Butch Miles


Charles J. Thornton, Jr., known professionally as Butch Miles, was an American jazz drummer. He played with the Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, and Tony Bennett.

Career

Miles, who cited Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, and Jo Jones as favorite drummers, began playing snare drum at the age of nine and majored in music at West Virginia State University. After receiving his degree, he went on tour with the Iris Bell Trio. He was Mel Torme's drummer for 3 1/2 years and it was Torme and Buddy Rich who recommended Miles to Count Basie when a drummer was needed. Miles was with the Count Basie Orchestra from 1975 to 1979 and then returned for ten years from 1997 to 2007.
From Count Basie’s autobiography : “Butch came to us from Mel Torme’s outfit. He was a real crowd pleaser, like Buddy Rich and Sonny Payne, and he picked up on things very nicely, and he was also interested in sticking around for a while, which he did, for about four years.”
Miles was leader of the group Jazz Express in the 1980s and 1990s. He performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival. He was a member of the 2011 class of inductees. He retired from the School of Music at Texas State University-San Marcos.

Death

In March 2014, Miles was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. which has no treatment other than a lung transplant. He received a lung transplant and went into a period of recovery.
Miles died in Austin, Texas, on February 2, 2023, at the age of 78.

Discography

As leader

  • Miles and Miles of Swing...
  • Lady Be Good with Bucky Pizzarelli
  • Butch's Encore
  • Butch Miles Salutes Chick Webb
  • Butch Miles Swings Some Standards
  • Butch Miles Salutes Gene Krupa
  • More Miles...More Standards with Jorge Anders
  • Introducing the Ivory Coast Suite
  • Cookin'
  • Soulmates with Howard Alden
  • ''Straight On Till Morning''

    As sideman

With Count Basie
  • Basie Big Band
  • I Told You So
  • Montreux '77
  • Prime Time
  • On the Road
  • Basie in Europe
  • Live in Japan '78
  • Fun Time
  • The Golden Years
  • Count Plays Duke
  • Swing Shift
  • Basie Is Back
  • Swinging, Singing, Playing
With Phil Bodner
  • Fine & Dandy
  • Highlights in Jazz
  • Clarinet Virtuosity
With Dick Hyman
With Flip Phillips
  • Flipenstein
  • A Real Swinger
  • Flip Philllips Celebrates His 80th Birthday
With Sal Salvador
With Bob Wilber
  • Ode to Bechet
  • Reflections
  • On the Road
  • Nostalgia
  • The Hamburg Concert
  • Memories of You
With others