For more than four decades, David Miller has been the steady, soothing voice behind Swingin’ Down the Lane, a nationally syndicated radio program devoted to the timeless sound of the big band era. A master of nostalgia, music history, and charming commentary, Miller has dedicated his life to preserving and celebrating the sounds of a golden age- an age he first fell in love with as an eight-year-old listening to the Make-Believe Ballroom radio show originating out of New York City.
Now in his mid-90s and still broadcasting from a studio in his Little Rock home, Miller has produced more than 2,225 episodes of Swingin’ Down the Lane, which airs on stations across the U.S., as well as in Australia and Germany. It remains one of the few programs that gives full voice to the giants of swing- Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller- as well as vocal legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra.
“I’m not a musician,” Miller often says with a smile, “but I’m a super fan.” Despite a less-than-stellar stint attempting the clarinet as a teen- “My teacher gave up before I did,” he quips- Miller developed an unshakable passion for the music that defined an era. That passion would follow him throughout an accomplished career in psychology and market research, only to resurface as a second act that would make him a beloved radio host and a key figure in preserving American jazz history.
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1928, Miller was the third of four children. He grew up in a household where music was a part of life, and by the time he reached high school, he was already writing about big band music for the school paper. At Princeton University, he became a frequent caller to the campus radio station, often correctly identifying the “mystery tune” played by the disc jockey.
Miller’s academic path led him to a degree in psychology at Princeton and graduate studies at the University of Michigan. By 1953, he was working in Detroit as research director for J. Walter Thompson, then the world’s largest advertising agency. After earning his Ph.D., he served in the U.S. Army, working in engineering psychology at the Franklin Arsenal in Philadelphia.
His professional career spanned multiple industries and roles, including executive posts at Chrysler, RCA, Gulf Oil, and the polling firm Harris & Associates. But it was during his tenure at RCA-where he received complimentary recordings from the company’s vast catalog- that Miller’s passion for big band music was rekindled. RCA’s reissues of swing era classics became the foundation of what would become a world-class personal archive and, eventually, the content for a radio show.
That show began modestly in 1983 as A Sentimental Journey with David Miller on a North Little Rock commercial station. When the station changed format two years later, Miller brought the program to a Little Rock station. By 1989, the show was rebranded Swingin’ Down the Lane, adopting the 1923-era title tune as its theme.
Each one-hour episode features about 15 songs, interwoven with Miller’s gentle, informative narration. He offers biographies of the bandleaders, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and thematic episodes focusing on everything from wartime music to rare recordings. While nostalgia remains a component, Miller increasingly assumed the role of musical historian- interviewing performers, biographers, and family members of swing era icons.
His interviews have included legendary bandleaders like Larry Elgart and Buddy Morrow, instrumentalists such as Clark Terry and Paul Tanner, and vocal greats including Jo Stafford, Margaret Whiting, and Frankie Laine. The breadth and depth of his guest list have helped make the show a cherished time capsule of jazz’s most enduring era.
Beyond the studio, Miller has taken his expertise on the road- quite literally. In the ‘90s and early 2000s, he joined big band cruises, giving lectures aboard ships and, in 2002, even rode the rails as part of the American Orient Express “Jazz Train,” offering commentary on jazz history as the train rolled from New Orleans to Washington, D.C.
Miller’s broadcasting achievements were recognized in 2021 with his induction into the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame. In 2022, he published Close Encounters: Music in My Life, a memoir chronicling his lifelong love affair with big band music and the extraordinary people he met along the way.
Despite a career that began in psychology and market research—he founded and ran the successful Miller Research Group- Miller’s heart has always been in radio and jazz. His program, still running on stations across the country (including Swing Street Radio), continues to bring joy to listeners across generations.
David Miller’s journey is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance. In an age when musical tastes have shifted dramatically, he remains a voice for tradition, swinging down the lane with warmth, knowledge, and a dedication to keeping America’s music alive.
In the words of one of his frequent sign-offs: “The big bands we remember may be gone, but the music lives on.” And thanks to David Miller, it’s not only living- it’s swingin!
Swinging Down the Lane with David Miller can be heard Saturdays at 5PM Pacific/8PM Eastern on Swing Street Radio.
Craig Roberts writes the “Hot Big Band News” column for Swing Street Radio, and on occasion claims to have been Hal Kemp‘s bartender.
