Two celebrated guitarists from two different generations teamed up at Madison Square Garden on October 3, as John Mayer welcomed Steve Miller as his special guest at his first of two scheduled solo shows at the New York venue this week.
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As seen in fan-shot YouTube video, the duo thrilled the crowd with an acoustic rendition of Miller’s signature tune “The Joker,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart back in 1973. In addition to accompanying Miller on strummed acoustic guitar, Mayer also added some harmonies vocals and a deft solo to the performance.
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According to JamBase, Miller previously played “The Joker” with Mayer, as well as a number of other guitarists, at a 2018 tribute to lauded C.F. Martin & Co. luthier and executive Dick Boak.
Meanwhile, Miller will be celebrating a major milestone on Thursday, October 5, as he turns 80 years old that day.
Miller was born in Milwaukee, where his parents befriended guitar great Les Paul, who became Miller’s godfather. His family relocated to the Dallas when he was seven, and Miller later returned to Wisconsin to attend college. During his college years, he spent some time playing in the Chicago blues scene, although he eventually moved back to Texas before heading to San Francisco in 1966.
That year, Miller formed the Steve Miller Band, and the group started becoming popular in the Bay Area scene. Among the band’s notable early songs were “Living in the U.S.A.” and “Space Cowboy,” released in 1968 and 1969, respectively.
The Steve Miller Band’s commercial breakthrough came in 1973 with the release of The Joker album and its chart-topping title track. Miller and his group found continued success throughout the 1970s and into the early ‘80s, thanks to such other hits as “Take the Money and Run,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Jet Airliner,” “Jungle Love,” “Swingtown,” and “Abracadabra.”
Miller was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2022.
Last month, Miller marked the 50th anniversary of The Joker with the release of a new box set, J50: The Evolution of The Joker. The collection includes the album’s original 10 tracks, plus 27 previously unreleased songs from Miller’s archive.
The box set is available on CD, vinyl, digital download, and streaming platforms, also features new audio commentary and liner notes from Miller and music journalist Anthony DeCurtis.
Meanwhile, the Steve Miller Band has seven upcoming tour dates on its 2023 itinerary. Check out the group’s full schedule at SteveMillerBand.com.
