Editor's Note - 1 August 2015

The thing about switching to a monthly newsletter format is that there's so much more to talk about all at once. I promise to be brief and to the point, but it's gonna be hard because July was quite busy. Oh well, here goes ...

Midnight Soul Sisters

The Midnight Soul Sisters had a gig in Glasgow Scotland at the Thistle Hotel on 2 July and it took them the entire day to get to the venue to perform a 20-minute Motown set. The response from the crowd made the journey completely worth it, plus it was good bonding time with the girls being in the car together for several hours. Then on the 4th of July MSS headlined a festival in Kent. Click here to watch the promo video we put together from this show.

On 9 July I attended a Strategy Day with Shaping Portsmouth's Cultural Partnership group at Portsmouth Guildhall. It's great to be a part of the group that is setting the cultural tone of my adopted city and I look forward to helping Portsmouth grow in to an even more diverse cultural hub on the South Coast.

Groove Star

On 11 July Motown Singer, Marlene Hill performed at a private event at Esseborne Manor House in Andover, while Mayfield original soul band performed at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea to a very enthusiastic crowd.

My dynamic 70's act, Groove Star, performed at a private event in Rowlands Castle on the 18 of July and Gemma Anderson performed her Motown to Modern show in Blackpool on 25 July and my Diana Ross Tribute Act made an appearance at a Casino in Southsea on 31 July.

Me and James (Nephew)

I also found time to get home to Chicago for a family reunion and it was an absolute delight seeing my parents, family and friends during my way too short trip. I managed to eat in all my favourite food places around Chicago and struggled to get into that Diana Ross dress after a week of indulgence.

My radio show on ExpressFM, Glo's Music for the Soul, will be moving to Friday nights at 9pm starting this week. Some of my previous Sunday shows have been themed including Ladies of Soul, 90's R&B and Chicago Soul. If you'd like to here some of the past shows, click here. And please join me on Friday for a brand new show of Motown, Soul, Blues, Jazz, Funk & more!

Finally, I am looking to take on an apprentice starting in September to work with me up to 30 hours a week. This apprenticeship is ideal for someone interested in music or event planning, and who has good computer and social media skills. Please get in touch if you or someone you know might be interested. 02392 894 902.

I tried to update you as much as possible without being too wordy. How did I do?? Anyway, that's it for now. Have a great month!!

Check Out:  5-Tips for Booking Entertainment

Week In Review: 16-22 February 2015

I had a rare Monday booking where Supremely, Diana Ross made an appearance at the Portsmouth Pride Fest Showcase held at Three Bar in Southsea. The evening was hosted by Drag Artiste, Linda Bacardi and Chairperson David Lee-Bastable was also on hand to officially open the event.

Other acts performing on the night were Blokezone, The Blues Brothers by The Disco Divas, & One for The Road! There was certainly a Variety Show feel about the evening, and all the acts were united in one purpose - to show their SUPPORT for Pride.

I will also be performing my Diana Ross Tribute show during the main Pride event on the 20th of June at Victoria Park with performances at the Portsmouth Guildhall. For more information on this event, click here.

On Tuesday, I took a cheeky day off and spent the afternoon with the hubs and in-laws on the Isle of Wight, and it was a bonus that it was sunny too!

Wednesday I had band rehearsal with Mayfield in the lovely Mayfield Studios. In between prepping songs to record for our second album, we have some shows coming up that we're preparing for, the next one being March of the Mods in Reading on the 15th of March. Tickets are still available so click here to purchase yours!

Thursday Move On Up performed our first gig of the year at The Wine Vaults in Southsea, and as usual we had a fantastic crowd that sparked us on to give a high-energy performance of Soul, Funk, Blues & Rock classics. We will be back at The Vaults on the 16th of July. Save the date.

On Friday I had a vocal coaching consultation with a prospective new student in the morning, and then headed to Southampton for my Social Media Class.

All week I was nursing a bit of a head cold, but on Friday the cold starting fighting back so I had to cancel my vocal session with Mayfield that was scheduled for Saturday, and spent the entire weekend in bed just trying to feel better.

