DIVERSIFY RETIREMENT STRATEGIES

personally are her performances with us at Red Rocks,” Mohr raid. “I say that plural because it usually goes down the same way. ere is usually some over-the-top garments involved. She just goes for it in every way and people lose their minds hearing and watching her energy and sincerity.”

Fittingly, Miller and Big Head Todd and e Monsters were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame together on June 10 — at their sold-out Red Rocks show.

Karen Radman, the Colorado Music Hall of Fame’s executive director, said that Miller is being honored for her solo work and collaborations with e Monsters, and added that she has been crucial to spreading Colorado music across the globe.

“(Miller) really is seen as one of our key female artists,” Radman said. “We just decided to put them together, for what they’ve done collaboratively but what they’ve done individually as well.

“When we looked towards her as an artist to honor and celebrate with Hall of Famer status, it was the work that she’s done here and the impact that she’s made in Colorado music, but also to bring that Colorado music and bring that Colorado artistry to other places in the world,” Radman continued.

Miller toured with e Monsters until the birth of her granddaughter in 2001, when she decided to spend more time with her family. Nevertheless, the pair’s collaboration has continued throughout the years.

“We have had the pleasure of her company on many tours, shows and trips since but still maintain our separate identities,” Mohr said. “We have a close relationship beyond music and have been through a lot together over the years.”

Since retiring from touring, Miller has become one of Colorado’s most celebrated — and proli c acts. She plays frequently in far- ung localities from Denver to Buena Vista to Parker and beyond, always retaining the same energy and charisma which has de ned her career.

At Winter Park Jazz one year, Miller sang with one of her heroes; Dianne Reeves. Miller said she considers Reeves to be the best jazz singer of their generation.

When Milller received word that she had been inducted into the Hall of Fame, she called her brother, who’s rst reaction was to make sure Reeves was already in.

“‘When I told my brother, he said, ‘Is Dianne (Reeves) in?’” Miller said. “I said, ‘Hell yeah!’ He said, ‘Cool.’”

When asked about Miller, Reeves raved about her now-fellow Hall of Famer, describing Miller as “our precious treasure.”

“Hazel Miller is a consummate artist beloved by the people of Colorado,” Reeves said. “Over the years she has consistently brought joy, healing and celebration to us all. Hazel has always been and still remains to be a genuinely loving and caring human being. She is our precious treasure.”

A mentor for young musicians

In recent years, Miller has helped a number of young Colorado artists get their start, including 20 Hands High, Julia Kirkwood and Blankslate — the latter of which happens to be the author of this article’s band.

Miller said she wanted to be the role model for others that she never had. As a young singer, Miller was sitting in with an older band, when the band purposely played the song in the wrong key to mess with her. She stormed out, grabbed her coat and walked home. Miller was 17 at the time.

“I don’t want anyone to ever tell me that they had to go through that,” Miller said.

In her mentorship, Miller channels another one of her inspirations; Bonnie Raitt.

“I want to be like Bonnie (Raitt),” Miller said. “She resurrected Ruth Brown when (Brown’s) record company dropper her. And Bonnie started bringing her on tour. at’s what I want to be to these young kids. ese kids call me, ‘Miss Miller, would you come mentor my band?’

“And I say, ‘Well, I’ve got to come see you rst, make sure you’re doing something cool,’” Miller continued.

One of Miller’s protégés, Chad Wooten — the frontman of country act 20 Hands High — said Miller discovered him in a karaoke bar in Morrison. Miller told Wooten to form a band and before long, he had taken her advice.

“She said, “A voice like yours needs to be on stage,’” Wooten recalled. “She’s a sel ess shining light who has been enough to mentor me, as I had zero experience with a band, playing out live, booking … She loves to see others succeed... everyone in every music scene and genre could learn from her.”

Miller said that she especially hopes to mentor young female musicians, who she believes are often undervalued in the music community.

“We get the short end of the stick,” she said. “... ey play, they sing, they write. I didn’t know how to do any of that. Nobody ever said, ‘You can write your own song.’ Nobody ever said, ‘You can start your own band.’ I started my band because I was tired of getting ripped o .”

‘If I die on stage, I’ll die happy’ While she doesn’t have any regrets from her career, one area that brings Miller sadness is that she — one of Colorado’s foremost Black artist — has never played for a predominantly Black crowd.

“I love my audiences because they don’t see me as being Black, they just see me as the band they came out to see,” Miller said. “ e only thing that disappoints me — I have never had a Black audience. I can usually count Black people on one hand at my shows.

“And I can go see a Black band, and they’ll have all these people there, and they’ll know me — but they don’t come to my shows,” Miller continued. “I don’t know why. But I had to let go. Because the people that come to see me want to be there, and we have a ball. I don’t worry about it anymore, but it does hurt. It’ll never stop hurting.”

Miller recently turned 70 but has no plans to slow down.

“I don’t know how to give it up. In all honesty, if I die on stage, I’ll die happy,” Miller said. “Everyone I love and respect were still working when they died. From Ella Fitzgerald to Aretha Franklin. They were all working when they passed away. And you can’t beat that.”

All in all, Miller’s career has taken her around the globe, bringing the fifth of seven children from Louisville, Kentucky to stages massive and modest. The most important accomplishment from her career, she says, is that she was able to give her children and grandchildren opportunities that she was never afforded.

“My job allowed me to give my boys things that I never had,” Miller said. “I have been to places that I dreamed of, and I got to see them because I was there singing. I woke up one morning and looked out the bathroom window at Mount Fuji. It was unbelievable — there was snow on it!”