as the front man and singer for the band Inner Circle. From an early age Miller was involved in recording sessions with Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd at Studio One. He cut some early singles with Coxsone along with his friend Horace Swaby, later to be known as Augustus Pablo. Inner Circle was already a semi-successful band doing covers of US soul & R&B hits when they hired Miller to be their lead singer. Miller stayed with the band and performed on all their albums up until he and his son tragically died in a car accident in 1980. Miller released a total of eight solo albums alongside his work with Inner Circle. Standout solo albums include King Tubby Meets Jacob Miller (1976), Tenement Yard (1976), Jacob "Killer" Miller (1977) and Wanted (1978). The 1992 compilation Who say Jah no Dread is an excellent collection of Miller's sessions with Augustus Pablo. Miller made an eponymous cameo appearance in the cult classic roots reggae film Rockers, alongside several roots reggae musicians including Gregory Isaacs and Burning Spear. Possibly his greatest performance was when Miller appeared at the One Love Peace Concert in 1978. The "Peace Concert" took place at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on 22 April 1978, along with many of the most popular reggae acts of the day. In March 1980, Jacob Miller went with Bob Marley and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell to Brazil, to celebrate Island opening new offices in South America. Not long after returning to Jamaica Sunday, 23 March 1980, Miller and one of his sons died in a car accident on Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica. Miller and Inner Circle had been preparing for an American tour with Bob Marley and the Wailers, and the next album, Mixed Up Moods, had been recorded before his death. Miller was a committed Rastafarian and will always be remembered as one of the greatest voices in reggae.

Artist Website: wikipedia/Jacob_Miller_(musician)

Featured Albums: Jacob Miller

Related Artists: Inner Circle, Augustus Pablo

Collections: 27 Forever