GME is a leading provider of star-quality entertainment at affordable prices, so why not contact us today to discuss entertainment for your wedding, birthday, anniversary or for your venue. 02392 894 902.

Have a fantastic week!

Gloria xx

Week in Review - 26 September 2014

Craig Charles

I usually start my weekly review with the beginning of the week, but in this edition I'm going to start with the weekend.

On Friday my originals band Mayfield did a show with the much celebrated Craig Charles at The Cellar in Southampton, and what an amazing night we had performing in a sold-out venue to a room full of Soul & Funk enthusiasts and sharing the stage with the most amazing DJ I have experienced since living in the UK! Mayfield performed a 1-hour set of our most Soulful, Funky tunes and the audience was with us from start to finish. At one point, I scanned the entire crowd that stretched right to the back of the venue, and each person was bouncing, dancing and grooving to our tunes. That was the most fabulous feeling! Many of our Portsmouth fans joined us in Southampton and we made many new fans who bought CDs and Vinyls after we finished. The hi-light of the evening for me was when Mr. Charles held up our album and the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. That was well cool!

Now, my plan was to stay for about 20 minutes of Craig's set because this is a 3-gig weekend for me and the mounting years means I need my rest ... LOL! Well, before I knew it I was drenched in sweat, dancing like a teenager at a rave, and more than an hour had past. I finally made the very tough decision to get my old bag of bones home and to bed. What a night!

Move On Up

As I write this, it's Saturday night and I just finished a sound check with my covers band, Move On Up, and will be heading back to Southwick Park Golf Club for a private event. Since we finished the sound check at 7:30pm and I live just 15 minutes from the venue, I decided to come home and do a bit of work :). On Sunday, it's up to London with Move On Up to perform songs from my CD, Let Go, at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho! I am deliciously tired, but looking forward to rockin' it tonight and tomorrow.

The earlier part of the week was all about photo shoots. On Tuesday, I drove to Somerset for a 12-hour power shoot with my latest venture, The Midnight Soul Sisters. Within MSS are several tribute acts, including Diana Ross (me), Tina Turner, The Supremes, The Ronettes, Beyonce, Whitney Houston and The Three Degrees. During the shoot there were many wig and costume changes, and much laughter and fun as we transformed ourselves into these great performers. My favourite wig of the day was the giant Afro I got to sport during The Three Degrees shoot. There is something very powerful about the Afro ... as soon as I got that thing on my hands went to my hips, my head tilted to the side, and I was dripping attitude ... LOL! Yeah, I was feeling that Afro! I'll post some of the pics once they're done.

Me as Tina Turner

On Thursday, I had two photo shoots, one for my new Tina Turner Tribute show in the morning, and then later for the four ladies of the Cathedral Innovation Center who have been nominated for a Venus Award. We're going to be featured in The News Porstmouth this week as we lead up to the Venus Awards Ceremony on the 1st of October. Hopefully, in next week's edition I'll be announcing that I am a Venus Award winner ... fingers crossed!

The rest of my week was basically prepping for photo shoots and gigs, while trying to fit in the daily running of GME. I had a little breather the beginning of September to recover from a very busy summer, but now it seems that I'm back to the grind through the end of the year. To be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way!

That's it for now ... I've got to get back to my gig.

Week In Review - 20 September 2014

The highlight of this week was attending Ladies Day at The Southampton Boat Show hosted by Sherry Claridge of UK Women Magazine on Thursday. The luncheon was held at Kuti's Royal Thai Pier and the food and company of 70 amazing women from across Hampshire were amazing! There was lots of networking, laughter and raffle prizes throughout the afternoon and I was delighted to be invited to make a 2-minute presentation about GME. The event was presented by Tara Howard of The Venus Awards, whose energy and enthusiasm are infectious. I was joined by my good friend and colleague, Janey Howl and we enjoyed a lovely late afternoon stroll around the Boat Show trying to work off the 3-course meal and dreaming a bit about the good life while touring a few of the amazing yachts on display. I left that boat show thinking that I definitely need to dream bigger ... LOL!

