Arthur Miles (November 14, 1949 – July 31, 2024) was an American blues, jazz, and R&B musician, based in Italy.
Miles was born in Indiana but moved to California at a very young age, where he started his career as a singer in Richmond, San Francisco. The influence of the music of his uncle, the great guitarist Wes Montgomery, and his father's night club "Arthur's" allowed him to observe, absorb, and jam with some of the most famous blues, jazz and soul artists of the time, playing an important part in his musical education.
From the age of 14, Miles played as a professional musician with his own bands. He perfected his singing technique at the School of Natural Voice at Los Angeles tutored by Patricia Warner, and contemporarily completed his formal studies in musical theory. He also majored in journalism at the Pasadena City College. While in Los Angeles his bands included The Curb Feelers, Good Clean Fun, Hardworking, and The Blues Shakers. In 1974 he spent several years in Japan, touring the entire country and performing in the principal cities with the Days Band.
Miles subsequently worked as both an individual artist and vocalist supporting musicians such as Edwin Starr, José Feliciano, Big Joe Turner, Johnny Otis, Eddie Vinson and Jimmy "Bo" Horne. He toured with The Blues Society performing all over California.
In 1984, Miles moved to Italy. He started working with many Italian artists, including Paolo Conte, Loredana Bertè, Pierangelo Bertoli, and Andrea Mingardi. He participated in the festivals Carnevale di Venezia and Umbria Jazz Festival, and has made appearances in television shows such as Festivalbar, Torno Sabato, Domenica In, La Bella e la Bestia, Nonsolomoda, and Cantagiro. Following a gig at the Scimmie Jazz Club in Milan, he was invited by Renzo Arbore to participate in his popular TV show Quelli della notte on Rai 2. His voice interpreted the Frank Raya Band hit "Eyah! Eyah!" featured on the album The King of Money.
In 1987, Miles began to work with Zucchero, singing on his records Blue's, Oro incenso e birra, Spirito Divino and Shake. His is the Reverend's introduction in "Diavolo im me" ("Devil In Me"). Zucchero's most successful hits like "Senza una donna" ("Without a Woman"), "Hey Man", "Baila", "Ahum" include Miles' participation. He also performed in Zucchero's LP Fly, released in September 2006, which includes the single "Bacco perbacco". He also participated in the album Black Cat released in 2016.
In 1990, he toured with Gloria Gaynor in Italy, and re-recorded "I Will Survive" and "This Love Affair" with her.
Miles lived in Orsenigo, Como and was an active musician. Between 2021 and 2022, he took part in the Italian edition of The Voice Senior.
Miles died on July 31, 2024, at the age of 74.[1]