This fall, his well-known love for music takes him to even higher notoriety. Miller will join the hallowed halls of the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association as a Hall of Fame inductee.

“It’s so remarkable to me that a hobby I’ve had developed into a job and much more,” Miller said. “The induction news is very humbling. This is important but, at the same time, it feels awkward. I have been able to perform with so many great musicians over the years. I always looked at what they were doing with awe well before myself.”

“I just love to do it,” he added. “I’ve been so blessed.”

His dad Carl and uncles Everett and Glen got the family involved in music at a youthful age.

-Messenger file photo
Tim Miller, of Humboldt, performs during the Karl L. King Municipal Band Father’s Day Concert at Oleson Park in June 2017.

“We used to go to my grandma’s house for family events,” he said. “Dad and my uncles would get out a guitar and start singing and playing. It was so much fun.”

From there, his own musical path resumed in the fourth grade.

“There was a day when everyone could go in and try out instruments in the spring to decide what you would be doing for the middle school band when I was growing up in Danville,” he said. “After hearing my audition, the instructor thought I would be best suited for the trombone.”

“Well, I told him I wanted to be like my older brother Rich and play the trumpet,” he added with a laugh.

State and regional music aficionados are glad he pushed for that instrument. From there, he and a few junior high friends created a band called the Cool Cats where they played for a junior high dance with only four to five songs. His talents through junior high and high school caught the ear of Eddie Hart, a nearby professional musician. An invitation to a regionally acclaimed group entitled Clockwork followed. Eventually, the road led to his current gig where he plays with the much-loved Lone Tree Revival group.

“Honestly, we’re just a bunch of guys from around the area who just like to play music,” Miller said. “We do not play a heavy schedule. There are seven of us in the band: three retired guys, two with full-time jobs, and two, Jeremy Ober and Alex Trevino, still having full-time work as musicians.”

“Overall, I would say we fit in around half a dozen times a year to play,” he added. “It just helps keep us all in a good pocket for what we cherish. It has led to some amazing opportunities including opening for Molly Hatchet and Brett Michaels at the Shellabration Festival and playing the Preservation Plaza in Okoboji.”

As always keeping it “cool,” Miller is quick to point out he is just a chip up off the old block.

“My dad and uncles actually won a contest at the Iowa State Fair in the 1930s for their musical notability,” he said. “I guess you could say, I’m kind of continuing a family tradition.”

And as a bonus, he is joining his little brother Paul into the Hall. He was inducted in 2022.