On Friday, I was at The Jolly Sailor judging the second semi-final of Southsea's Got Talent, and the seven contestants were outstanding. I wanted to put everybody through to the final, but sadly we could only put four through. The standout performance came from Harriet Standen, the teeny tiny singer with the huge voice! She wowed us with her version of 'And I Am Telling You' and earned first place in the semi-final. I can't wait to hear her at the final on the 3rd of October.

Tonight (Saturday) I am back at The Jolly Sailor with my originals band Mayfield hosting a charity event for Rowans Hospice. The night will be kicked off by Martin Jackson of SoulTime DJs spinning some great N-Soul, Soul & Motown. Mayfield will hit the stage around 9:15pm with two sets of funky soul originals and a few covers done the Mayfield way. We will also be debuting our brand new song, Ready Set Go, which we are currently working on in the studio. I'll give you a sneak preview once the track is finished. Watch this space.

Finally, on Sunday I will be joining my covers band, Move On Up to rehearse for our show at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho on 28 September. We will be performing original songs from my solo release, Let Go, as well as some Jazz & Blues covers. Tickets are still available for this show and your support would be greatly appreciated. Click here to purchase your tickets!

That's it for this week ... have an amazing weekend!

Week in Review - 5 September 2014

I am still unwinding from a very busy summer, and it actually feels weird having a bit of down time. September is my planning and goal setting month, so this week I've been thinking about areas in which I'd like to see growth. Of course, the obvious is book more gigs for my acts, but within the 'more gigs' I am also looking at the quality of those gigs. I currently have some great acts and over the course of this month will be adding a few more to my books. The challenge is now pairing these great acts with the types of bookings that regard the level of talent and professionalism my acts bring to their performances. I think a great way to meet this challenge is by connecting with local businesses and venues as well as branching out to other markets across the UK. This week I made some great connections through an organization that I recently joined, Shaping Portsmouth, when I attended my first meeting with the Cultural Partnership work stream on Monday.

It was great being in the room with the people who drive culture in our area, and I was amazed by the number of fantastic programs being offered ranging from opportunities to partner with Portsmouth University, to the Making Waves Film Festival happening 22-28 September, to a program I want to get involved with, Get Into Music. This program targets 14-24 year olds and works with local schools, colleges, universities, local business, venues, promoters and music industry professionals. Get Into Music aims to make young people aware of the opportunities available to them within the music industry, predominantly offstage opportunities.

Andy Grays of Portsmouth Cultural Trust invited me to attend a meeting held at the Guildhall on Wednesday to discuss Get Into Music, and I was also given a copy of their development plan. I am really looking forward to supporting this program. I will keep you updated on my involvement with their upcoming events.

I've been working from home since I started GME two years ago, and one year ago I was taken under the wings of the Cathedral Innovation Center in Portsmouth, which allowed me the use of office space a few days a week. As I go into year three of the business I thought I might want to secure a permanent office space outside of my home, and this week I viewed several small offices ranging from large office complexes, to small industrial estates and sadly, all out of my price range. I also emailed Francis Davis, of CIC informing him that I was looking for permanent space, and today I had a lovely chat with him. I am thrilled to announce that Francis has offered me several options to choose from for a full-time office space and each at a rental rate I can afford. So, in October, I will be moving into my own office. More details to follow ...

The Wine Vaults in Southsea is a venue I book acts in on a regular basis, and last night my band, Move On Up performed to a packed house, and enthusiastic crowd! Our sets were a unique blend of Jazz, Soul, Blues and a bit of Classic Rock covers and the audience really showed their appreciation for this eclectic mix of genres by singing and dancing along. What a great night!

Tonight, I am return to The Jolly Sailor to judge the first of two semi-finals of Southsea's Got Talent. This is going to be a terribly difficult night because we have put through some amazing performers from the individual heats that have been going on monthly since March. Tonight me and my fellow judges, Ross McInally, Landlord of Jolly Sailor and Cheryl Buggy of Express FM will be battling it out to determine who goes through to the Final and will be a step closer to claiming the £1,000 Grand Prize!

I have a rare weekend off this week, but the hubs has already assigned me some household duties. So, for the next two days I'll be 'fall' cleaning and organizing. Oh how I wish I had a couple gigs ... LOL!

