Ron Miller (songwriter)

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Ronald Norman Miller (c. 1933 - July 23, 2007^[1]) was an American popular songwriter and record producer, who attained many Top 10 hits with ballads written for Motown artists in the 1960s and 1970s.

Miller was born in Chicago and was discovered playing in a bar by Motown founder Berry Gordy.^[1]

He penned a number of songs for Stevie Wonder, including four hit singles, in the period prior to 1971 when Wonder took control of his own recordings.

Miller's most famous hit song was Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life" which was written the night his daughter Angel was born. It is one of the most covered songs in pop history with more than 270 recorded versions. A version recorded by Tony Bennett and Wonder won a Grammy Award in 2007. A version of his song "Heaven Help Us All" by Ray Charles and Gladys Knight won a Grammy Award for best gospel performance in 2005.^[1]

Miller died Monday, July 23, 2007 of cardiac arrest at Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center after a long battle with emphysema and cancer.

[edit] Selected list of Ron Miller songs

• "A Place in the Sun" (Ron Miller, Bryan Wells) – Stevie Wonder, 1966, US #9, UK #20
• "For Once in My Life" (Ron Miller, Orlando Murden) – Stevie Wonder, 1968, US #2, UK #3
• "Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday" (Ron Miller, Bryan Wells) – Stevie Wonder, 1969, US #7, UK #2
• "Heaven Help Us All" (Ron Miller) – Stevie Wonder, 1970, US #9, UK #29
• "Touch Me in the Morning" (Ron Miller, Michael Masser) – Diana Ross, 1973, US #1, UK #9
• "I've Never Been to Me" (Ron Miller, Ken Hirsch) – Charlene, 1982, US #3, UK #1, Canada #1, Australia #1
• "If I Could" (Ron Miller, Ken Hirsch, Marti Sharron) – Celine Dion, 2004. The album 'Miracle' peaked at US #4.

[edit] See also

• Stevie Wonder discography

[edit] References