Meet Mark Arthur Miller

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Arthur Miller.

Mark Arthur, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Jr. Walker and the All-Stars, Marvin Gaye… these artists were the soundtrack of my young life growing up on Chicago’s South Side. Raised by my mother and grandparents at 87th and King and separated from my father, songwriter Ron Miller, the family remained in the neighborhood as so-called “white flight” to the suburbs changed it from white to black. A goldmine of cultural experience was the result.

My friends and I pretended we were the Temptations, copped their moves and called our group’s forward-leaning names like INTEGRATION. I had a visceral connection to soul music that I couldn’t explain–until I heard Stevie Wonder’s 1968 single “For Once in My Life” and realized it was my father’s song. The late Ron Miller was originally a staff writer at Motown in the stable of other great writers like Holland-Dozier-Holland, Mickey Stevenson and Harvey Fuqua. His hits for the label include “A Place in the Sun,” “For Once in My Life,” “Yester-me, Yester-you, Yester-day,” “Heaven Help Us All,” “Touch Me in the Morning,” “Someday at Christmas” and “Don’t Burn Down the Bridge.”

But, estranged from me for over ten years, Ron Miller was just a label on a 45. That changed forever when my sister and I reconnected with my dad and moved to Los Angeles with him when Motown relocated in the 1970s. A lifelong bond was formed, and through Pop’s work, I frequently found himself in the company of idols Stevie, Smokey, Marvin, Diana and more.

My career path was first influenced by athletics and acting. After college, I played both basketball and tennis, I competed on national tennis tours as a professionally ranked player, and at the same time began an acting career. I focused on acting when I moved back to Chicago at age 21. I co-founded Reflections Theatre Ensemble there and then went to New York where I performed in numerous theatrical productions before returning to Los Angeles, where he co-founded The Road Theater Company. In LA, in addition to theater, I am active in television and films. Music, however, has the front seat.

My dad would often have me sing demos of his songs. I began performing in popular venues like Rockwell Table and Stage, Catalina Jazz, The Federal and The Cinegrill, where pop was often in the audience until his death in 2007. I also just had the debut show of SOUL SEARCHING at the Triad theatre in NYC!

I released SOUL SEARCHING in 2018. The recording has found its way onto playlists on the radio all over the world. Naturally, it features some Ron Miller hits, as well as originals by me and Peter Smith, and other classic Motown songs.

Soul music is my heart.

We’d love to hear more about your music. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Well, I’m definitely an artist who wears many hats. I make music, but I’m also an actor who’s worked in all mediums, Theatre, TV, Film. I’m also a tennis professional, I don’t play much anymore but I’m constantly teaching. I think music has become the strongest force in my life in the last ten years. Getting my CD Soul Searching out to the public and the show of the same name has been a big part of that. It’s basically a show about a father and a son who find each other. Like the CD, It’s filled with great music that helps tell the story, some rearranged classics, some of my father’s songs, and some of my own. I’m working on getting it booked across the country and abroad.

The stereotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
It is definitely a juggling act, but I think I’ve been lucky that I have a few different ways to get my bills paid. I’m also blessed that I wake up every morning and do something I love, whether it’s music, acting, or tennis!

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My album is available on ITUNES and pretty much everywhere else (Spotify, Amazon, etc.) and I’m on all the social media networks and I have a website so whenever my show is playing you can always find out! Please pick up the CD!!! And come, see the show!!!

Image Credit:
James Gavin, Sonel Breslav, Jason Uptown, David Zaugh

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