GME is now accepting bookings for 2015. Get in touch to discuss the entertainment your special events for next year. Call me at 07504 611 173 or click here to request a quote for your next event.

That's it for now ... have a great weekend!

Month in Review - August, 2014

Venice, Italy

Where has August gone? Huge apologies that my last update was 25 July ... did you miss me? Don't answer that ... LOL!  I have loads to tell you about, so let's dig in!

The week of July 28th I was on a much needed holiday with the hubs. We went on a cruise from Venice, Italy to Kefalonia, Greece returning home on the 31st. There was lots of sunshine, food, drinks and dancing. Just what I needed to prepare for the very busy month of August.

I performed Supremely, Diana Ross on 1st August and with my originals band Mayfield on the 3rd at the Southsea Show. On the 2nd I performed at a new venue, Tinkers Tea Room in Gosport. What a lovely venue and fantastic audience. We started out with a very gentle Jazz & Blues set and then finished with an eclectic mix of uptempo classics that had the whole place up and dancing. Even drew in a few people who were passing by. I'm re-booked to perform for their Christmas season on the 12th of December. I'm also sorting out their entertainment for September with some of GME's amazing talent. More details to come.

Midnight Soul Sisters

The week of August 4th I was up to London on the Monday to rehearse with my latest venture, Midnight Soul Sisters, preparing for my debut performance with them on Friday the 8th at Felling Social Club in Newcastle. I was so nervous for the show because there were many dance routines I had to learn and actually remember, but the show was amazing and being on stage with three other dynamic entertainers was absolutely magical. At one point I was looking around at these women thinking 'how on earth did I get here'! We've been re-booked for that venue and I have several other dates booked with MSS. Learning and performing the dance routines reminded me of my cruise ship days, and I was thankful to have had that experience to draw on, because I don't think I would have been ready otherwise. Admittedly, sometimes I forgot to sing during the show because I was concentrating so hard on the dance steps ... LOL! The group is being re-vamped and we'll have some updated pics and video soon! Watch this space.

Move On Up

On 9 August I performed with my covers band, Move On Up, at The Concorde Club in Eastleigh. We did the Diana Ross Tribute Show and then finished up with a fiery party set. It was clear that the audience were there to have a good time, because the dance floor was full on the first Diana Ross song! What a great night.

The week of August 11th I attended a Shaping Portsmouth meeting on Tuesday. I am working with two 'work streams' within this organization ... Business & Enterprise and Cultural Partnership. The meeting on Tuesday was with B&E and my first meeting with Cultural Partnership will be on 1 September. Portsmouth is my adopted city and where I run my business from, and I wanted to find a way to give something back to this community that has embraced me and my business. Shaping Portsmouth allows me to do that and I'm looking forward to getting involved. Please click here to learn more about this organization.

On the 15-17 of August I was back in London for Foodies Festival Battersea Park. We were off to a very rocky start on Day 1 of this event ... when I arrived, the entertainment stage wasn't even built yet and wasn't finished until after the event had already opened. Day 2 of the event went much smoother and Day 3 was fantastic. I have to give a special shout out to James Gillespie, an amazing solo performer who covered my nether region big time by performing extra sets throughout the 3 days to help me cover cancellations. He was the perfect choice to ask to step in because he is a high-energy performer with a fantastic voice and quite the charmer with the audience. People were coming back to the event just to see him. By the Sunday, everyone was in love with him ... including me!

James Gillespie

This week has been all about Foodies Festival Oxford, the fifth event of the year for which I've organized the entertainment. Organizing this event has been full of challenges, and I didn't have the final list finished until yesterday! But, it's done and the line-up promises to be great. Click here to see the list of performers.

Finally, the 31st of August marks my 2nd year in business. However, before I can start celebrating I've got to get through next week which will consist of finalizing this year's accounts and year-end paperwork. I'll let you know how I get on in next week's newsletter.

My Dad!

