Director/WGA screenwriter/artist and songwriter, Chip Miller, will host a Q&A following preview screenings of numerous PBS Television Concert Specials he has directed and produced with legendary PBS Producer, Terrel Cass. These previews, to be held at the La Quinta Museum near Old Town La Quinta, will give a glimpse of upcoming museum screening events, which Miller will be hosting through the Fall.
Included are excerpts from PBS, Public Television, HBO, and VH-1 concert specials like, “Encanto Del Caribe,” an all-star show with Marc Anthony, Laura Pausini, Ana Isabelle, Bernie Williams (NY Yankee slugger turned guitar great), and an international Whos’ Who? from the Hispanic music community, all shot on an historic location in Puerto Rico; “Rhythm of the Dance” with The National Dance Academy of Ireland, shot on 48 locations throughout Ireland over a one year period; “Trini Lopez: Unplugged at Cal State” an impromptu taping of Trini Lopez giving a mini-concert and a Q&A; “Songcatchers: The Gathering” an all-star Native American special shot in Santa Fe and soon to be airing on FNX, starring Grammy winners Mary Youngblood and Thirza DeFoe, along with the popular Jana Rashonee; a special advance sneak preview of “The Kingston Trio Celebration,” an all-star PBS TV special that premiered in June and has a big national encore in September/October, starring Al Jardine of The Beach Boys, Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles, Barry McGuire formerly of The New Christy Minstrels, Henry Diltz of The Modern folk Quartet (locals will know them from their featured role in the late 50’s movie, “Palm Springs Weekend”), Trini Lopez, The Limeliters, Josh Reynolds (son of The Trio’s late Nick Reynolds), and a rare appearance by Trio founder Bob Shane; St. Patrick’s Day with The Young Irish Tenors and The National Dance Academy of Ireland, taped at Folsom University; and more. In addition, Miller will screen a dozen VH-1 and MTV Europe music videos that were shot on location in La Quinta and surrounding areas, from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree and the Salton Sea.
Miller, having directed hundreds of music videos for major recording artists, produced and directed several independent movies, television pilots, a children’s series fort Disney Channel, and dozens of live television concert specials for major recording artists, and helmed numerous national commercials, will provide a personal commentary and behind-the-scenes stories about these and such other concert productions he directed and produced with Cass, like his PBS specials for The Texas Tenors, Diahann Carroll (taped at the Annenberg in Palm Springs), The Young Irish Tenors, and Brian Wilson, to name a few. He has worked closely with actors Liam Neeson, Nicolas Cage, Sissy Spacek, Jane Alexander, singer/actress Michelle Phillips, Howie Mandell, and many more, as well as was a Personal Manager for British actress Susan George, Simon MacCorkindale, and The Commodores. He has written biopic screenplays on The Mamas and The Papas, Morton Downey, Jr., and rockabilly legend, Gene Vincent. He is currently developing several feature film projects, ranging from “The Clairvoyant: The Edgar Cayce Story,” “Scotch and Soda: The Kingston Trio Story,” “The Innocent” (the story of hanged Irish murderer, Harry Gleeson, who recently became the first posthumous pardon in Irish history, 75 years later). Gleeson was Miller’s Grandmother’s brother. Miller is a partner at Desert C.A.M. Studios, a local film, video and audio production and post-production company.
Chip will be screening a different program each month. The Q&A and screenings are being held at the La Quinta Museum near Old Town La Quinta, with the first event on August 18, 2016 at 7 PM.
Admission is free. Refreshments provided by the La Quinta Historical Society.
