Photo: Dennis Wanebo and Colorado musician Bob Story | By Fredrik Falk, Newsner | His voice sounded like gravel and God, and he gave country music some unforgettable songs back when country wasn’t cool. But now, a beloved voice from that era has gone quiet. Famed country singer and songwriter Frankie Miller has died at the age of 95.
Miller passed away from natural causes at his home on Saturday, according to Tracy Pitcox, president of Heart of Texas Records.
For those who grew up listening to traditional country, his music was more than just a collection of songs — it was part of an era when storytelling, heartbreak and hard work were at the heart of country music.
And remarkably, Miller never really stopped.
“Frankie had just completed work and released his biography, ‘The Blackland Farmer: Life Among Country Music Legends,’ written by Greg Wilson,” Pitcox said.
“He remained active in the industry and continued to enjoy making music into his 90s. He even was a special guest and performed with his long-time friend Willie Nelson a few years ago at the Luck Reunion.”
Born in Victoria, Texas, on December 17, 1930, Miller found music as a teenager. He formed his first band, The Drifting Texans, and began appearing on local radio before eventually landing a recording deal.
His musical journey was briefly interrupted by military service during the Korean War. Miller served with distinction, earning a Bronze Star and reaching the rank of sergeant before returning home and getting back to the music he loved.
Then came the song that would define his career.
In 1959, Miller released “Blackland Farmer,” a gritty country story inspired by his uncle. The record became one of Starday Records’ biggest successes, climbing into the Top 5 on the country charts and later crossing over to the pop charts.
For many fans, that song became inseparable from Miller’s name.
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Go here to read more about Mr. Miller:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/general/legendary-country-music-singer-and-songwriter-frankie-miller-has-passed-away-at-the-age-of-95/
OTHER NOTABLE MUSICIANS’ DEATHS
Photo: Dennis & Bob | Dennis Wanebo: This pic was taken eight years ago today, at the wedding of my son Tom, and his bride Kacey. Bob Story and me. It could be a book. We would take the stage with a band a few minutes later and do what we did together for a quarter of a century: play music.
Bob passed away yesterday. Today is a much emptier place.
Few people like Bob come into your life. Hang on to ‘em. We discovered almost from the outset that we were sort of fated to become a pair of songwriters. I spent an incalculable number of hours with him in the studio … across those years and across the creation of five really nice albums.
And, of course, there were numerous gigs interspersed through that time.
Every time I spent time with Bob, I came away having learned something. About music. About professionalism. About living.
In truth, beginning in 2000, I had four brothers. Three of them biological.
One of them Bob.
Love you always, Bob.
https://www.facebook.com/dennis.wanebo
Warning Signs of Suicide – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or if you want to discuss, call the old numbers at 800-273-TALK or 800-273-8255 for English and 888-628-9454 for Spanish. Learn the signs of someone who may be contemplating suicide.
Posting for my Veteran/singer/songwriter/musician friend Troy Hoss: Heavy on my heart so here goes: This is a very real problem … 22 Veterans a day surrender to their demons. #SuicideAwareness | Call Veteran’s Hotline: 988 #1 or 844-647-1354
From Care2 via Jock Bartley on Facebook: Trump shut down our LGBTQ+ suicide and mental health hotline, but CANADA opened a US toll-free number to theirs… so our citizens can get help anytime, at no cost: 1-877-330-6366
Kindness & empathy have no borders.
If you want to know more about any of the musicians we lost, find them at http://www.wikipedia.com
September 2026
1: Jonathan Meléndez, 38, Mexican keyboardist (Camilo Séptimo), shot. Cassandra Wilson, 70, American jazz singer, two-time Grammy winner (1997, 2009). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassandra_Wilson
August 2026
31: Michel Fano, 96, French musician, composer and writer; Carlyto Lassa, 65, Congolese singer-songwriter and evangelical pastor, heart attack; Miguel Zavaleta, 71, Argentine musician (Suéter) and songwriter (“Amanece en la ruta”).
29: Gene Bertoncini, 89, American jazz guitarist; David Fair, 74, American punk rock musician (Half Japanese) and artist, cancer; Antonino Fogliani, 50, Italian classical conductor; Frankie Miller, 95, American country singer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Bertoncini
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Miller_(country_musician)
28: Frank Campo, 99, American composer; Li Weikang, 79, Chinese Peking opera singer; Wacko, 52, American rapper (UTP).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Campo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTP_(group)
27: Granville Straker, 86, American record producer and label owner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville_Straker
26: Bert Matter, 89, Dutch minimalist composer and organist; Rubén Rada, 83, Uruguayan singer-songwriter, complications from pneumonia.
25: Tim Curry, 80, English actor (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue, It) and singer, Emmy winner (1991), coronary artery disease; Miloslav Gajdoš, 78, Czech double bass player and composer; Dimitris Kokotas, 57, Greek singer, composer and businessman, cardiac arrest; Dolly Parton, 80, American Hall of Fame singer-songwriter (“Jolene”, “I Will Always Love You”) and actress (9 to 5), eleven-time Grammy winner, cancer; Jose Rod, 63, Indian tiatr singer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_Parton
24: Jaye P. Morgan, 94, American singer (“That’s All I Want from You”), actress, and game show panelist (The Gong Show).
Mary Margaret Morgan was born in Mancos, Montezuma County, in far southwestern Colorado on December 3, 1931. Her family moved to California by the time she was in high school. Morgan had six siblings; five brothers and one sister. In the late 1940s, at Verdugo Hills High School in the Tujunga neighborhood of Los Angeles, she served as class treasurer (and got the nickname Jaye P. after the banker J. P. Morgan) and sang at school assemblies, accompanied by her brother on guitar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaye_P._Morgan
23: Tofig Bakikhanov, 95, Azerbaijani composer; Harry Bramma, 89, British organist (All Saints, Margaret Street), composer and academic teacher (King’s School, Worcester, director of the Royal School of Church Music); Stanley Ritchie, 91, Australian violinist.