On a personal note, my dad suffered a mild stroke while I was at the Battersea Park event. I received that news on Day 2 and I'm honestly not sure how I made it through the rest of the festival. On the train home from the festival on Sunday I was on a conference call with the doctor and my siblings and the news was really good. By Monday, my dad was off life support, sitting in a chair and talking. And on Thursday he was moved from intensive care. I had booked a flight to go home on Monday, but my sister said that it would be better for me to come when he's released to a rehab facility so I can help with the transition. I am so thankful for all the prayers and support I received during this time and feel extremely blessed that my 90 year old father is still with me!

Well, that's it for now. Have a fabulous weekend!

Weeks in Review - 11 July & 18 July 2014

First I want to wish my big brother, Arthur Miller, a very happy birthday! I wish I could be with him and his family in Milwaukee to help him celebrate, but since I can't I wanted to give him a honorable mention in GME Weekly! 

Due to technical difficulties with the newsletter program last week, I was unable to get the 11 July edition out to you, so I'm combining two weeks of happenings so let's get started ...

All of last week was putting the finishing touches on Foodies Festival Bristol. What a way to spend my first visit to Bristol ... the location for the Festival was absolutely fabulous and where the stage was set up couldn't have been better. There are a few pictures below in the 'Photos' section ... do check them out. The event was 11-13 of July and the Friday went so smoothly with everyone turning up on time if not early, and more important, each act sounded amazing. We had quite the good crowd for a Friday and by early evening, the place was heaving. 

The Funkinsteins

Then Saturday rolled around and everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong, from bands being stuck in traffic, to performers not turning up with all their gear to me having to do an emergency set to cover for a cancellation. Even with the issues, the day turned out to be fabulous and ended with an absolute bang with Brighton's Half Crown completely electrifying the place and local Bristol band The Funkinsteins who sizzled with their brand of Rock-laced Funk! By the end of the day I was dancing with the rest of the crowd and had completely forgotten about my earlier troubles! The beauty of good music ... 

The perfect end to the three days was on Sunday when we went back to operating like a well oiled machine, with everyone arriving on time and giving amazing performances. Supremely, Diana Ross made an appearance mid-afternoon and got everyone up dancing. And then the deliciously Bluesy Cherry White closed the festival with some great original and cover tunes, and even some classic Rock & Roll to get the crowd moving. Bristol was amamamamazing!! The next Foodies event is at Battersea Park in London on 15-17 August.

This week Monday, I took a much needed day off and hung out with the hubs doing normal stuff. On Tuesday, it was back to work finalizing a few bookings including confirming Mayfield to perform at The Southsea Show on Sunday, 3rd August. Also booked on this weekend event is Supremely, Diana Ross on Friday, 1st August and Move On Up on Saturday, 2nd August. Geoff Priestley, one of the organizers suggested I camp out for the three days ... if only I could ... LOL!

On Wednesday, I attended a workshop on Business & Personal Development that was hosted by the Portsmouth Venus Awards, which was immediately followed by the VA Finalist Announcement Tea where I was named a Finalist in the New Business Category! When I was driving to the Langstone Hotel that morning, I didn't really think I was that bothered about being a finalist. However, once I was in the room and they started naming names, the fact that my heart was literally pounding out of my chest was a little giveaway that I really wanted my name to be called. When it was, in good ole American style, I let out a yelp before I could stop myself *giggle*! I feel very proud of this accomplishment and look forward to attending the awards ceremony in October. Click here to see the full list of finalists!

Thursday, I met with a new client in Gosport and will be announcing some great shows at this new venue in the coming weeks. And finally, tonight I'm performing solo at Shepherd's Crook in Portsmouth and on Saturday night I will be with Move On Up at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea. Both shows are Supremely, Diana Ross followed by a party set. Can't wait ...

That's it for this edition, have a fantastic weekend!

Week In Review - 20 June 2014

Chillin' in Spain w/the Hubs!

I had a much needed 4-day mini break to Spain from Monday through Thursday, topping up my tan and the scale a bit too! The getaway was the perfect combination on sunshine, sangria & paella!  

