Steve Miller will be awarded the 2025 Les Paul Spirit Award at a private event on Monday, June 9, at the Gibson Garage in Nashville. The event coincides with what would have been Les Paul’s 110th birthday. Miller is the fifth recipient of the award, following Bob Weir, Nile Rodgers, U2’s The Edge, and Peter Frampton.
The annual award, created by the Les Paul Foundation in partnership with Gibson Gives, honors individuals who exemplify the spirit of Les Paul through innovation, engineering, technology, and music. Along with the award, a grant from the Les Paul Foundation will be made in the honoree’s name to a charity of his choice.
“I cannot think of anyone more deserving to be honored with the Les Paul Spirit Award than Steve Miller,” said Michael Braunstein, executive director of The Les Paul Foundation. “Not only is he an extraordinary talent and a wonderful friend of the Les Paul Foundation, Steve holds the very distinct title of being Les’ godson. They had a very unique relationship which Les cherished. If anyone understands the ‘spirit’ of Les Paul, it’s Steve.”
The Steve Miller Band has maintained its popularity, with Eminem’s “Houdini,” which interpolated their 1982 hit “Abracadabra,” reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2024. Their 1976 album, “Fly Like an Eagle,” was inducted into the National Recording Registry this year.
Miller achieved three No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 with “The Joker” (1974), “Rock’n Me” (1976), and “Abracadabra” (1982). While he never reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, four albums—”The Joker,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Book of Dreams,” and “Abracadabra”—peaked in the top three. His 1978 compilation, “Greatest Hits 1974-78,” has received a RIAA Diamond Award for U.S. shipments of over 15 million copies.
Miller was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022.
Miller and Paul shared a personal connection, both being signed to Capitol Records. Their relationship began in Miller’s childhood in Milwaukee, where his parents attended Les Paul and Mary Ford’s performances. Miller’s father, Sonny, was the best man at Les Paul’s wedding. Paul gave young Miller his first informal guitar lessons. Miller joined Paul on stage at his 90th birthday concert in New York City in 2005.
The Les Paul Spirit Award is crafted from hand-carved acoustic boards used by Paul in his home studio, making each award unique.
Les Paul, who passed away in 2009 at age 94, won Grammys for best instrumental performance in pop, rock, and country categories. He received a trustees award from the Recording Academy in 1983 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as an early/musical influence. Alongside his innovations with the guitar, Paul was part of the successful vocal duo Les Paul and Mary Ford, known for hits like “How High the Moon” and “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You).”