In April 2018 Billy Miller won (with co-writer Paul Kelly) the coveted APRA (music industry) Song of the Year Award for the song “Firewood and Candles”. The song is one of four Kelly/Miller collaborations on Kelly’s recent album “Life is Fine”. Since 2011 they have forged a songwriting union with around a dozen tunes so far. “Don’t Let a Good Thing Go” (Paul Kelly Merri Soul Sessions, sung by Dan Sultan) was their first composition.
Billy is best known as the singer of The Ferrets (“Don’t Fall In Love”; “Dreams of A Love‚ÄùLP – 1977). He has been performing, composing and producing for 50 years, starting with acoustic spots at ‚ÄòThe Green Man‚Äô and ‚ÄòGeoff Brooke‚Äôs Steak Cave‚Äô in 1969, then 3 years in the cast of “Jesus Christ Superstar” (1972-75), where he met bass player Ken Firth (who was in the orchestra), and soon after they formed The Ferrets (1976-1979).
‚ÄúI Want To Live In A House‚Äù featured in the film ‚ÄúStarstruck‚Äù and other credits include the Countdown theme (1980-2 version), and in 1994 performer/co-producer (with Andrew Duffield) of the soundtrack to the ABC‚Äôs hit show¬†Round The Twist (series 2).¬†The Great Blokes‚Äù – 1979-83¬†(‘Perpetual Motion’), “The Spaniards‚Äù – 1983-6(‘God Is A Shield’) and “The Gypsies‚Äù¬†- 1987 (‚ÄòWomen In The Kitchen‚Äô) followed The Ferrets.
From 1989-2004 Billy was heavily involved in the production (composing, editing, performing) of many well known TV and radio commercials (e.g. “Where Else But Queensland?”, “MacTime” McDonalds commercials).
Other long collaborations include guitarist/record production in The Dave Graney Show (1997-2005), and Stephen Cummings (2006 Р?). In 2008 Billy and Stephen composed most of the score for the film “Not Quite Hollywood.”
Post 2000 has seen the emergence of Billy‚Äôs latest line up “The Love Brothers‚Äù (Billy, son Eddie, bassist Bill McDonald and drummer John Annas), including a 12 year residency at The George Public Bar in St.Kilda, plus thousands of other pub gigs and functions.
Since 2011 Rebecca Barnard and Billy Miller have sold out their singalong/choir performances (first Wednesday of every month) at Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh, culminating each year in the annual Sacred Heart Foundation benefit concert at The Palais Theatre.