On Friday, I performed a dep gig with 'Beau' at the grand re-opening of The Westleigh in Havant. The venue and the crowd were both fantastic, and I really enjoyed working with the fantastic musicians that comprise Beau. Dep gigs keep you on your toes because usually you don't get a chance to rehearse, you just show up and hope for the best :). Thankfully, I've dep'd for them before, so we were good to go.

Beau

Gloria Miller Duo

Note to self ... never schedule three gigs for the same date which is exactly what I did on Saturday, the longest day of the year in every way! I put in a 12-hour day gigging at The Spring in Havant with my duo in the afternoon, a private party in Hedge End in the early evening, and finishing up at The Mermaid in Portsmouth performing Supremely, Diana Ross. I was one tired soul at the end of the night and the drive home was a bit of a blur. When I arrived home, my very lovely husband had lit relaxing candles all over the house to create a calming atmosphere for me to come home to! After murdering a veggie stir-fry I hit the sack only to wake up on Sunday feeling quite out of it. This was my excuse to sit on the sofa and watch movies on LoveFilm, which I did! 

One of my acts, the incredible Marlene Hill, will be performing in 'Swinging at the Cotton Club' at the King's Theatre in Southsea on the 26th of October. I've seen this show a couple times now and it is spectacular and features The Jiving Lindy Hoppers & Harry Strutters Hot Rhythm Orchestra!  Take a step back into 1920's New York City and through the doors of Harlem's hottest nightclub, 'The Cotton Club'!  Swinging at The Cotton Club is an action-packed show celebrating music, dance, and song! Buy your ticket today!

I am excited to announce that I am starting to book original duo and band gigs as my CD, Let Go, is experiencing a bit of a revival over here in the UK. I released this CD in America just before moving to the UK five years ago and it seems the album got a little bit lost somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic ... LOL! At the first of my three gigs on this past Saturday, I dried off and performed five songs from the album which received a really positive response from the audience, and I sold a few CDs too!  

I just confirmed today that The Gloria Miller Duo will be performing originals & covers as part of The Guildhall Summer Sessions on the 24th of July at the outside cafe! We're performing two 45-minute sets, starting at 5:30pm.  And, Move On Up will be backing me on a gig at The Pizza Express in Soho on Sunday the 28th of September ... doors at 12:00 and we start at 13:30. We are supporting a fantastic up and coming band, Alter Ego, and will be performing songs from my CD as well as a few covers. This is going to be a great show with two great bands performing original Jazz, Soul, Blues & Funk!  Click here for more information.

Venus Awards Nominee Networking Event

Lastly, it was just announced that I have been nominated for a 2nd Venus Award in the New Business category. I was completely surprised to get the 1st nomination in the Customer Service category, and I am terribly humbled to be recognized again for starting GME. Check out their blog and learn more about the other nominees and the businesses they represent.

I think that's enough for now ... I'll be with you again on Friday with the next edition!

Until then, have a fab week!

Week in Review - 21 February 2014

I am on my second week of being on holiday and have had a wonderful time visiting friends and family in Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Wisconsin (heading there later today).

I've been living in the UK for four years and it's been that long since I've had a gig in Milwaukee, where I lived and performed for just over two years. Tonight, thanks to the fabulous vocalist and my friend Jeannine Rivers, I will be appearing with her and Scott Currier (one of the best keyboard players I've ever worked with) at The Delafield Hotel. Jeannine and I will be sharing the evening and singing some of our favourite Jazz, Soul & Blues songs. Jeannine and I sing so many of the same songs, but surprisingly, when we compared set lists, there was very little overlap. We both love singing 'Summertime' and we each put our own unique spin on the song, so that one we had to have a little discussion about. But, Jeannine is graciously allowing me to sing it tonight! 

Available on iTunes

Scott was very involved with arranging and performing on my solo CD, 'Let Go' and we performed together either as a duo or 4-piece band at venues all around the Milwaukee area. He was an absolute joy to work with and a bit of a musical genius (some of the chords he came up with on the CD, other musicians simply can't figure out ... LOL)!

Tonight's performance will be a bit of a reunion with many of my friends and family joining us for what promises to be a fun and unique evening of music! I will try to remember to take pictures tonight so I can share them with you next week! 

Until then ... have a fabulous weekend!