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Austin treasure Ernie Mae Miller dies
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Blues/ pop piano great Ernie Mae Miller, the granddaughter of Anderson High namesake L.C. Anderson, passed away at home at 2:47 a.m. Wednesday, surrounded by family and friends, after a long illness. She was 83.
During World War II, the East Austin native played saxophone in the Prairie View Co-eds, the black, all-girl swing band that toured nationally and played Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater.
After attending Huston- Tillotson College in the late ’40s, Miller switched to piano and started playing the old Dinty Moore restaurant/ bar on West Sixth Street. It was at the New Orleans club at 11th and Red River Streets in the ’50s that Miller established herself as perhaps the premiere East Austin musician. She recorded a live album “At the New Orleans,” which displayed a range from Billie Holiday-styled vocals to swinging Dixieland. One of the songs from that album, “”Little Girl Blue.” was later covered by Janis Joplin, who lived in Austin during Miller’s heyday.
Long before Joplin sang at Threadgill’s, Austin’s reputation as a music town was forged by the L.C. Anderson High School marching band, where Miller learned her musical chops from legendary band leader B.L. Joyce. Under Joyce’s directorship, the Yellow Jacket band won the black high school state championship seven times from 1940-1953. Miller played tenor sax for the first three championship bands.
“If we got second place it was a big disappointment,” Miller told the American-Statesman in 2004. “We just sounded better than the other bands. When they called our name as the winner, we were like, ‘Of course!’ “
Miller stayed busy through the years, playing many of Austin’s finer hotel lounges and restaurants. Her latest gig was playing at T.G.I. Fridays at the Radisson Hotel, which she gave up at age 80. But her residencies at such long-gone clubs as the Flamingo Lounge, the Jade Room and the Commodore Perry Hotel reserve for her an important place in Austin music history.
Miller is survived by five sons. Funeral details at King Tears Mortuary are pending.
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By Kevin Gallaugher
December 9, 2010 11:06 AM | Link to this
Only became aware of Ernie Mae in the last few years, after reading an article about her in the Austin Chronicle. From that point forward, I made sure I was there to see her play every Sunday for brunch at the T.G.I. Fridays at the Radisson, up until she retired. She had a vast repertoire from the american songbook, and it was hard to stump her on any request. She was especially adept in her interpretations of the compositions of Duke Ellington. However, it was her version of ‘St. James Infirmary’ that moved me the most perhaps. She knew I liked it so she made sure to play it every time I was in there. So sad to see her go.
By Kevin Gallaugher
December 9, 2010 11:48 AM | Link to this
One of the greats is gone. I went to see her every sunday at the T.G.I. Fridays in the Radisson, the last regular gig she ever had. She was especially adept in her interpretations of the compositions of Duke Ellington. She performed one of the most interesting versions of ‘St. James Infirmary’ I’ve ever heard. Sad to see her go.
By Frank Garza
December 9, 2010 11:46 PM | Link to this
I am sorry to hear of Ernie Mae’s passing. She was a great entertainer for so many years. I had the honor of playing in her trio groups at the old Jade Room during my college days and later. I had been thinking about her recently and brought her name up just a few weeks ago in a discussion with a Texas music historian. I hope that she receives recognition for her contributions in Texas music history. I will miss Ernie Mae.